Category: ego

Return Jesus to his throne

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn Bible, church, ego, ethics, forgiveness, governments, judging, knowledge, persecution, power, truth, worship1 Comment

changes-in-worship-cover-mediumThe scripture for today, May 4 (5/4), is 1st Peter 5:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“And when the Chief Shepherd [Jesus] appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

The world is frustrated with and has left “organized religion,” and it is our fault.  We brought it on ourselves. We have organized our denominations to death, and the spiritually minded have said, “Enough is enough. I want none of it. I just want Jesus.”

Look at all the denominations that appoint someone to be the head of their religion at their world headquarters. He goes by different titles ~ bishop, high priest, father, pope, president. Their headquarters may be a small office or a multi-story building, or an entire complex of buildings.

From here, the head meets regularly with his immediate underlings (who are still much higher than us ordinary people) to make decisions for their denomination. They pass regulations on who can hold office, what percent of income must be given to their denomination, where their contributions must be spent, amendments to their particular creed, and on and on. (By the way, shepherd is translated in modern English to pastor.)

Here is a unique thought: Let us set this system aside and replace everything with Jesus as the only head, and let the world headquarters be in heaven! We do not have to rely on the decisions of men but on the decisions of God the Son who loved us so much that he became human for a while so he could die for us. Maybe we need to sell our big buildings, give the money to mission work and the poor, and return to meeting in unorganized homes or fields.

We don’t even need a creed, because, if it is less than the Bible, it isn’t enough; if it is more than the Bible, it is too much, and if it is the same as the Bible, why have it?

No more “organized religion.” No more divisiveness. No more denominationalism. Just one united church of Christ with its divine Founder as our sole leader, and His divine words as our sole creed. This will never fade away.

Jesus is the crown giver. Return Him to His throne and watch the world return to Him.

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00- Worship Changes KC COVER-thumbnailWORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE 1ST CENTURY.  Trace the exact date changes were made in church worship and organization since the first century. These changes were mostly led by popes who had bought their office, led armies against people rejecting them, and had illegitimate children. Trace the protesters since the second century and the persecution they endured, often being burned at the stake. Discover the hymns we sing still today written by the protesters, sometimes just hours before their torturous death. Then be challenged to go forward! Back to the Bible. Be challenged to get rid of denominationalism and unite only in Christ with our only headquarters being in heaven. Can it be done? Christian unity? Read this, and make the challenge your own.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/Worship-Change

WORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE FIRST CENTURY

Make God smile

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #friendships, attitude, Daily, ego, Enemies, ethics, family, Fear, forgiveness, healing, humility, judging, patience, persecution, problems, Satan, sinLeave a comment

00-PAUL COVER-Medium-The scripture for today, April 30 (4/30), is Ephesians 4:30f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”

Do you think God has no choice but to let you into his heaven because you do not steal, cheat, or murder? Think again.

There’s more to it than that; it’s called sins of attitude. Are you bitter about something? Let it go, or it will take you to hell.  Do you have a problem with rage and anger? Do you enjoy a good mental or physical brawl? Do you slander people who have done you wrong? Do you harbor grudges year after year over people who were treated better than you? Let go of them. Please. They are taking you to hell.

The average person does not have trouble with bad actions. The big problem is with bad attitudes. Let go of them. God will take care of the problems. Let go of people you consider your enemies and wish them well. Do not grieve God. He does not deserve it.

Live in sweet inner peace. Live at peace with God. Make God smile.

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00-PAUL COVER-Thumbnail-INTREPID MEN OF GOD.  PAUL: THE UNSTOPPABLE.  Dare to experience with him every rod slamming into his bones, every whiplashing through his skin, every breath struggled for when treading water a day and night. Survive with him through all the shipwrecks, going days without food, a snow storm in the Taurus Mountains, being robbed on the highway. Listen as, each time his body is mercilessly attacked, he calls out, “Jesus! This is for you!”  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/UnstoppablePaul                                                                https://northernlightspublishinghouse.com/books-more-biblical-historical-novels/book-2-paul-the-unstoppable/

Singing to the Lover of my Soul

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, church, ego, humility, joy, judging, knowledge, praise, prayer, Thanksgiving, things, truth, worshipLeave a comment

COVER-Music-thumbMy heart with all its vulnerabilities reaches for you and  sings to the lover of my soul , the God of heaven and earth. The strings of my heart tremble and vibrate, then rise up in loving strains. From earth to heaven, from my heart to yours, my spirit to yours. Transcending worlds, my song spreads its laughter and sighs and rests in you. Be ever my song.

