Category: faith

Thursday 10/25 ~ Help me see myself as others do

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, blessings, church, discouragement, ego, faith, humility, patience, problems, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 24 (10/24), is 1st Corinthians 10:24 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Titus-Cover-Lg Thumb“Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.”

The context of this verse is that some of the members of the church in Corinth were expressing opinions or doing things that were offensive to some of the other members. They hurt the consciences of some of the weaker members.  

Everyone struggles with their ego sometimes.  Usually, we do not even realize our ego is involved.  It is so very hard to see ourselves as others do, and to see ourselves as God does.

Do you ever do anything during the public worship that is offensive to some people? Do you do them as an example of how “holy” you are? Do you even try to get God on your side and say that any Christian could do those things if they had as much faith as you do?

What about committee meetings? Do you ever suggest something that the others just aren’t excited about? Do you allow your ego to eventually seep in and begin to feel slighted or challenged because your idea wasn’t accepted? Do you even try to get God on your side and say he will be more glorified if the other committee members accept your plan?

One way to look at things objectively is to ask yourself, “Would my congregation survive without me?” What if I were killed in an auto accident and suddenly taken from them tomorrow? Would they continue to worship? Would they continue to do good works? Would they continue to meet as a congregation? Ninety-nine percent of the time your congregation would survive without you.

“Lord, I guess I never looked at myself that way. I love you so much, I want others to know you better. Maybe I should express my worship alone as much as I do in public. Maybe I should do more good works alone without a committee.

Help me, know what to do. Help me see myself as others do, and as you do.”

 

0-Titus-Cover-Lg ThumbTITUS: THE ARISTOCRAT was an expert arbitrator. So Paul appointed him to solve church problems.  It was a special and rare gift. He traveled to Corinth in Greece to calm them down, then he traveled to Crete to divert problems before they arose. Finally, he went to Dalmatia in today’s Albania, a special challenge with so many “barbarians” to deal with.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2OYISvL

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Wednesday 10/23 ~ Reading the map

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, discouragement, ego, eternity, faith, Holy Spirit, knowledge, ScriptureLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 23 (10/23), is Jeremiah 10:23 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail“I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.”

Just how are you supposed to know what steps God has directed you to take? Do you have to guess, rely on a feeling, depend on the movement of your heart, see a vision? Actually, you have a guide, a road map.

Jesus said in John 14:16-17 that after he left, the Father would send another Counselor ~ the Spirit of Truth. In John 16:13 Jesus said The Spirit of Truth will guide into all truth. In John 17:17, Jesus said, “Your Word is Truth.”

Yes, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, guides you through the Word of God, the Bible.

You don’t have to guess! You don’t have to wonder! You don’t have to get discouraged! God has given you his Word to direct your steps. All you have to do is open his Word and read the map.

 

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-ThumbnailTHE HOLY SPIRIT: 592 VERSES EXAMINED lets the Spirit of Truth guide you in what to believe. Gone are all the numerous speculations, declarations, and conjectures. Read God’s opinions, the only opinions that matter, for they are Truth. It is liberating and gives us sweet rest. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/32EUTdD

 

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Wednesday 10/16 ~ He alone can

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn faith, Inspirational, judging, knowledge, Scripture, teaching, truthLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 16 (10/16), is Acts 10:16 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Old Testament Survey-Cover-thumbnail“This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.”

This is about a vision where God let down a sheet full of animals that were “unclean” and not allowed to be eaten according to the Law of Moses. (See Leviticus 11:1-8.) God told Peter he could now eat them.

Peter already knew that Jesus nailed the Old Law of Moses to the Cross (Colossians 2:14 and Hebrews 9). But it just hadn’t sunk in yet.

As many times as Jesus told his apostles about his Sonship of God and proved it with astounding miracles, it wasn’t until just before his death that Jesus told them, “You believe at last!” (John 16:31).

Similarly, sometimes you read the same scripture over and over and it goes right over your head. You are not seeing what God wants you to see. You assume that what you’ve always been doing will always be right. You assume that others in church do things a certain way, so it has to be right.

Do this: Search everything in the scriptures on topics that you assume you know all about, and get everything God has to say about it. Then compare scripture to practice.

It IS possible to get God’s opinion on things, and that is who, in the end, you are trying to please. He will judge you, not your friends. He alone can save you.

 

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Saturday 10/5 ~ Shhh.  Listen.  Do you hear him now?

