Category: judging

Scripture for Friday, February 3 (2/3)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn blessings, Daily, good works, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, judging, Satan, ThanksgivingLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 3, is Philippians 2:3 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-cover-kindle-medium-new“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

This is probably among the top ten hardest-to-keep commands in the Bible. It’s right up there near loving our enemies.

One time Jesus said that, when we are invited to a banquet and can seat ourselves, we shouldn’t sit at the head table because that seat may be reserved for someone else. If so, someone would have to ask us to move and we would be humiliated. He suggested that instead, we sit at one of the back tables. Then, if someone goes to us and says, “Sit up here closer to the front,” we will feel honored. (See Luke 14:811)

Jesus was always a server, helping others to be better. The last time he ate with his apostles before his death, he put on an apron and went around washing their feet. Apparently, none of them felt they should stoop so low as to do it.

So the Son of God did it.

#Selfishness, #Vanity, #Ego, #Conceit, #Humility, #Servant, #Ambition

Scripture for Thursday, February 2 (2/2)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, faith, Inspirational, judging, Scripture, truthLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 2, is Matthew 2:2 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

000-BOOK 1-STAR SONG-PRINT COVER-Small“[the Magi/Wise Men] asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

There are people who believe the “star of Bethlehem” was in the east. But the star wasn’t in the east; the wise men (Magi) were in the east.

Many believe the star led the wise men the whole way. But Matthew 2:9 & 10 says, “After they had heard the king [Herod], they went on their way, and the star they HAD seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.”

The wise men saw the star while they were in the east and headed in the direction it came from. After they were in Jerusalem, the star reappeared ~ the star they HAD seen in the east. They rejoiced when they saw the star again, not because it had been with them the whole time, but because it had reappeared.

There are so many things about the Bible that we have heard all our life and just assume are true. Investigate things for yourself. Never take a teaching about the Bible for granted. You are smart. Check things out yourself.

#Bible, #Trust, #Gullible, #Naive, #Examination, #WiseMen, #BethlehemStar, #Christmas, #Herod, #Orient, #Magi

Scripture for Monday, January 30 (1/30)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Death of Jesus Christ, forgiveness, Inspirational, judging, Saved from hell, Scripture, truthLeave a comment

0-michel-cover-kindle-mediumThe scripture for today, January 30, is 1st Corinthians 1:30 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us “wisdom” from God ~ that is, our…

  …righteousness,

   …holiness and,

   …redemption.”

What is wisdom from God? Here it is spelled out. It is three things. Let’s look at it backwards. When we are redeemed from our sins, we gain God’s holiness and God’s rightness. We don’t know how to be sinless so we cannot have righteousness and holiness on our own. But Jesus knew how, and so became sinless for us.

We cannot let what He did for us drift by. That is not wisdom. Wisdom is to follow Jesus so He can give us His sinlessness (at least in the eyes of God). What a privilege He has given to us! And how unworthy we are!

#redemption, #holiness, #righteousness, #wisdom, #forgiveness, #goodness, #impossibility, #unworthiness

Scripture for Saturday, January 28 (1/28)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, faith, forgiveness, good works, healing, Heaven, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, judging, prayer, Satan, Saved from hell, Scripture, truth, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, January 28, is 1st Chronicles 1:28 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

PAUL COVER-KINDLE-“The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael.”

Are you a parent with a grown or nearly-grown child who is going in the wrong direction? Have you tried everything you can think of, and nothing is working? Do you know in your heart that you have been a good example and things shouldn’t have turned out as they have?

Abraham has been called the Father of the Faithful. Yet he had one son who followed Jehovah ~ Isaac ~ and one son who followed idols ~ Ishmael. Certainly, Abraham tried everything he could to “talk some sense” into Ishmael. Certainly, he prayed earnestly for Ishmael. So what went wrong?

Just as God has given each of us free will, our children also have free will. Just as God will never force us to follow him, we cannot force our children to follow God. You did not refrain from having your children because they may have difficulties in their life, and neither did God. And when our children rebel and break our hearts, imagine what God goes through when we rebel and break his heart.