Lord, I went to some friends’ house and they had a beautiful new carpet. It was lush and deep and soft to walk on. I keep thinking about it and wondering how I could get such a carpet for myself. How selfish and greedy.  There are orphanages struggling to stay open. There are preachers who have trouble supporting their families. How can I think about carpet when their needs are so great? Forgive me please.

Thank you, God, for making me move to an area where not as many people believe in you. I will no longer take your church for granted. I have struggled so much here trying to expand your kingdom. It’s been so hard. Now I understand their struggles. I thank you for your strength that keeps me on course in a wilderness. I thank you for your example of courage and concern. You went everywhere seeking and saving the lost. And thank you for the church around the world, both small and large. They are your crown jewels.

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COVER-Music-thumbRESTORATION REPRINT LIBRARY:  INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN THE PUBLIC WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH. This book is head-and-shoulders above any other printed the last hundred years on the subject.  This staunch Presbyterian uses this book as a last stand, appealing to Presbyterians worldwide to maintain their purity of worship without a musical instrument at a time when most in his denomination had already purchased an organ or piano and had no intention of going back to the old ordinary ways.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/Worship-Music 

https://northernlightspublishinghouse.com/instrumental-music-in-the-public-worship-of-the-church/

I am sooo much better than you.

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #friendships, attitude, church, ego, Enemies, good works, humility, power, sacrifice, sinLeave a comment

The scripture for today, April 20 (4/20), is 1st John 4:20 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

COVER-Millennial-med“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”

Jealousy and hatred are very much akin. Are there people you are jealous of? Do they have a position you want, and so you say and do things to undermine their character or work, so you can get their position? Do you have a position you love, and there is a new person who could perform better, so you undermine that person’s ability in order to protect your position?

God eliminates jealousy this way: Do what you do best in private. What you accomplish  that everyone knows about isn’t as important to him as what you accomplish when no one is around to praise you. Jesus said those who receive acclamation by people already have their reward.(Matthew 6:1-5, 16-18).

Is divine reward from Almighty God for eternity so inferior in your mind that you would sacrifice it all to be number one here on earth?

Ah, my Lord God, forgive me. Pride stands between you and me. Take hold of my awful pride and dissolve it in a sea of tranquility graced by a ray of humility.

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COVER-Millennial-thumbRESTORATION REPRINT LIBRARY:  THE BEST OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL’S MILLENNIAL HARBINGER.  Even though Christians in the restoration movement came to America aboard the Mayflower in the early 1600s, this is an excellent primary source to understanding and tracing that portion of the restoration movement that writer Alexander Campbell, influenced. Articles appeal to the dissolving of denominations and coming together in Christian unity. Some articles quote founders of various denominations on baptism and other issues. Includes much on the world-wide cholera epidemic, especially in North America.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/3v8OSng

The Best of Alexander Campbell’s “Millennial Harbinger” 1830-1839

Persecuted by Friends

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #friendships, Bible, church, discouragement, ego, Enemies, faith, Fear, judging, knowledge, persecution, Scripture, teaching, truth, worship1 Comment

COVER-Music-thumbThe scripture for today, April 17 (4/17), is Mark 4:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, they quickly fall away.”

We may be mentally prepared for persecution out in the world. But what about persecution by our friends who we attend worship with all the time? They can turn on us too.

Perhaps you have discovered a “new” truth that was in the Bible all along and are trying to get members of your congregation to believe it. If members get the feeling you are trying to prove them wrong and make them look bad, they will turn on you, much like people do a “whistleblower” in the business world.

On whose side will you stand? Your friends’ so you can continue to be friends with them, or God’s? It’s easy to let things slide and pretend that “new” truth no longer exists so you can keep your friends. How deep are your roots? Who shall you worship? Your friends or your God? What is more important? Your comfort in this life or your eternity?

