This post is based off a recent sermon given by the pastor of my church, which was inspired by the passage of scripture Luke 2:41-50. The scripture tells the story of Jesus being left behind at the temple by his family.
After accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, what kind of life do you lead? Is Jesus the leader of all that you do, or are you so caught up in the festivities of life that you don't realize before it is to late that Jesus is no longer at your side? Jesus' family loved him so much, yet they still unknowingly left him at the temple. They assumed that when the family left that Jesus was also leaving with them. They went on with their day, visiting family and friends and retuning home before they realized Jesus wasn't with them. Then they went to look for him at their friends and relatives places, thinking he was there, and they were surprised when their friends and family knew nothing of him. It took them a while to figure out that Jesus was at the temple. When they went back to get him, Jesus said to them "why did you seek me, did you not know I'd be about my father's business."
You've accepted Jesus into your life, then you go on with your life, being disobedient to him; drinking, drugs, cursing, promiscuity, and/or other compromising moral issues. Then before you know it, Jesus is no longer with you and you may wonder why. The only way to get back to Jesus is to go back to the place where you left him. The only place we can find him when we feel lost, is to look where we left him behind. We can't just keep starting over anew each time we want to feel closer to God. You're going to have to pray to the holy Spirit first to show you where you left Jesus, and then you are going to have to repent. Jesus is left behind when you are disobedient. [The pastor spoke to the teens in the audience, saying that they better get straight A's because everything they do should be for the glory of the Lord.]
We get so caught up in what we're doing that we forget to bring Jesus with us. We assume that because we are a born again child of God that everything is okay, that surely Jesus is always with us. We can't afford to make that assumption. We don't intentionally leave Jesus behind, yet it happens. God should be our first priority. In all that we do we should put our trust in him, and let the Holy Spirit guide us through life. If the Holy Spirit isn't the one impowering us and guiding us to do God's will, then we will find that things just aren't going to work. Going through the motions of being a Christian means nothing. We need to seek God. Live for Jesus, don't leave him behind. **Everything you do needs to be for the glory of God.** Ask yourself, "Is it me doing it or is it he doing it through me?"
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Stress- Overcoming It.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT...
OVERCOMING STRESS?
In today's world it is virtually impossible to avoid stress. Almost everyone is carrying some amount of it, in varying degrees. Many find it increasingly difficult to simply survive in the world we live in. In desperation, people are seeking relief for their problems through any remedy they can find. Our culture is inundated with self-help books, therapists, time-management workshops, massage parlors, and recovery programs (to name just the tip of the iceberg). Everyone talks about returning to a "simpler" way of life, but no one seems to even know exactly what that means, or how to attain it. Many of us cry out like Job, "The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me." (Job 30:27).
Most of us are so used to carrying the burden of stress, we can scarcely imagine our lives without it. We think it is simply an unavoidable part of living in the world. We carry it like a hiker trudging out of the Grand Canyon with a huge pack on his back. The pack seems to be a part of his own weight, and he can't even remember what it was ever like to not be carrying it. It seems that his legs have always been that heavy and his back has always ached under all that weight. Only when he stops to rest for a moment and takes off his pack does he realize just how heavy it really is, and how light and free he is without it.
Unfortunately, most of us cannot just unload stress like a backpack. It seems to be intrinsically woven into the very fabric of our lives. It lurks somewhere beneath our skin (usually in a knot between our shoulderblades). It keeps us up late into the night, just when we need sleep the most. It presses in on us from all sides. Yet, Jesus says, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Mt. 11:28-30). Those words have touched the hearts of many, yet they are only words that merely sound comforting and are in essence, worthless, unless they are true. If they are true, how can we apply them to our lives and walk free from the burdens that weigh us down so badly? Perhaps you are responding, "I would love do that if only I knew how!" How can we receive rest for our souls?
COME TO ME...
The first thing we must do to be free from our stress and our worry is to come unto Jesus. Without Him, our life has no real purpose or depth. We simply run from one activity to another, seeking to fill our lives with purpose, peace, and happiness. "All man's efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied." (Ecc. 6:7). Things haven't changed much since the days of King Solomon. We work ourselves to the bone for the things we desire, only to crave more.
If we do not know our real purpose in life; our reason for existing, life is very meaningless indeed. Yet, God created each of us with a special purpose in mind. There is something that needs to be done on this earth that can only be done by you. Much of the stress that we carry springs from the fact that we don't know who we are or where we are going. Even Christians who know that ultimately they are going to heaven when they die, are still anxious in this lifetime because they do not really know who they are in Christ and who Christ is in them. No matter who we are, we are bound to have tribulation in this life. It is unavoidable, but having trouble in this life is not the issue anyway. The real issue is how we react to it. That is where stress is born. The trials we face in this world will either break us or make us strong.
"I will show you who he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them in to practice. He is like a man building a house who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came the torrents struck that house but could not shake it because it was well built." Luke 6:48. Jesus didn't say that once we built our house on the rock that everything would be perfect. No, He said that a flood came in torrents smashing against the house. The key is that the house was built on the rock of Jesus, and the rock of putting His words into practice. Is your house built on Jesus? Did you dig your foundation deep into Him, or was the house hastily erected? Is your salvation based on a prayer you prayed once or is it growing out of a committed relationship to Him? Do you come to Him every day, every hour? Are you putting His words into practice in your life, or do they lie there like dormant seed?
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2
Until you have fully committed yourself to God, until your foundation is dug deep into Him, you will never be able to discern what His perfect will is for your life. When the storms of life come, as they are bound to do, you will only worry and fret and walk around with an ache in your back. Who we are under pressure reveals who we really are. The storms of life wash away the thin veneer that we present to the world and expose what lies in our heart. God, in His mercy, allows the storms to hit us so we will turn to Him and be cleansed of the sin that we were never able to perceive in times of ease. We can either turn to Him and receive a soft heart in the midst of all our trials, or we can turn away and harden our heart. The hard times in life will either make us pliable and merciful, full of faith in God, or angry and brittle, full of doubt and unbelief.
FEAR OR FAITH?
"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). Ultimately, there are only two motivating factors in life: fear or faith. Until we truly know that God is for us, loves us, cares about us personally and hasn't forgotten us, we will base our life's decisions on fear. All fear and worry stems from a lack of faith in God. You may not think you are walking in fear, but if you aren't walking in faith, you are. Stress is a form of fear. Worry is a form of fear. Worldly ambition is rooted in a fear of being overlooked--of being a failure. Many relationships are based on the fear of being alone. Vanity is based on a fear of being unattractive and unloved. Greed is based on a fear of poverty. Even anger and rage are based on the fear that there is no justice, no escape, no hope. Fear breeds selfishness, which is the exact opposite of God's character. Selfishness breeds pride and indifference to others. All of these are sin and must be dealt with accordingly. Stress arises when we try to serve both ourselves (our fears), and God at the same time (which is impossible to do). "Unless the Lord builds the house, it's builders labor in vain...In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat." (Psalm 127:1-2).
The Bible says that when everything else is stripped away, only three things remain: faith, hope, and love--and that love is the greatest of the three. Love is the force that drives out our fear. "There is no fear in love but perfect love drives out fear, for fear has a torment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18). The only way we can get rid of our anxieties is to look them in the eye and deal with them at the root. If we desire for God to make us perfect in love, we will have to repent of every bit of fear and worry that we have clung to instead of Him. We may not like to face some of those things that are in us, but we must if we are ever to be free from them. If we are not merciless with our sin, it will be merciless on us. It will drive us like the most wicked of slavemasters. Worst of all, it will keep us from communion with God.
