People have been asking for my input and thoughts on what is going on in Wisconsin with the picketing, teachers striking, Senators bolting, etc. and why have I only replied with scripture. Is there anything more I need to say? If you must know, here are my thoughts:
1. I wear no political party title on my sleeves as the only title I need is "son" to my Father in heaven. I pray for all who are in office!
2. I applaud my Christian brothers and sisters who have continued to report to work and refuse to get involved with the trivial things of the world. For the word is clear:
"Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
----1 Peter 2:13-25
3. I pray for the Christians that keep getting caught up in political issues and things of the world, rather than focusing on their walk with the Lord!
----If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set you mind on the things above not on the things of earth.
----Colossians 3:1-2
4. I pray for the Christian hypocrites that keep posting on my friend's facebook pages: the one's who not too long ago were telling everyone that they needed to get over the fact the Obama is President and honor him because he is the President (which I agree with according to 1 Peter 2), but now they are telling everybody not to honor Governor Walker because they don't agree with him. Which is it? You can't have it both ways.
You hypocrites, go back to #2 and read 1 Peter 2:13-25.
5. I pray for the Christians posting that they feel "the Senate defectors are right and doing an honorable thing". Really, they are fugitives from the law! I do not care which party they represent, I did not vote for them to run away from the issues but rather to deal with them head on.
"But they are just buying time for people to voice their opinion and be heard." Hmm, I'm pretty sure that is what an election is for and that happened in November.
6. In lieu of #5, I pray for the children in the public schools and the children of the Christians who support these actions because of the example that is being set for them.
- It is okay to abandon your responsibilities if you disagree with something.
Go back to #2 and read 1 Peter 2:13-25, then go back to #3 and read Colossians 3:1-2.
I direct no thoughts toward the world because the actions of the world can be expected (although I will continue to pray for their salvation), but rather toward my Christian brothers and sisters who are called to stand on the word of God. To those who are standing on the Word of God I commend you, to those who compromise the Word of God for worldly things I call you to repentance, and for those who call themselves Christians and yet live by and thrive to be involved in the workings of the world I call you to examine your salvation.
----"Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"
----Matthew 7:20-23
----"I'd rather have people hate me with the knowledge that I tried to save them."
----Keith Green
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Savior's Story
With the kingdom in reach,
A man stood with this speech,
"Repent therefore, or go to hell,"
But from the multitude came only a yell,
Crucify Him, crucify Him rang aloud,
And soon entombed wrapped in a shroud,
Laid the man who would soon be home,
Seated at the right hand of the throne,
But not before rising from the grave,
To defeat death at its own game,
With a victory that set captives free,
And to use the gift of life eternally!
A man stood with this speech,
"Repent therefore, or go to hell,"
But from the multitude came only a yell,
Crucify Him, crucify Him rang aloud,
And soon entombed wrapped in a shroud,
Laid the man who would soon be home,
Seated at the right hand of the throne,
But not before rising from the grave,
To defeat death at its own game,
With a victory that set captives free,
And to use the gift of life eternally!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
The calm before the storm!
"When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour." --Revelation 8:1
I have read Revelation many times before but never caught what this verse said until this week. "There was silence in heaven for about half an hour."
When Isaiah talked about his vision of heaven there was continual worship and praise in heaven and John speaks of the same in Revelation 4 & 5, but here there is complete silence. So being me, I had to know what the Greek meaning of the word was that was being used for silence, and I found that it was "complete silence." No surprises hear, it means what it says. You see for this 30 minutes the worship, praise, talking, etc. in heaven was completely silenced and all eyes were on the Lamb with the scroll who was opening the seventh seal.
Why am I reflecting on this? Why has this not left my mind for days? What is so important that all of heaven seems to stand still for 30 minutes? The storm is coming and all is eerily silent in wait for what is to come.
I liken it to a tornado. We start with a severe thunderstorm which brings heavy rain, lighting, thunder, hail, and high winds which seem bad to us, but then all of a sudden everything stops and it is eerily calm. This period is when the storms resources are being taken up into the atmosphere due to climate changes where a more potent storm is forming. We contemplate this silence and wait in fearful anticipation to see what comes next. Then all of a sudden in the blink of an eye with the sound of a monstrous thunder a new storm is upon us and it is heavier and more potent than the one we just witnessed. This time bringing heavier rain, more lighting, bigger hail, stronger wind, and a mighty tornado with it which wreaks havoc, destruction, and fear on the land.
In Revelation I see a similar thing happening. All of heaven is worshiping God and watching the Lamb open the first six seals which is bringing some pain and suffering to the earth, but then all is calm and quiet as the Lamb opens the seventh and final seal on the scroll. All of heaven awaits silently as seven angels are given seven trumpets and another angel pours out fire on earth containing incense and the prayers of the saints. Then the silence in heaven is broken by the sound of the first trumpet which begins a torment on earth like none that has ever been before it.
If the severity of the coming destruction and torment of the Tribulation can silence all of heaven, then it should be enough to ignite a fire in us to proclaim the only way to escape the coming Tribulation on earth. Jesus told us how in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me!"
I have read Revelation many times before but never caught what this verse said until this week. "There was silence in heaven for about half an hour."
When Isaiah talked about his vision of heaven there was continual worship and praise in heaven and John speaks of the same in Revelation 4 & 5, but here there is complete silence. So being me, I had to know what the Greek meaning of the word was that was being used for silence, and I found that it was "complete silence." No surprises hear, it means what it says. You see for this 30 minutes the worship, praise, talking, etc. in heaven was completely silenced and all eyes were on the Lamb with the scroll who was opening the seventh seal.
Why am I reflecting on this? Why has this not left my mind for days? What is so important that all of heaven seems to stand still for 30 minutes? The storm is coming and all is eerily silent in wait for what is to come.
I liken it to a tornado. We start with a severe thunderstorm which brings heavy rain, lighting, thunder, hail, and high winds which seem bad to us, but then all of a sudden everything stops and it is eerily calm. This period is when the storms resources are being taken up into the atmosphere due to climate changes where a more potent storm is forming. We contemplate this silence and wait in fearful anticipation to see what comes next. Then all of a sudden in the blink of an eye with the sound of a monstrous thunder a new storm is upon us and it is heavier and more potent than the one we just witnessed. This time bringing heavier rain, more lighting, bigger hail, stronger wind, and a mighty tornado with it which wreaks havoc, destruction, and fear on the land.
In Revelation I see a similar thing happening. All of heaven is worshiping God and watching the Lamb open the first six seals which is bringing some pain and suffering to the earth, but then all is calm and quiet as the Lamb opens the seventh and final seal on the scroll. All of heaven awaits silently as seven angels are given seven trumpets and another angel pours out fire on earth containing incense and the prayers of the saints. Then the silence in heaven is broken by the sound of the first trumpet which begins a torment on earth like none that has ever been before it.
If the severity of the coming destruction and torment of the Tribulation can silence all of heaven, then it should be enough to ignite a fire in us to proclaim the only way to escape the coming Tribulation on earth. Jesus told us how in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me!"
Thursday, December 9, 2010
What are you looking at?
When we look toward God our countenance is raised,
When we look elsewhere it is merely a lost gaze.
When we look elsewhere it is merely a lost gaze.
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