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COVER-Music-thumbINSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN THE PUBLIC WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH is head and shoulders above anything else I have ever read or heard.  This eminent PRESBYTERIAN PROFESSOR was the last hold out when his denomination added instruments to their public worship in the late nineteenth century.  He ends his comprehensive book with, “In the name of the framers of our venerable standards, in the name of the reformers, divines, and martyrs of the Presbyterian Church, in the name of Christ’s true witness in the centuries of the past, in the name of our glorious King and Head, we erect our solemn PROTEST.”  To BUY NOW from the RESTORATION REPRINT LIBRARY, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/Worship-Music   

https://northernlightspublishinghouse.com/instrumental-music-in-the-public-worship-of-the-church/

 

Wandering Soul, Entitled Heart, & the Side-Tracked Church

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, church, ego, ethics, governments, judging, knowledge, persecution, prayer, sacrifice, teaching, truth, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, April 3 (4/3), is 1st Timothy 4:3 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“They [false teachers] forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.”

changes-in-worship-cover-mediumIt is hard for you to think that smiling, humble, Bible-quoting, holy-looking church leaders could be false teachers and condemned by the God they claim to represent.  We want to think well of everyone. Isn’t that the way Christians are to think? But sometimes thinking well of someone and thinking well of the truth can clash.  Now you have a choice to make ~ a hard choice.

The apostle Paul warned of false teachers in the church that would come in the future. Indeed, it did happen. A time came when certain Christians were ordered not to marry, and not to eat certain foods (for instance, on Friday). They claim it is a sin to disobey them and don’t show you the scriptures they refuse to obey.

Remember, your church leaders are going to be judged by God, just like everyone else. Always, as the Apostle Peter once warned, “We ought to obey God and not men” (Acts 4:19). Besides, do you think this is one reason people have turned against “organized religion”?

This is why it is important to read the Bible for yourself. Use a concordance to look up all scriptures in the Bible with any keyword, and you will learn what is true and not true. Isn’t it time for you to sort through everything you have been told?  Isn’t it time for you to discover pure truth?

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00- Worship Changes KC COVER-thumbnailWORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE 1ST CENTURY. Trace the exact date changes were made in church worship since the first century. These changes were mostly led by popes who had bought their office, led armies against people rejecting them, and had illegitimate children. Trace the protesters since the second century and the persecution they endured, often being burned at the stake. Discover the hymns we sing still today written by the protesters, sometimes just hours before their torturous death. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/3eqMQXc  https://northernlightspublishinghouse.com/1107-2/my-book-worship-changes-since-the-first-century/

 

He’s calling you. Hurry! Open your door!

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn Daily, ego, Inspirational, joy, loveLeave a comment

0-BK 5-FloodGates-Cover-Medium-NewThe scripture for today, March 20 (3/20), is Revelation 3:20 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

”Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

A couple days ago, we read how the love of Christ is everywhere. But he will not force himself on you. He calls to you and knocks on the door of your heart and mind.

If you have too much noise going on in your life ~ coming and going to work, coming and going to clubs, coming and going to education and training, athletics and hobbies, you cannot hear him. If the radio and television and i-phone and computer and movies and music are blaring all the time with no silence, you cannot hear him.

Stop what you are doing right now. If there is any background noise, turn it off. Sit in silence a moment. Read a scripture about the life of Christ (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) if you have a Bible, and let him knock on the door of your heart. In such silence, you will be able to hear him.

He’s calling you! Do you hear him? Hurry.  Open your door.

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0-BK 5-FloodGates-Cover-Thumbnail-NewTHEY MET JESUS:  FLOOD GATES.  In three short years, Jesus has turned his world upside down.  His admirers follow him everywhere. His enemies begin plans in earnest to kill him.   To some he seems to be stabbing them in the heart.  To others he is gently knocking on the door of their heart.  But no one is half way in their opinion of him.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/2XsOXDS

Book 5: Flood Gates

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Throwing away your prize

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, Death of Jesus Christ, ego, Fear, Heaven, Life of Christ, sacrifice, Saved from hell, temptation, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

0-BK 6-PromiseKeeper-Cover-medium-new-kindleThe scripture for today, March 14 (3/14), is Philippians 3:14, as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus knew that, out of jealousy, the religious leaders were trying to kill him. So, for a while, he stayed out of Jerusalem, where the religious headquarters was. But Eventually, the time came for him to put himself in their hands. Was it easy for him to do? Definitely not! For he knew his death would be by physical and spiritual torture.

“They were on their way up to Jerusalem with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished while those who followed were afraid” (Mark 10:32).

Jesus pressed on. He did not want to go through the crucifixion. Hebrews 5:7 says that “during the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.”

As difficult as it was for him, Jesus pressed on toward the goal to win the prize. But the prize was not for himself; it was for you and me ~ eternity in heaven instead of hell!