Jesus said in Matthew 13:22, "The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful." It is extraordinary what tremendous power there is in even the littlest things to distract us from God. We must stand our ground, and refuse to let the thorns choke out the seed of the Word. The devil knows that if he can distract us with all the cares of this world, we will never be a threat to him or fulfill the call that is on each our lives. We will never bear any fruit for the kingdom of God. We will fall far below God's intended place for us. Yet, God wants to help us to do our best in every situation that we face. That is all He asks--that we trust in Him, put Him first, and do the best we can. After all, most other circumstances that we worry about are beyond our control anyway. What a waste of time worrying is! If we only worried about the things that we have any direct control over, we would reduce our worrying by 90%!
Paraphrasing the Lord's words in Luke 10:41-42, Jesus is saying to each one of us, "You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Choose what is better and it will not be taken from you." Isn't it wonderful that the only thing that cannot ever be taken from us, is the only thing we really need anyway? Choose to sit at the Lord's feet and listen to His words and learn from Him. By so doing, you are putting a deposit of true riches into your heart, if you guard those words and put them into practice. If you are not daily spending time with Him and reading His Word, you are opening the door of your heart to the birds of the air who will steal the seeds of life deposited there, and leave worry in their place. As for our material needs, they will be taken care of when we seek Jesus first. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow will take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Matthew 6:33.
God has blessed us with a most powerful tool; His Living Word, the Bible. If used properly, it is a spiritual sword; separating our faith from our fear, drawing a clean line between the holy and the vile, cutting away the excess and bringing forth the repentance which leads to life. Stress merely indicates an area of our life where our flesh is still on the throne. The life that is totally submitted to God is marked by the trust born out of a thankful heart.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 (KJV).
TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU...
How it must grieve God to see His children walking around in such misery! The only things we really need in this life, He already purchased for us at Calvary through a terrible, agonizing, and lonely death. He was willing to give everything for us, to make a way for our redemption. Are we as willing to do our part? Are we willing to lay our lives down at His feet, and take His yoke upon us? For if we do not walk in His yoke, we are bound to walk in another. We can either serve the Lord who loves us, or the devil who is bent on destroying us. There is no middle ground, nor is there a third option. Praise God that He made a way out of the cycle of sin and death for us! When we were completely helpless against the sin that raged in us and compelled us to run from God, He had mercy on us and ran after us, though we only cursed His Name. He is so tender and patient with us, not willing for even one to perish. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. (Matthew 12:20). Are you bruised and broken? Is your flame dimly flickering? Come to Jesus now!
"Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend your money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me that your soul may live!" Isaiah 55:1-3.
BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL
When all is said and done, there are still times when we all face incredibly difficult circumstances that have an awesome power to destroy us. The best way to counteract stress in those times, is to begin to praise God and thank Him for His countless blessings in our lives. The old adage "count your blessings" really is true. In spite of everything, there are so many blessings woven throughout our lives that many of us do not even have the eyes to see them. Even if your situation seems hopeless, God is still worthy of all your praise. God delights in a heart that will praise Him no matter what the bankbook says, our family says, our time schedule says, or any other circumstance that would try to exalt itself against the knowledge of God. As we praise and bless the name of the Most High, everything else in this world begins to pale and fade away against the sheer loveliness of who He is.
Think of Paul and Silas, feet bound in stocks in a dark prison with a jailer standing guard over them. (Acts 16:22-40). They had just been severely flogged, ridiculed and attacked by a huge crowd of people. Instead of fearing for their lives, or becoming angry at God, they began to praise Him, singing out loud, careless of who might hear or judge them. As they began to praise Him, their hearts were soon overflowing with the joy of the Lord. The song of those two men who loved God more than life itself began to flow through them like a river of liquid love into their cell and out into the entire prison. Soon, there was a flood of warm light bathing the whole place. Every demon there began to flee in utter terror of that praise and love to the Most High. Suddenly, an amazing thing happened. A violent earthquake shook the prison, the doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose! Praise God! Praise always brings freedom, not only for ourselves, but for those around us who are bound up as well.
We must get our mind off of ourselves and the problems we face and onto the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. One of the miracles of a life transformed by God is that we can be thankful always, and praise Him in all situations. This is what He commands us to do, for He knows better than we do that the joy of the Lord is our strength. God does not owe us anything, but He has made a way for us to receive every good thing anyway, because He loves us! Is that not a reason for celebration and thanksgiving?
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer and enables me to go on the heights." Habakkuk 3:17-19.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy soul with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103:1-5 (KJV).
Won't you take some time right now to re-commit your life to the Lord? If you don't know Him, ask Him into your heart. If you do know Him tell Him that you want to know Him better. Confess your sins of worry, fear and lack of faith and tell Him that you want Him to replace those things with faith, hope and love. No one serves God by his own strength--we all need the power and the strength of the Holy Spirit to permeate our lives and continually lead us back to the precious cross, back to the Living Word. You can make a fresh start with God, starting this very minute. He will fill your heart with a brand new song, and joy unspeakable and full of glory!
"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up (leap) like calves released from the stall." Malachi 4:2. (KJV)
OVERCOMING STRESS?
In today's world it is virtually impossible to avoid stress. Almost everyone is carrying some amount of it, in varying degrees. Many find it increasingly difficult to simply survive in the world we live in. In desperation, people are seeking relief for their problems through any remedy they can find. Our culture is inundated with self-help books, therapists, time-management workshops, massage parlors, and recovery programs (to name just the tip of the iceberg). Everyone talks about returning to a "simpler" way of life, but no one seems to even know exactly what that means, or how to attain it. Many of us cry out like Job, "The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me." (Job 30:27).
Most of us are so used to carrying the burden of stress, we can scarcely imagine our lives without it. We think it is simply an unavoidable part of living in the world. We carry it like a hiker trudging out of the Grand Canyon with a huge pack on his back. The pack seems to be a part of his own weight, and he can't even remember what it was ever like to not be carrying it. It seems that his legs have always been that heavy and his back has always ached under all that weight. Only when he stops to rest for a moment and takes off his pack does he realize just how heavy it really is, and how light and free he is without it.
Unfortunately, most of us cannot just unload stress like a backpack. It seems to be intrinsically woven into the very fabric of our lives. It lurks somewhere beneath our skin (usually in a knot between our shoulderblades). It keeps us up late into the night, just when we need sleep the most. It presses in on us from all sides. Yet, Jesus says, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Mt. 11:28-30). Those words have touched the hearts of many, yet they are only words that merely sound comforting and are in essence, worthless, unless they are true. If they are true, how can we apply them to our lives and walk free from the burdens that weigh us down so badly? Perhaps you are responding, "I would love do that if only I knew how!" How can we receive rest for our souls?
COME TO ME...
The first thing we must do to be free from our stress and our worry is to come unto Jesus. Without Him, our life has no real purpose or depth. We simply run from one activity to another, seeking to fill our lives with purpose, peace, and happiness. "All man's efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied." (Ecc. 6:7). Things haven't changed much since the days of King Solomon. We work ourselves to the bone for the things we desire, only to crave more.