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, Bible, church, ego, faith, Heaven, judging, knowledge, teaching, truth, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, October 5, (10/5) is 2nd Corinthians 10:5f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

NF-WorshipChanges-WorshipFirst“Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”

This is about the 40 years the Jews wandered in the wilderness between leaving their slavery in Egypt and beginning a nation for themselves. They had the mindsets of slaves. They did not know how to make decisions for themselves. One of those decisions was to leave the gods of Egypt and worship only the one true God.

It was easier to fall in line with what they were raised to believe. That had long been their comfort zone. They took the easy way out rather than follow the God who had proved the Egyptian gods were not gods at all. They would rather die than change. So they did. They died.

Do you take the easy way out? Do you stick with things you were raised to believe even though you have learned more of the Bible and see those old beliefs are not what God said?

The early Jews did not listen to God, so God did not listen to them. He is calling out to you through the scriptures.. Shhh.  Listen.  Do you hear him now? “Come to me. I want to save you. Please come.”

 

NF-WorshipChanges-WorshipFirstWORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE FIRST CENTURY provides a year-by-year account when changes were introduced, if not accepted, when they were reintroduced, who introduced them, and what they did to protestors.  Despite all that, a large number of Christians today think all those practices have always been from the beginning.  Written for denominational leaders with its companion, WORSHIP THE FIRST-CENTURY WAY.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2pMK6Q5

 

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Wednesday 10/2 ~ Strength to angels?

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, faith, Heaven, Inspirational, patience, power, praise, prayer, victory, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 2 (10/2), is Daniel 10:2ff as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Silver Cover-KINDLE-thumbnail“At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks…On the twenty-fourth day of the first month…I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude….Then he continued, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me because I was detained there with the king of Persia.’ “

The description of the speaker indicates he may have been angel Gabriel. Michael is another known angel. In Daniel 12:1 he is called “Michael, the great prince who protects your people.” Jude 9 refers to Michael as an archangel who disputed with Satan over the body of Moses.

Revelation 12:7-9 says, “And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down ~ that ancient serpent called the devil or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth and his angels with him.”

Now, let us look back at Daniel 10. Daniel prayed for 21 days. The un-named angel (Gabriel?) appeared to him on the 24th day and said Daniel’s prayers had been heard the first day, but God’s angel could not break away to help because of fighting Satan’s angels.

Now look at Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Does our persistence in prayer give strength to the angels?  Something to think about….

 

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Tuesday 10/1 ~ Being religious isn’t enough?

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, attitude, Bible, Death of Jesus Christ, ego, faith, Inspirational, judging, knowledge, prayer, Saved from hell, Scripture, truth1 Comment

The scripture for today, October 1 (10/1), is Romans 10:1f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

000-COVER-KINDLE-Thumbnail“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for ______ is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.”

Oh, my! Being “religious” isn’t enough? There are lots of religions out there. Feeling “spiritual” isn’t enough? There are lots of differing religions that induce a “spiritual” feeling. Confidence of salvation isn’t enough? There are lots of differing religions that create their own ways to salvation. Dedication to prayer isn’t enough? There are lots of differing religions that require much prayer.

Sincere Christian leaders today may want us to rely on feelings and inducements and confidence and dedication, but they can be sincerely wrong. If we base our salvation on feelings and inducements and confidence and dedication only, we have zeal, but our zeal is not based on knowledge. Some may defensively call “knowledge” legalism.

God gave us his Word ~ the Bible ~ for a reason. He wanted us to reason. Hebrews 11:1 says faith is accepting the evidence ~ not wishful thinking. Romans 10:17 says faith comes from hearing/reading the Word of God for ourselves ~ not someone’s sermon or a friend or a book. Let us search the scriptures daily for ourselves. And, let us not be afraid to approach our religious leaders and try teaching the teachers. Then their zeal as well as ours can be based on knowledge and take us to glory.

 

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Saturday 9/28 ~ Just keep walking and walking and…

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, Daily, death, discouragement, eternity, faith, Heaven, Inspirational, victory, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, September 28 (9/28), is Hebrews 9:28 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 8-ComeFlyWithMe-Cover-Medium-New“So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

Waiting is hard to do. We wait for relatives to arrive at our house for a visit. We wait for our next promotion. We wait for babies to be born. We wait for enough money to buy new clothes.

But what about waiting for something that we have never seen? Waiting for something we believe in by faith? Waiting an entire lifetime?