Who knows? Perhaps your child will return to God some day in your old age, or even after you have died. If your child deep down has a good heart, that is enough for God to work with. Keep hope alive.

#Children, #FreeWill, #Families, #Adolescence, #Astray, #Hope, #Teaching, #Training, #BrokenHeart, #GodsHeart

 

Scripture for Tuesday, January 24 (1/24)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn death, Death of Jesus Christ, faith, forgiveness, Heaven, Inspirational, judging, Satan, Saved from hell, truthLeave a comment

The scripture for today, January 24, is Jude 1:24 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

REV-Cover-Kindle“To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy ~ “

God is perfect, and so cannot dwell with faults and imperfection. We have faults. Romans 3:23 says everyone sins. And Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death. But God always has wanted us to live with him. What a dilemma!

God solved our problem at great expense. He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth who lived the faultless life for us. Then God offered His perfect Son, His only Son, Jesus, to die in our place.

After that, God told the world that He would consider us “without fault” vicariously through Jesus. He’s already paid the penalty for our sins. All we have to do is believe He did and follow his instructions to keep us out of hell.

How amazing ~ God’s love for us!

#Crucifixion, #Sin, #Punishment, #Wages, #Forgiveness, #Heaven, #Hell, #Satan, #Jesus

Scripture for Saturday, January 21 (1/21)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, death, Death of Jesus Christ, faith, healing, Inspirational, judging, persecution, SatanLeave a comment

The scripture for today, January 21, is Job 1:21 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

changes-in-worship-cover-medium“ ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.’ “

Job had every reason to turn against God. In one day his entire wealth was stolen from him, nearly all his servants were killed by an invading army, and all his children died in a storm. Why hadn’t God protected him if he loved him so much?

We often forget that Satan exists also. Just remember, whatever Satan does, God can undo.

On a physical level, Satan is the accuser (Revelation 12:10), but God is the forgiver. Satan can cause us to get sick, but God can heal. Satan can cause us to die, but God can bring us back to life. Satan can make us miserable in this world, but God can take us to a better world.

Shall we leave God to fight Satan alone? We were made in his image.  And how do we fight Satan? Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

On a spiritual level, sometimes we are not only separated from material things but sometimes we are forced to be separated from other Christians. What can be the result? God’s kingdom arises in yet another place. James wrote to the Jewish Christians “scattered among the nations” (James 1:1). Peter wrote to “God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered.…” (I Peter 1:1).

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” There’s more….

In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
Neither angels nor demons,
Neither the present nor the future,
Nor any powers,
Neither height nor depth,
Nor anything else in all creation
Will be able to separate us from the
Love of God
That is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:37-39)

How can we be “more than conquerors” unless we have something to conquer? How can we have “victory in Jesus” unless we have something to be victorious over?

Each of us has periodic assignments from God. What bad thing has happened in your life lately? That is your assignment.

Or, must Jesus bear the cross alone?

#Troubles, #Trials, #Problems, #Loss, #Death, #Tragedy, #Lament, #Conquer, #Assignment, #Satan, #God, #Overcome, #Love, #Desertion

Scripture for Thursday, January 9 (1/9)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn blessings, Daily, faith, forgiveness, good works, Inspirational, judging, persecutionLeave a comment

 The scripture for today, January 19, is James 1:19a as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-COVER-KINDLE“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

There was a book published a few years ago entitled, Hurt People Hurt People. Have you ever wanted to say something like, “How dare you think you know how bad I feel!” or “How dare you think you understand the  ordeal I went through!” or “How dare you treat me like that!”?  Those are accusing words. And what do they accomplish?

We may feel justified in explaining how bad we were treated by someone. But, in reality, it makes the hurt keep going and going and going…. Perhaps this is a cycle you’ve been in for a long time with someone. Who is going to stop the cycle?