If we do not know our real purpose in life; our reason for existing, life is very meaningless indeed. Yet, God created each of us with a special purpose in mind. There is something that needs to be done on this earth that can only be done by you. Much of the stress that we carry springs from the fact that we don't know who we are or where we are going. Even Christians who know that ultimately they are going to heaven when they die, are still anxious in this lifetime because they do not really know who they are in Christ and who Christ is in them. No matter who we are, we are bound to have tribulation in this life. It is unavoidable, but having trouble in this life is not the issue anyway. The real issue is how we react to it. That is where stress is born. The trials we face in this world will either break us or make us strong.
"I will show you who he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them in to practice. He is like a man building a house who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came the torrents struck that house but could not shake it because it was well built." Luke 6:48. Jesus didn't say that once we built our house on the rock that everything would be perfect. No, He said that a flood came in torrents smashing against the house. The key is that the house was built on the rock of Jesus, and the rock of putting His words into practice. Is your house built on Jesus? Did you dig your foundation deep into Him, or was the house hastily erected? Is your salvation based on a prayer you prayed once or is it growing out of a committed relationship to Him? Do you come to Him every day, every hour? Are you putting His words into practice in your life, or do they lie there like dormant seed?
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2
Until you have fully committed yourself to God, until your foundation is dug deep into Him, you will never be able to discern what His perfect will is for your life. When the storms of life come, as they are bound to do, you will only worry and fret and walk around with an ache in your back. Who we are under pressure reveals who we really are. The storms of life wash away the thin veneer that we present to the world and expose what lies in our heart. God, in His mercy, allows the storms to hit us so we will turn to Him and be cleansed of the sin that we were never able to perceive in times of ease. We can either turn to Him and receive a soft heart in the midst of all our trials, or we can turn away and harden our heart. The hard times in life will either make us pliable and merciful, full of faith in God, or angry and brittle, full of doubt and unbelief.
FEAR OR FAITH?
"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). Ultimately, there are only two motivating factors in life: fear or faith. Until we truly know that God is for us, loves us, cares about us personally and hasn't forgotten us, we will base our life's decisions on fear. All fear and worry stems from a lack of faith in God. You may not think you are walking in fear, but if you aren't walking in faith, you are. Stress is a form of fear. Worry is a form of fear. Worldly ambition is rooted in a fear of being overlooked--of being a failure. Many relationships are based on the fear of being alone. Vanity is based on a fear of being unattractive and unloved. Greed is based on a fear of poverty. Even anger and rage are based on the fear that there is no justice, no escape, no hope. Fear breeds selfishness, which is the exact opposite of God's character. Selfishness breeds pride and indifference to others. All of these are sin and must be dealt with accordingly. Stress arises when we try to serve both ourselves (our fears), and God at the same time (which is impossible to do). "Unless the Lord builds the house, it's builders labor in vain...In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat." (Psalm 127:1-2).
The Bible says that when everything else is stripped away, only three things remain: faith, hope, and love--and that love is the greatest of the three. Love is the force that drives out our fear. "There is no fear in love but perfect love drives out fear, for fear has a torment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18). The only way we can get rid of our anxieties is to look them in the eye and deal with them at the root. If we desire for God to make us perfect in love, we will have to repent of every bit of fear and worry that we have clung to instead of Him. We may not like to face some of those things that are in us, but we must if we are ever to be free from them. If we are not merciless with our sin, it will be merciless on us. It will drive us like the most wicked of slavemasters. Worst of all, it will keep us from communion with God.
Jesus said in Matthew 13:22, "The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful." It is extraordinary what tremendous power there is in even the littlest things to distract us from God. We must stand our ground, and refuse to let the thorns choke out the seed of the Word. The devil knows that if he can distract us with all the cares of this world, we will never be a threat to him or fulfill the call that is on each our lives. We will never bear any fruit for the kingdom of God. We will fall far below God's intended place for us. Yet, God wants to help us to do our best in every situation that we face. That is all He asks--that we trust in Him, put Him first, and do the best we can. After all, most other circumstances that we worry about are beyond our control anyway. What a waste of time worrying is! If we only worried about the things that we have any direct control over, we would reduce our worrying by 90%!
Paraphrasing the Lord's words in Luke 10:41-42, Jesus is saying to each one of us, "You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Choose what is better and it will not be taken from you." Isn't it wonderful that the only thing that cannot ever be taken from us, is the only thing we really need anyway? Choose to sit at the Lord's feet and listen to His words and learn from Him. By so doing, you are putting a deposit of true riches into your heart, if you guard those words and put them into practice. If you are not daily spending time with Him and reading His Word, you are opening the door of your heart to the birds of the air who will steal the seeds of life deposited there, and leave worry in their place. As for our material needs, they will be taken care of when we seek Jesus first. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow will take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Matthew 6:33.
God has blessed us with a most powerful tool; His Living Word, the Bible. If used properly, it is a spiritual sword; separating our faith from our fear, drawing a clean line between the holy and the vile, cutting away the excess and bringing forth the repentance which leads to life. Stress merely indicates an area of our life where our flesh is still on the throne. The life that is totally submitted to God is marked by the trust born out of a thankful heart.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 (KJV).
TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU...
How it must grieve God to see His children walking around in such misery! The only things we really need in this life, He already purchased for us at Calvary through a terrible, agonizing, and lonely death. He was willing to give everything for us, to make a way for our redemption. Are we as willing to do our part? Are we willing to lay our lives down at His feet, and take His yoke upon us? For if we do not walk in His yoke, we are bound to walk in another. We can either serve the Lord who loves us, or the devil who is bent on destroying us. There is no middle ground, nor is there a third option. Praise God that He made a way out of the cycle of sin and death for us! When we were completely helpless against the sin that raged in us and compelled us to run from God, He had mercy on us and ran after us, though we only cursed His Name. He is so tender and patient with us, not willing for even one to perish. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. (Matthew 12:20). Are you bruised and broken? Is your flame dimly flickering? Come to Jesus now!
"Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend your money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me that your soul may live!" Isaiah 55:1-3.
BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL
When all is said and done, there are still times when we all face incredibly difficult circumstances that have an awesome power to destroy us. The best way to counteract stress in those times, is to begin to praise God and thank Him for His countless blessings in our lives. The old adage "count your blessings" really is true. In spite of everything, there are so many blessings woven throughout our lives that many of us do not even have the eyes to see them. Even if your situation seems hopeless, God is still worthy of all your praise. God delights in a heart that will praise Him no matter what the bankbook says, our family says, our time schedule says, or any other circumstance that would try to exalt itself against the knowledge of God. As we praise and bless the name of the Most High, everything else in this world begins to pale and fade away against the sheer loveliness of who He is.
Think of Paul and Silas, feet bound in stocks in a dark prison with a jailer standing guard over them. (Acts 16:22-40). They had just been severely flogged, ridiculed and attacked by a huge crowd of people. Instead of fearing for their lives, or becoming angry at God, they began to praise Him, singing out loud, careless of who might hear or judge them. As they began to praise Him, their hearts were soon overflowing with the joy of the Lord. The song of those two men who loved God more than life itself began to flow through them like a river of liquid love into their cell and out into the entire prison. Soon, there was a flood of warm light bathing the whole place. Every demon there began to flee in utter terror of that praise and love to the Most High. Suddenly, an amazing thing happened. A violent earthquake shook the prison, the doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose! Praise God! Praise always brings freedom, not only for ourselves, but for those around us who are bound up as well.
We must get our mind off of ourselves and the problems we face and onto the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. One of the miracles of a life transformed by God is that we can be thankful always, and praise Him in all situations. This is what He commands us to do, for He knows better than we do that the joy of the Lord is our strength. God does not owe us anything, but He has made a way for us to receive every good thing anyway, because He loves us! Is that not a reason for celebration and thanksgiving?