All the more reason to keep your eyes on the Word, your activities in good works, and your heart on your Creator and Savior.

It’s a long spiritual walk. But just keep walking, and keep walking, and keep walking until someday in the distant future you walk right through the gates of heaven.

Then, when you look back from eternity, you will say, “The wait wasn’t so long after all.”

 

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Sunday 9/22 ~ What do you do on Sunday mornings?

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, blessings, church, Death of Jesus Christ, ego, emptiness, eternity, faith, forgiveness, Heaven, love, sacrifice, Saved from hell, sin, Thanksgiving, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, September 22 (9/22) is Luke 9:22 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Supper-Front Cover-Thumbnail“And he [Jesus] said, ‘The Son of Man[kind] must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Jesus did not look forward to his death. Hebrews 5:7 says, “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….” Loud cries!

Yet, in today’s scripture, shortly after he announced to his apostles that he would be killed in Jerusalem, over in verse 51 it says, “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”

Jesus had to use every bit of self-determination he could muster up to face that terrible death he had to suffer for us. What kept him to his goal? He knew only he could save us from hell by taking the death wages from Satan (Romans 6:23). Then his work would be done ~ all would be finished ~ and he could return to heaven.

Is it difficult for you to get up on Sunday morning to go to church? Is it difficult for you to read the Bible every day? Is it difficult for you to invite a friend to church with you? Do you love Jesus as resolutely as he loves you? Are you as determined to go to heaven and avoid hell as he was for you? Do you love your soul as much as Jesus does?

 

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Wednesday 9/18 ~ All 600?

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, church, ego, faith, humility, love, praise, prayer, truth, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, September 18 (9/18), is Leviticus 9:18ff as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00-1st Century Worship KINDLE-COVER-Thumbnail“He slaughtered the ox and the ram as the fellowship offering for the people. His sons handed him the blood, and he sprinkled it against the altar on all sides. But the fat portions of the ox and the ram ~ the fat tail, the layer of fat, the kidneys and the covering of the liver ~ these they laid on the breasts, and then Aaron burned the fat on the altar. Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh before the Lord as a wave offering, as Moses commanded.”

The Law of Moses did not have just Ten Commandments. It had over 600! They were intricate commands that had to be kept exactly. The above is just a small portion of what they were supposed to do for a particular sacrifice.

Thank God, Jesus nailed the Old Law of Moses to the cross (Colossians 2:14). Yet some religious leaders continue to dip back into the Old Law to copy showy types of worship ~ robes, candles, choirs, harps, incense ~ many things, and all commanded. But if they do that, they must keep ALLof the Law of Moses ~ stoning for adultery, giving 1/3 of their income (not just 1/10), not working on Saturday (even cooking), going to Jerusalem three times a year.

They can’t just pick and choose which ones they like. The Apostle Paul said in Galatians 5:17 “Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised [just one command in the Old Law of Moses] that he is obligated to obey the whole law.”

James said in 2:10, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” Old Testament worship was showy, elaborate, and demanding to the nth degree. New Testament worship is just the opposite.

Mark 14:26 says that after Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper/Communion, “When they had sung a [single] hymn, they went out…”

Acts 2:41-42 says, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.  They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Acts 20:7 says, “On the first day of the week, we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people…”

I Timothy 4:13 says, “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.”

Nothing complicated about it. Just simple worship. Worship the way Jesus and his apostles worshiped. Worship the way God likes it. He said so himself.

 

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Tuesday 9/17 ~ Come back! Come back to me!

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn church, eternity, faith, forgiveness, Heaven, love, Saved from hell1 Comment

The scripture for today, September 17 (9/17), is Nehemiah 9:17 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Love Letters of Jesus & his Bride, Eccelsia-THUMBNAIL“They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore, you did not desert them.”

Such love! Do you rebel against God (who is only trying to save you) over and over because you don’t want anyone telling you what to do? Or because he’s too much bother? Or because you don’t have time for him? Or maybe you just outright hate God? Stop. Turn around. He is only trying to help you.   

God has faith in you when you do not have faith in him. God forgives you over and over. First Peter 3:9 says “The Lord…is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

God could turn you into a robot and force you to love and obey him. But that wouldn’t be real love. God is Love, and he cannot go against his own nature.

And so God follows you around and pleads over and over, “Come back! You’re in danger. Come back. Follow me to safety!”

How he hurts when you do not; how he smiles when you do.

 

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