Satan is the accuser (Revelation 12:10).  God is the forgiver.  Even Jesus forgave his killers. When we have been hurt, let us be ready to listen to the other person’s hurt instead of accuse. And in the process, “bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

#Sympathy, #Anger, #Accusing, #Listening, #Hurt, #Forgiveness, #Humility

Scripture for Thursday, January 12 (1/12)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn church, Inspirational, judging, persecution, Satan, Saved from hell, Scripture, truthLeave a comment

The scripture for today, January 12, is James 1:12 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

changes-in-worship-cover-medium“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

How loyal are you to God? Is your relationship up and down, depending on how your life is going at the moment? If you pray for something and don’t get it, do you feel like God is punishing you?  If everything seems to be going wrong, do you blame God instead of Satan? Do you pray over and over for God to relieve you of a particular burden, but relief hasn’t come?

God has assignments for you. Where you are today is where he wants you. Your job is to stay loyal no matter how difficult things get.

Why? To prove that love is stronger than hatred. To prove that good is stronger than bad. To prove that God is stronger than Satan.

Determine today to thank God for whatever state you are in. And, even though you may feel helpless to do anything about it right now, in your helplessness, persevere!

#trials, #persecution, #loyalty, #good&bad, #reward, #Satan

Scripture for Thursday, December 29 (12/29)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn good works, Heaven, Inspirational, judging, SatanLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 29, is Deuteronomy 12:29 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-cover-kindle-new-medium“The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess.”

Why would a good God drive people (the Amorite nations) from their own land so that other people (the Jews) could live there? Way back in Genesis 15, God promised Abraham that his descendants would possess the land he lived in as a wanderer, but first they would be enslaved in a foreign country some 400 years. During that time they would multiply. Indeed, they did grow from 70 of Abraham’s grandchildren to over three million.

Then it would be time for his descendants to possess the land. Why so long in the future?  Verse 16 explains it: “For the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” God always gives people plenty of time to repent and change. Now God was using the Jews to punish the Amorites.

The Jews did finally possess the Promised Land, but God warned them, “If you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you” (Leviticus 18:28). Indeed, they did eventually defile the land with their own sins, so several centuries later, they were dispossessed and forced to go to Assyria and Babylon by their conquerors.

Yes, God keeps his promises ~ to both good and bad. Today, regardless of the condition of the nation we live in on earth, let us look ahead to that even better promise of an even better land ~ that spiritual Promised Land ~ heaven. And it will be forever good.

#Promises, #Punishment, #PromisedLand, #Heaven

Scripture for Tuesday, December 27 (12/27)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, Inspirational, judging, persecutionLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 27, is 1st Kings 12:27 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

PAUL COVER-KINDLE-“If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah.”

For centuries and millenniums, kings selected a patron god for their nation, a god they most revered to protect them. The patron god was selected by the king. Nations were always ruled by either a high priest or king. Some nations even had priest-kings.

So, when Constantine conquered much of Europe and set up his empire, he needed a patron god. One day during a battle, he looked up and saw a cloud formation that reminded him of things he’d heard about Jesus. So he made Jesus his patron God, and Christianity his empire’s required religion. He even rode his army through rivers, then declared them baptized. He ordered conquered peoples to be baptized or killed.  Headquarters was Rome.

Luther was friends of the Duke [king] of Germany, so when he broke off from Rome, the official state religion became Lutheranism. John Calvin was in the government of Switzerland, so when it broke off from Rome, the official state religion became Calvinism. When the king of England broke off from Rome, he became head of the Church of England (and Prince Charles is head of the Church there today). John Knox was influential with the parliament of Scotland, so his Presbyterianism became the official religion of Scotland.

In each instance, the king or parliament could force its citizens to follow the chosen religion of that nation. If people didn’t, they could legally put them in prison, torture them, and execute them at will. And sometimes they did just that.

Eventually, the idea of separating religion from the state government became popular. And that is where many nations are today. But it does not mean people in government cannot express religion. It just means they cannot force citizens to be a particular government-selected religion or be in danger of punishment. That is true “separation of church and state”.

#Government-Religion, #SeparationOfChurch&State, #Martyrs