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer and enables me to go on the heights." Habakkuk 3:17-19.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy soul with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103:1-5 (KJV).
Won't you take some time right now to re-commit your life to the Lord? If you don't know Him, ask Him into your heart. If you do know Him tell Him that you want to know Him better. Confess your sins of worry, fear and lack of faith and tell Him that you want Him to replace those things with faith, hope and love. No one serves God by his own strength--we all need the power and the strength of the Holy Spirit to permeate our lives and continually lead us back to the precious cross, back to the Living Word. You can make a fresh start with God, starting this very minute. He will fill your heart with a brand new song, and joy unspeakable and full of glory!
"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up (leap) like calves released from the stall." Malachi 4:2. (KJV)
Astrology and the Bible
It is true that we live in a world where it is easier to adopt the habits and beliefs of those around us. God allows us the freedom to develop our own minds. It is our duty in life though to know right from wrong and set and example fo others. Also, if there is a loved one or friend or acquaintance that is preaching their beliefs and those beliefs go against God's teaching, then it is our duty to set our friends straight, acting as a sort of peer group for them.
The passage on 'What the Bible says about Astrology' provides lots of factual scripture evidence on how God feels about those who choose to believe or practise any forms of astrology. Since reading your horoscope in the newspaper/magazine or getting your fortune told at a fair is moreover commonplace nowadays, it is up to us to set the example and not settle into these practises of astrology. If people you know do these things, tell them it is wrong and against God's plan to try to forseen their future. Tell them that God is in charge no matter what, and that they should pray to him for guidence rather thatn taking their fortune in their own hands by trying to rely on the prophesies of palm readers and fortune tellers.
The passage on 'What the Bible says about Astrology' provides lots of factual scripture evidence on how God feels about those who choose to believe or practise any forms of astrology. Since reading your horoscope in the newspaper/magazine or getting your fortune told at a fair is moreover commonplace nowadays, it is up to us to set the example and not settle into these practises of astrology. If people you know do these things, tell them it is wrong and against God's plan to try to forseen their future. Tell them that God is in charge no matter what, and that they should pray to him for guidence rather thatn taking their fortune in their own hands by trying to rely on the prophesies of palm readers and fortune tellers.
Older Women Mentor Younger Women
OLDER WOMEN MENTOR YOUNG WOMEN
Now more than ever it is important for women to be stewards for the Lord and set a positive example of what a woman should be. In this world we live in, it is easy to get caught up in worldy things; it is easy to give in to the daily stresses and pressures of life. Women can become discouraged in their role as a wife and mother. Especially since there are so many options that provide an easy out of these roles. Therefore, it is most important that the older women in the young women's life say the right things when the young seeks counsel from the old.
The older women also need to live a clean life so that the advice and counsel they give will come from a Godly source. In the article, 'Duties of a Christian Wife', it states: "The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children...that the word of God be not blasphemed." One thing we notice about these verses is that the older women are instructed to teach the younger women how to love their husbands." This passage also suggests that young women need to also lead a good life, acting as examples, so we may be able to teach our young. We may not always have our own mother's or family to mentor us; we can find mentors in other places. Women at work, church, neighbors, friends, etc. can all be mentors.
Now more than ever it is important for women to be stewards for the Lord and set a positive example of what a woman should be. In this world we live in, it is easy to get caught up in worldy things; it is easy to give in to the daily stresses and pressures of life. Women can become discouraged in their role as a wife and mother. Especially since there are so many options that provide an easy out of these roles. Therefore, it is most important that the older women in the young women's life say the right things when the young seeks counsel from the old.
The older women also need to live a clean life so that the advice and counsel they give will come from a Godly source. In the article, 'Duties of a Christian Wife', it states: "The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children...that the word of God be not blasphemed." One thing we notice about these verses is that the older women are instructed to teach the younger women how to love their husbands." This passage also suggests that young women need to also lead a good life, acting as examples, so we may be able to teach our young. We may not always have our own mother's or family to mentor us; we can find mentors in other places. Women at work, church, neighbors, friends, etc. can all be mentors.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Astrology and the Bible
Astrology and the Bible
I have a co-worker who keeps telling people that the three wise men were astrologers because "they read the signs in the heavens and followed the North Star." I cringe every time I hear her say that, and I have, on several occasions, corrected her. Why she insists on perpetuating this lie is anybody's guess, but apparently she heard it in some Bible study, and therefore it must be true. Unfortunately, she's not the only one who's doing it. There are many people are out there spreading misinterpreted gospel, and the bottom line is, it's dangerous.I believe one of the biggest problems with Bible interpretation attempts is that many people don't really know Jesus, and don't have the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide them - yet they're ready to either espouse their uninformed opinions whenever possible, or swallow whatever nonsense they hear from others who are equally ignorant about the Bible. They might know ABOUT Jesus, but they don't have a personal relationship with Him and are, consequently, still "walking in the way of the world," using their human mindsets to try to interpret God's word. They are what a pastor friend of mine calls "fence straddlers." With one leg in the spiritual realm and one leg in the "carnal" world, they refuse to budge from either one. Granted, they might run to church every Sunday, or be involved in all kinds of church activities, but they wouldn't know Jesus if they fell on Him because they never try to dig deeper. They're just a bunch of people sitting at the edge of God's swimming pool, so to speak, getting their big toes wet, rather than just jumping in and immersing themselves with the whole Truth.The other problem in our modern day world is that there is a garden variety of kooks with their own websites clogging up the Information Superhighway, sharing whatever muck is in their twisted minds. To wit, one astrological website I recently accessed boldly proclaims that "When the Bible talks about 'the stars', it is talking about Astrology."Is that so? Let's examine what the Bible REALLY says. The following verse from Isaiah shows God addressing Babylon about the sins they are committing, including the seeking of guidance from astrologers....Isaiah 47:13-14 (NIV translation): All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. Here are no coals to warm anyone; here is no fire to sit by.There are many other scriptures about astrology/witchcraft, and interpreters of omens. How anyone (even those who don't know the Bible very well) can misinterpret God's word on this issue is beyond me:Deuteronomy 4:19 (NIV): And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.Leviticus 20:6 says God will separate himself from those who go after mediums and spiritists.Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says that practicing witchcraft, sorcery, soothsaying, interpreting omens, making spells, and being a medium or spiritist, are all terrible sins to God.Daniel 2:27-28 talks of how God kept King Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation secret from the astrologers, magicians or dream interpreters, and soothsayers. However, he revealed it to his prophet Daniel.Acts 16:16-18 talks of a girl who was possessed by an evil spirit that enabled her to be a fortune teller. Paul commanded the evil spirit to come out of her in the name or authority of Jesus, and the spirit left her.In Deuteronomy 18:9-11, Moses informs the Israelites: When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. (Deuteronomy 18:9-11 NIV).2 Chronicles 33:5-6 (NIV): In both courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his sons in [a] the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced sorcery, divination and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger.Throughout the entire Bible God allows only His prophets to accurately interpret any kind of "signs." With so many people insisting on using their human mindsets to interpret God's word, is it any wonder we have so many "religions" and weird beliefs and false prophets today? Someone once told me they don't like the fact that Jesus referred to people as "lambs" or "sheep" in need of a shepherd. Well, we ARE like sheep. We all follow something or somebody. Those who are desperate to know their future follow astrology or tarot card readers or whatever (never mind the fact that God is in charge, whether they realize it or not!); the Germans followed Hitler, even after they became aware that he was off his rocker; history repeated itself with Milosevic in Kosovo when his followers went along with his efforts at ethnic cleansing in that region; the Hollywood jet set are following the false teaching of Scientology because it caters to their need to deify themselves; many Americans of the Clinton era gladly followed their illustrious prez down a path of immorality, dissecting the meaning of the word "is" along the way; hundreds died for Jim Jones and David Koresh, and the leader of that weird asteroid cult who dressed in purple and laid down to die while waiting for the mother ship to beam them up; American school children copy and mimic the dress, hairstyles and actions of their favorite movie stars and rock bands; Shirley MacLaine follows her belief in being born again, and again, and again....Instead of listening to God and what He wants, most people simply turn their backs and do their "own thing" because it's easier to be "in and of the world". We all have the choice to believe whatever we want and however we want - but we'd also better be prepared to explain "why" on Judgment Day, because God isn't going to let us off the hook:Revelation 3:16 (NIV): So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.In Matthew 7:22-24, Jesus said: Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Matthew 7:22-24 NIV).Astrologers, Satanists, witches, psychics, and all those who are dabbling in magic of some kind - take heed: Man's efforts to predict omens and tell the future through magic are always fruitless. These "gifts" come from Satan, not from your Creator. Dabbling in these will only result in certain spiritual death. God says so.Anonymous
http://www.konig.org/astrology.htm
I have a co-worker who keeps telling people that the three wise men were astrologers because "they read the signs in the heavens and followed the North Star." I cringe every time I hear her say that, and I have, on several occasions, corrected her. Why she insists on perpetuating this lie is anybody's guess, but apparently she heard it in some Bible study, and therefore it must be true. Unfortunately, she's not the only one who's doing it. There are many people are out there spreading misinterpreted gospel, and the bottom line is, it's dangerous.I believe one of the biggest problems with Bible interpretation attempts is that many people don't really know Jesus, and don't have the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide them - yet they're ready to either espouse their uninformed opinions whenever possible, or swallow whatever nonsense they hear from others who are equally ignorant about the Bible. They might know ABOUT Jesus, but they don't have a personal relationship with Him and are, consequently, still "walking in the way of the world," using their human mindsets to try to interpret God's word. They are what a pastor friend of mine calls "fence straddlers." With one leg in the spiritual realm and one leg in the "carnal" world, they refuse to budge from either one. Granted, they might run to church every Sunday, or be involved in all kinds of church activities, but they wouldn't know Jesus if they fell on Him because they never try to dig deeper. They're just a bunch of people sitting at the edge of God's swimming pool, so to speak, getting their big toes wet, rather than just jumping in and immersing themselves with the whole Truth.The other problem in our modern day world is that there is a garden variety of kooks with their own websites clogging up the Information Superhighway, sharing whatever muck is in their twisted minds. To wit, one astrological website I recently accessed boldly proclaims that "When the Bible talks about 'the stars', it is talking about Astrology."Is that so? Let's examine what the Bible REALLY says. The following verse from Isaiah shows God addressing Babylon about the sins they are committing, including the seeking of guidance from astrologers....Isaiah 47:13-14 (NIV translation): All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. Here are no coals to warm anyone; here is no fire to sit by.There are many other scriptures about astrology/witchcraft, and interpreters of omens. How anyone (even those who don't know the Bible very well) can misinterpret God's word on this issue is beyond me:Deuteronomy 4:19 (NIV): And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.Leviticus 20:6 says God will separate himself from those who go after mediums and spiritists.Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says that practicing witchcraft, sorcery, soothsaying, interpreting omens, making spells, and being a medium or spiritist, are all terrible sins to God.Daniel 2:27-28 talks of how God kept King Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation secret from the astrologers, magicians or dream interpreters, and soothsayers. However, he revealed it to his prophet Daniel.Acts 16:16-18 talks of a girl who was possessed by an evil spirit that enabled her to be a fortune teller. Paul commanded the evil spirit to come out of her in the name or authority of Jesus, and the spirit left her.In Deuteronomy 18:9-11, Moses informs the Israelites: When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. (Deuteronomy 18:9-11 NIV).2 Chronicles 33:5-6 (NIV): In both courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his sons in [a] the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced sorcery, divination and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger.Throughout the entire Bible God allows only His prophets to accurately interpret any kind of "signs." With so many people insisting on using their human mindsets to interpret God's word, is it any wonder we have so many "religions" and weird beliefs and false prophets today? Someone once told me they don't like the fact that Jesus referred to people as "lambs" or "sheep" in need of a shepherd. Well, we ARE like sheep. We all follow something or somebody. Those who are desperate to know their future follow astrology or tarot card readers or whatever (never mind the fact that God is in charge, whether they realize it or not!); the Germans followed Hitler, even after they became aware that he was off his rocker; history repeated itself with Milosevic in Kosovo when his followers went along with his efforts at ethnic cleansing in that region; the Hollywood jet set are following the false teaching of Scientology because it caters to their need to deify themselves; many Americans of the Clinton era gladly followed their illustrious prez down a path of immorality, dissecting the meaning of the word "is" along the way; hundreds died for Jim Jones and David Koresh, and the leader of that weird asteroid cult who dressed in purple and laid down to die while waiting for the mother ship to beam them up; American school children copy and mimic the dress, hairstyles and actions of their favorite movie stars and rock bands; Shirley MacLaine follows her belief in being born again, and again, and again....Instead of listening to God and what He wants, most people simply turn their backs and do their "own thing" because it's easier to be "in and of the world". We all have the choice to believe whatever we want and however we want - but we'd also better be prepared to explain "why" on Judgment Day, because God isn't going to let us off the hook:Revelation 3:16 (NIV): So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.In Matthew 7:22-24, Jesus said: Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Matthew 7:22-24 NIV).Astrologers, Satanists, witches, psychics, and all those who are dabbling in magic of some kind - take heed: Man's efforts to predict omens and tell the future through magic are always fruitless. These "gifts" come from Satan, not from your Creator. Dabbling in these will only result in certain spiritual death. God says so.Anonymous
http://www.konig.org/astrology.htm
Stress- Overcoming It.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT...
OVERCOMING STRESS?
In today's world it is virtually impossible to avoid stress. Almost everyone is carrying some amount of it, in varying degrees. Many find it increasingly difficult to simply survive in the world we live in. In desperation, people are seeking relief for their problems through any remedy they can find. Our culture is inundated with self-help books, therapists, time-management workshops, massage parlors, and recovery programs (to name just the tip of the iceberg). Everyone talks about returning to a "simpler" way of life, but no one seems to even know exactly what that means, or how to attain it. Many of us cry out like Job, "The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me." (Job 30:27).
Most of us are so used to carrying the burden of stress, we can scarcely imagine our lives without it. We think it is simply an unavoidable part of living in the world. We carry it like a hiker trudging out of the Grand Canyon with a huge pack on his back. The pack seems to be a part of his own weight, and he can't even remember what it was ever like to not be carrying it. It seems that his legs have always been that heavy and his back has always ached under all that weight. Only when he stops to rest for a moment and takes off his pack does he realize just how heavy it really is, and how light and free he is without it.