You do not have to go through what he did for your salvation and avoidance of hell. Your little bit of sacrifice is nothing by comparison. But do you turn away from the prize Jesus sacrificed so much for so you can have a little more fun, accumulate a few more things, watch a few more tv shows, play a few more computer games, be a little more important to your friends?

Are you throwing away your prize?

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0-BK 6-PromiseKeeper-Cover-thumbnail-new-kindleTHEY MET JESUS:  PROMISE KEEPER.  A traitor praised him, a woman crowned him, foreigners sought him. the world ran after him, Judas ran from him, his apostles deserted him. He held his own funeral service, then begged God to free him of his promise. The religious leaders were unmasked, And Herod wrestled with just who he was. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/3ldcjbB

Book 6: Promise Keeper

Look up! God knows what he’s doing.

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, discouragement, ego, emptiness, Enemies, judging, Loss, patience, problems, Satan, things, truthLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 27 (2/27), is Jeremiah 2:27 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00-1st Century Worship KINDLE-COVER-Thumbnail“ ‘Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me,’ declares the Lord.”

Do you want God to make it impossible for someone to insult or lie or cuss at you? Do you want God to make it impossible for someone to fire you? Do you want God to make it impossible to kill you?  Do you want to stop free will? If that were the case, we would all be robots with no will of our own.

More and more people are blaming God for bad things happening in their life. That is their excuse for rebelling against God and declaring he does not even exist. Their view of God is a Santa Claus or Genie in a Bottle who grants their every wish and keeps them from all harm. No one ever dies, no one ever sins, and it is heaven on earth.

What they want is for God to stop his laws of Nature whenever you want. If someone throws a knife at them, it suddenly turns to gelatin.  If someone’s car is about to slam into them and kill someone, they want that car to suddenly be made out of feathers.

Other people sometimes blame God for bad things happening in their life because blaming is one of the ways they handle their grief. They don’t really want to blame God because they want to think God loves them. But there is no one else to blame.

No one else to blame? Oh, yes, there is. There is Satan. We tend to forget Satan is out there too. It is Satan who causes bad to happen, not God.

Is that what you’ve done lately ~ blame God for bad happening, then rebel against him? Or do you know someone who is going through many problems, not of their doing or choosing? Are they blaming God and rebelling against him? Help them. Remind them of Satan.

People want to blame someone. They will be relieved to be reminded that Satan exists. Now they can put the blame where it belongs.

Let us not blame God for the bad. Instead, let us thank Him for the good. And for hard things in our life so we can build our spiritual muscles. How can we have Victory in Jesus unless we have something to be victorious over? How can we be More than Conquerors unless we have something to conquer?  Are we cowards? Do we run from hard work and exercise?

Look up! God knows what he is doing. He wants you to become a good person, a great person, a mighty person. But you must do it his way. He’s our father and Father knows best.

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00-1st Century Worship KINDLE-COVER-ThumbnailWORSHIP THE FIRST-CENTURY WAY is book two in the series, WNDERING SOUL, ENTITLED HEART, AND THE SIDETRACKED CHURCH.  Book one is WORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE 1ST CENTURY.  Get the set.  They work together.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/37akvlF

WORSHIP THE FIRST-CENTURY WAY

All the kinds of happiness

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, blessings, discouragement, ego, emptiness, joy, judging, LossLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 26 (2/26), is Ecclesiastes 2:26 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Titus-Cover-Medium“To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness, but to the sinner, he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

Are you happy regardless of how much wealth you do or do not have? Do you require things in order to be happy? Are you always out shopping around for new clothing, a new car, a new computer or television? Solomon, who wrote the above scripture, was the wealthiest man in the world, but he found it to be meaningless, a chasing after the wind. In another place in Ecclesiastes (5:10), he said that a man loving money never has enough.

Indeed, centuries later, the highly educated and intelligent apostle Paul, who did not own a home or much of anything else, explained his happiness: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:11b-12).

If you lost everything tomorrow, would you panic? Or would you use God’s wisdom and knowledge to create a new happiness?  Might you look around and begin doing something you have always wanted to do but were too tied down with things to do it?  If you lost everything tomorrow, might it bring a new freedom to you or paralyze you?

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0-Titus-Cover-Lg ThumbTITUS; THE ARTISTICRAT was born of privilege in Antioch of Anatolia where only the influential lived.  He was well educated, had a good career, married, had children.  But it was all marred by a father who blamed Titus for his mother’s death.  Nothing worked until decades later when he was made a slave.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/3mAmwPb

Book 8 ~ Titus: The Aristocrat