Unfortunately, most of us cannot just unload stress like a backpack. It seems to be intrinsically woven into the very fabric of our lives. It lurks somewhere beneath our skin (usually in a knot between our shoulderblades). It keeps us up late into the night, just when we need sleep the most. It presses in on us from all sides. Yet, Jesus says, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Mt. 11:28-30). Those words have touched the hearts of many, yet they are only words that merely sound comforting and are in essence, worthless, unless they are true. If they are true, how can we apply them to our lives and walk free from the burdens that weigh us down so badly? Perhaps you are responding, "I would love do that if only I knew how!" How can we receive rest for our souls?
COME TO ME...
The first thing we must do to be free from our stress and our worry is to come unto Jesus. Without Him, our life has no real purpose or depth. We simply run from one activity to another, seeking to fill our lives with purpose, peace, and happiness. "All man's efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied." (Ecc. 6:7). Things haven't changed much since the days of King Solomon. We work ourselves to the bone for the things we desire, only to crave more.
If we do not know our real purpose in life; our reason for existing, life is very meaningless indeed. Yet, God created each of us with a special purpose in mind. There is something that needs to be done on this earth that can only be done by you. Much of the stress that we carry springs from the fact that we don't know who we are or where we are going. Even Christians who know that ultimately they are going to heaven when they die, are still anxious in this lifetime because they do not really know who they are in Christ and who Christ is in them. No matter who we are, we are bound to have tribulation in this life. It is unavoidable, but having trouble in this life is not the issue anyway. The real issue is how we react to it. That is where stress is born. The trials we face in this world will either break us or make us strong.
"I will show you who he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them in to practice. He is like a man building a house who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came the torrents struck that house but could not shake it because it was well built." Luke 6:48. Jesus didn't say that once we built our house on the rock that everything would be perfect. No, He said that a flood came in torrents smashing against the house. The key is that the house was built on the rock of Jesus, and the rock of putting His words into practice. Is your house built on Jesus? Did you dig your foundation deep into Him, or was the house hastily erected? Is your salvation based on a prayer you prayed once or is it growing out of a committed relationship to Him? Do you come to Him every day, every hour? Are you putting His words into practice in your life, or do they lie there like dormant seed?
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2
Until you have fully committed yourself to God, until your foundation is dug deep into Him, you will never be able to discern what His perfect will is for your life. When the storms of life come, as they are bound to do, you will only worry and fret and walk around with an ache in your back. Who we are under pressure reveals who we really are. The storms of life wash away the thin veneer that we present to the world and expose what lies in our heart. God, in His mercy, allows the storms to hit us so we will turn to Him and be cleansed of the sin that we were never able to perceive in times of ease. We can either turn to Him and receive a soft heart in the midst of all our trials, or we can turn away and harden our heart. The hard times in life will either make us pliable and merciful, full of faith in God, or angry and brittle, full of doubt and unbelief.
FEAR OR FAITH?
"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). Ultimately, there are only two motivating factors in life: fear or faith. Until we truly know that God is for us, loves us, cares about us personally and hasn't forgotten us, we will base our life's decisions on fear. All fear and worry stems from a lack of faith in God. You may not think you are walking in fear, but if you aren't walking in faith, you are. Stress is a form of fear. Worry is a form of fear. Worldly ambition is rooted in a fear of being overlooked--of being a failure. Many relationships are based on the fear of being alone. Vanity is based on a fear of being unattractive and unloved. Greed is based on a fear of poverty. Even anger and rage are based on the fear that there is no justice, no escape, no hope. Fear breeds selfishness, which is the exact opposite of God's character. Selfishness breeds pride and indifference to others. All of these are sin and must be dealt with accordingly. Stress arises when we try to serve both ourselves (our fears), and God at the same time (which is impossible to do). "Unless the Lord builds the house, it's builders labor in vain...In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat." (Psalm 127:1-2).
The Bible says that when everything else is stripped away, only three things remain: faith, hope, and love--and that love is the greatest of the three. Love is the force that drives out our fear. "There is no fear in love but perfect love drives out fear, for fear has a torment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18). The only way we can get rid of our anxieties is to look them in the eye and deal with them at the root. If we desire for God to make us perfect in love, we will have to repent of every bit of fear and worry that we have clung to instead of Him. We may not like to face some of those things that are in us, but we must if we are ever to be free from them. If we are not merciless with our sin, it will be merciless on us. It will drive us like the most wicked of slavemasters. Worst of all, it will keep us from communion with God.
Jesus said in Matthew 13:22, "The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful." It is extraordinary what tremendous power there is in even the littlest things to distract us from God. We must stand our ground, and refuse to let the thorns choke out the seed of the Word. The devil knows that if he can distract us with all the cares of this world, we will never be a threat to him or fulfill the call that is on each our lives. We will never bear any fruit for the kingdom of God. We will fall far below God's intended place for us. Yet, God wants to help us to do our best in every situation that we face. That is all He asks--that we trust in Him, put Him first, and do the best we can. After all, most other circumstances that we worry about are beyond our control anyway. What a waste of time worrying is! If we only worried about the things that we have any direct control over, we would reduce our worrying by 90%!
Paraphrasing the Lord's words in Luke 10:41-42, Jesus is saying to each one of us, "You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Choose what is better and it will not be taken from you." Isn't it wonderful that the only thing that cannot ever be taken from us, is the only thing we really need anyway? Choose to sit at the Lord's feet and listen to His words and learn from Him. By so doing, you are putting a deposit of true riches into your heart, if you guard those words and put them into practice. If you are not daily spending time with Him and reading His Word, you are opening the door of your heart to the birds of the air who will steal the seeds of life deposited there, and leave worry in their place. As for our material needs, they will be taken care of when we seek Jesus first. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow will take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Matthew 6:33.
God has blessed us with a most powerful tool; His Living Word, the Bible. If used properly, it is a spiritual sword; separating our faith from our fear, drawing a clean line between the holy and the vile, cutting away the excess and bringing forth the repentance which leads to life. Stress merely indicates an area of our life where our flesh is still on the throne. The life that is totally submitted to God is marked by the trust born out of a thankful heart.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 (KJV).
TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU...
How it must grieve God to see His children walking around in such misery! The only things we really need in this life, He already purchased for us at Calvary through a terrible, agonizing, and lonely death. He was willing to give everything for us, to make a way for our redemption. Are we as willing to do our part? Are we willing to lay our lives down at His feet, and take His yoke upon us? For if we do not walk in His yoke, we are bound to walk in another. We can either serve the Lord who loves us, or the devil who is bent on destroying us. There is no middle ground, nor is there a third option. Praise God that He made a way out of the cycle of sin and death for us! When we were completely helpless against the sin that raged in us and compelled us to run from God, He had mercy on us and ran after us, though we only cursed His Name. He is so tender and patient with us, not willing for even one to perish. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. (Matthew 12:20). Are you bruised and broken? Is your flame dimly flickering? Come to Jesus now!
"Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend your money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me that your soul may live!" Isaiah 55:1-3.
BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL
When all is said and done, there are still times when we all face incredibly difficult circumstances that have an awesome power to destroy us. The best way to counteract stress in those times, is to begin to praise God and thank Him for His countless blessings in our lives. The old adage "count your blessings" really is true. In spite of everything, there are so many blessings woven throughout our lives that many of us do not even have the eyes to see them. Even if your situation seems hopeless, God is still worthy of all your praise. God delights in a heart that will praise Him no matter what the bankbook says, our family says, our time schedule says, or any other circumstance that would try to exalt itself against the knowledge of God. As we praise and bless the name of the Most High, everything else in this world begins to pale and fade away against the sheer loveliness of who He is.
Think of Paul and Silas, feet bound in stocks in a dark prison with a jailer standing guard over them. (Acts 16:22-40). They had just been severely flogged, ridiculed and attacked by a huge crowd of people. Instead of fearing for their lives, or becoming angry at God, they began to praise Him, singing out loud, careless of who might hear or judge them. As they began to praise Him, their hearts were soon overflowing with the joy of the Lord. The song of those two men who loved God more than life itself began to flow through them like a river of liquid love into their cell and out into the entire prison. Soon, there was a flood of warm light bathing the whole place. Every demon there began to flee in utter terror of that praise and love to the Most High. Suddenly, an amazing thing happened. A violent earthquake shook the prison, the doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose! Praise God! Praise always brings freedom, not only for ourselves, but for those around us who are bound up as well.
We must get our mind off of ourselves and the problems we face and onto the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. One of the miracles of a life transformed by God is that we can be thankful always, and praise Him in all situations. This is what He commands us to do, for He knows better than we do that the joy of the Lord is our strength. God does not owe us anything, but He has made a way for us to receive every good thing anyway, because He loves us! Is that not a reason for celebration and thanksgiving?
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer and enables me to go on the heights." Habakkuk 3:17-19.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy soul with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103:1-5 (KJV).
Won't you take some time right now to re-commit your life to the Lord? If you don't know Him, ask Him into your heart. If you do know Him tell Him that you want to know Him better. Confess your sins of worry, fear and lack of faith and tell Him that you want Him to replace those things with faith, hope and love. No one serves God by his own strength--we all need the power and the strength of the Holy Spirit to permeate our lives and continually lead us back to the precious cross, back to the Living Word. You can make a fresh start with God, starting this very minute. He will fill your heart with a brand new song, and joy unspeakable and full of glory!
"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up (leap) like calves released from the stall." Malachi 4:2. (KJV)
http://www.bible.com/bibleanswers_result.php?id=127
OVERCOMING STRESS?
In today's world it is virtually impossible to avoid stress. Almost everyone is carrying some amount of it, in varying degrees. Many find it increasingly difficult to simply survive in the world we live in. In desperation, people are seeking relief for their problems through any remedy they can find. Our culture is inundated with self-help books, therapists, time-management workshops, massage parlors, and recovery programs (to name just the tip of the iceberg). Everyone talks about returning to a "simpler" way of life, but no one seems to even know exactly what that means, or how to attain it. Many of us cry out like Job, "The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me." (Job 30:27).
Most of us are so used to carrying the burden of stress, we can scarcely imagine our lives without it. We think it is simply an unavoidable part of living in the world. We carry it like a hiker trudging out of the Grand Canyon with a huge pack on his back. The pack seems to be a part of his own weight, and he can't even remember what it was ever like to not be carrying it. It seems that his legs have always been that heavy and his back has always ached under all that weight. Only when he stops to rest for a moment and takes off his pack does he realize just how heavy it really is, and how light and free he is without it.
Unfortunately, most of us cannot just unload stress like a backpack. It seems to be intrinsically woven into the very fabric of our lives. It lurks somewhere beneath our skin (usually in a knot between our shoulderblades). It keeps us up late into the night, just when we need sleep the most. It presses in on us from all sides. Yet, Jesus says, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Mt. 11:28-30). Those words have touched the hearts of many, yet they are only words that merely sound comforting and are in essence, worthless, unless they are true. If they are true, how can we apply them to our lives and walk free from the burdens that weigh us down so badly? Perhaps you are responding, "I would love do that if only I knew how!" How can we receive rest for our souls?
COME TO ME...
The first thing we must do to be free from our stress and our worry is to come unto Jesus. Without Him, our life has no real purpose or depth. We simply run from one activity to another, seeking to fill our lives with purpose, peace, and happiness. "All man's efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied." (Ecc. 6:7). Things haven't changed much since the days of King Solomon. We work ourselves to the bone for the things we desire, only to crave more.
If we do not know our real purpose in life; our reason for existing, life is very meaningless indeed. Yet, God created each of us with a special purpose in mind. There is something that needs to be done on this earth that can only be done by you. Much of the stress that we carry springs from the fact that we don't know who we are or where we are going. Even Christians who know that ultimately they are going to heaven when they die, are still anxious in this lifetime because they do not really know who they are in Christ and who Christ is in them. No matter who we are, we are bound to have tribulation in this life. It is unavoidable, but having trouble in this life is not the issue anyway. The real issue is how we react to it. That is where stress is born. The trials we face in this world will either break us or make us strong.
"I will show you who he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them in to practice. He is like a man building a house who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came the torrents struck that house but could not shake it because it was well built." Luke 6:48. Jesus didn't say that once we built our house on the rock that everything would be perfect. No, He said that a flood came in torrents smashing against the house. The key is that the house was built on the rock of Jesus, and the rock of putting His words into practice. Is your house built on Jesus? Did you dig your foundation deep into Him, or was the house hastily erected? Is your salvation based on a prayer you prayed once or is it growing out of a committed relationship to Him? Do you come to Him every day, every hour? Are you putting His words into practice in your life, or do they lie there like dormant seed?
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2
Until you have fully committed yourself to God, until your foundation is dug deep into Him, you will never be able to discern what His perfect will is for your life. When the storms of life come, as they are bound to do, you will only worry and fret and walk around with an ache in your back. Who we are under pressure reveals who we really are. The storms of life wash away the thin veneer that we present to the world and expose what lies in our heart. God, in His mercy, allows the storms to hit us so we will turn to Him and be cleansed of the sin that we were never able to perceive in times of ease. We can either turn to Him and receive a soft heart in the midst of all our trials, or we can turn away and harden our heart. The hard times in life will either make us pliable and merciful, full of faith in God, or angry and brittle, full of doubt and unbelief.
FEAR OR FAITH?
"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). Ultimately, there are only two motivating factors in life: fear or faith. Until we truly know that God is for us, loves us, cares about us personally and hasn't forgotten us, we will base our life's decisions on fear. All fear and worry stems from a lack of faith in God. You may not think you are walking in fear, but if you aren't walking in faith, you are. Stress is a form of fear. Worry is a form of fear. Worldly ambition is rooted in a fear of being overlooked--of being a failure. Many relationships are based on the fear of being alone. Vanity is based on a fear of being unattractive and unloved. Greed is based on a fear of poverty. Even anger and rage are based on the fear that there is no justice, no escape, no hope. Fear breeds selfishness, which is the exact opposite of God's character. Selfishness breeds pride and indifference to others. All of these are sin and must be dealt with accordingly. Stress arises when we try to serve both ourselves (our fears), and God at the same time (which is impossible to do). "Unless the Lord builds the house, it's builders labor in vain...In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat." (Psalm 127:1-2).
The Bible says that when everything else is stripped away, only three things remain: faith, hope, and love--and that love is the greatest of the three. Love is the force that drives out our fear. "There is no fear in love but perfect love drives out fear, for fear has a torment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18). The only way we can get rid of our anxieties is to look them in the eye and deal with them at the root. If we desire for God to make us perfect in love, we will have to repent of every bit of fear and worry that we have clung to instead of Him. We may not like to face some of those things that are in us, but we must if we are ever to be free from them. If we are not merciless with our sin, it will be merciless on us. It will drive us like the most wicked of slavemasters. Worst of all, it will keep us from communion with God.
Jesus said in Matthew 13:22, "The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful." It is extraordinary what tremendous power there is in even the littlest things to distract us from God. We must stand our ground, and refuse to let the thorns choke out the seed of the Word. The devil knows that if he can distract us with all the cares of this world, we will never be a threat to him or fulfill the call that is on each our lives. We will never bear any fruit for the kingdom of God. We will fall far below God's intended place for us. Yet, God wants to help us to do our best in every situation that we face. That is all He asks--that we trust in Him, put Him first, and do the best we can. After all, most other circumstances that we worry about are beyond our control anyway. What a waste of time worrying is! If we only worried about the things that we have any direct control over, we would reduce our worrying by 90%!
Paraphrasing the Lord's words in Luke 10:41-42, Jesus is saying to each one of us, "You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Choose what is better and it will not be taken from you." Isn't it wonderful that the only thing that cannot ever be taken from us, is the only thing we really need anyway? Choose to sit at the Lord's feet and listen to His words and learn from Him. By so doing, you are putting a deposit of true riches into your heart, if you guard those words and put them into practice. If you are not daily spending time with Him and reading His Word, you are opening the door of your heart to the birds of the air who will steal the seeds of life deposited there, and leave worry in their place. As for our material needs, they will be taken care of when we seek Jesus first. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow will take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Matthew 6:33.
God has blessed us with a most powerful tool; His Living Word, the Bible. If used properly, it is a spiritual sword; separating our faith from our fear, drawing a clean line between the holy and the vile, cutting away the excess and bringing forth the repentance which leads to life. Stress merely indicates an area of our life where our flesh is still on the throne. The life that is totally submitted to God is marked by the trust born out of a thankful heart.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 (KJV).
TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU...
How it must grieve God to see His children walking around in such misery! The only things we really need in this life, He already purchased for us at Calvary through a terrible, agonizing, and lonely death. He was willing to give everything for us, to make a way for our redemption. Are we as willing to do our part? Are we willing to lay our lives down at His feet, and take His yoke upon us? For if we do not walk in His yoke, we are bound to walk in another. We can either serve the Lord who loves us, or the devil who is bent on destroying us. There is no middle ground, nor is there a third option. Praise God that He made a way out of the cycle of sin and death for us! When we were completely helpless against the sin that raged in us and compelled us to run from God, He had mercy on us and ran after us, though we only cursed His Name. He is so tender and patient with us, not willing for even one to perish. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. (Matthew 12:20). Are you bruised and broken? Is your flame dimly flickering? Come to Jesus now!
"Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend your money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me that your soul may live!" Isaiah 55:1-3.
BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL
When all is said and done, there are still times when we all face incredibly difficult circumstances that have an awesome power to destroy us. The best way to counteract stress in those times, is to begin to praise God and thank Him for His countless blessings in our lives. The old adage "count your blessings" really is true. In spite of everything, there are so many blessings woven throughout our lives that many of us do not even have the eyes to see them. Even if your situation seems hopeless, God is still worthy of all your praise. God delights in a heart that will praise Him no matter what the bankbook says, our family says, our time schedule says, or any other circumstance that would try to exalt itself against the knowledge of God. As we praise and bless the name of the Most High, everything else in this world begins to pale and fade away against the sheer loveliness of who He is.
Think of Paul and Silas, feet bound in stocks in a dark prison with a jailer standing guard over them. (Acts 16:22-40). They had just been severely flogged, ridiculed and attacked by a huge crowd of people. Instead of fearing for their lives, or becoming angry at God, they began to praise Him, singing out loud, careless of who might hear or judge them. As they began to praise Him, their hearts were soon overflowing with the joy of the Lord. The song of those two men who loved God more than life itself began to flow through them like a river of liquid love into their cell and out into the entire prison. Soon, there was a flood of warm light bathing the whole place. Every demon there began to flee in utter terror of that praise and love to the Most High. Suddenly, an amazing thing happened. A violent earthquake shook the prison, the doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose! Praise God! Praise always brings freedom, not only for ourselves, but for those around us who are bound up as well.
We must get our mind off of ourselves and the problems we face and onto the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. One of the miracles of a life transformed by God is that we can be thankful always, and praise Him in all situations. This is what He commands us to do, for He knows better than we do that the joy of the Lord is our strength. God does not owe us anything, but He has made a way for us to receive every good thing anyway, because He loves us! Is that not a reason for celebration and thanksgiving?
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer and enables me to go on the heights." Habakkuk 3:17-19.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy soul with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103:1-5 (KJV).
Won't you take some time right now to re-commit your life to the Lord? If you don't know Him, ask Him into your heart. If you do know Him tell Him that you want to know Him better. Confess your sins of worry, fear and lack of faith and tell Him that you want Him to replace those things with faith, hope and love. No one serves God by his own strength--we all need the power and the strength of the Holy Spirit to permeate our lives and continually lead us back to the precious cross, back to the Living Word. You can make a fresh start with God, starting this very minute. He will fill your heart with a brand new song, and joy unspeakable and full of glory!
"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up (leap) like calves released from the stall." Malachi 4:2. (KJV)
http://www.bible.com/bibleanswers_result.php?id=127
Body Piercings
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT...
PIERCING THE BODY?
Song of Solomon 2:15 says, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes." Foxes sometime in search of food would enter into the grape orchards and devour the grapes and spoil the crop. However, the little foxes were too small to reach the grape bunches so they would chew on the vines and it would kill the whole vine. Instead of the farmer just losing his crop, he would lose his vine which was more disastrous. Spiritually some things we do or allow that we might think are little or insignificant can also be disastrous for us.
Many of the young people in our society here in the USA are embracing a dangerous "little fox" or seemingly "little thing" that may seem harmless. The young people are saying that it is a "trendy" thing to do. Many of them are showing off multiple ear, nose, tongue, eyebrow and navel jewels and rings attached to their pierced flesh. Some even have this done on unspeakable parts of their bodies. These are abnormal and unnatural.
As many people are not aware of the spiritual dangers in such practices, this article is not meant to condemn any that may already have this done. However, we would urge you to seek the Lord as to any further involvement in this practice. The Lord loves everyone, no matter what we are currently doing however, His desire is to show us a better way.
The Bible warns us against cuttings in our flesh in Leviticus 19:28 which says, "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord."
Our young people do not realize what they are doing has its roots in witchcraft and the practices of false religions. Those that have made trips to other parts of the world have viewed the bodies of those who have not only pierced and tattooed their bodies but have gone further, with mutilating their bodies. It is repulsive to see someone deform the body that the Lord made in perfection. The Lord admonishes us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20,
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
If we are to glorify God in our bodies, how do body piercings glorify Christ?
In 1 Kings 18 we find the story of Elijah contesting the evil prophets of Baal (a false god of that day whose followers practiced witchcraft). The prophets of Baal worked themselves into a frenzy trying to get their god, Baal to show himself mightier than the true and living God. However, the God of Elijah proved to be the true God. During the frenzy of the Baal worshipers they began to disfigure their bodies as we see from this scripture in 1 Kings 18:28, "And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them."Another scripture that warns us not to disfigure our bodies is Deuteronomy 14:1(Amp.): "You are the sons of the LORD your God: you shall not cut yourselves, or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead."When it speaks here about doing this in relation to the dead; this was a witchcraft rite done to mourn or remember their dead, so cutting, piercing and tattooing have its origin in witchcraft practices. The verse below reveals a connection between foreign gods and earrings.
Genesis 35:2: "Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: 3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. 4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem."
Perhaps a more well known scripture having to do with earrings is the record of the children of Israel falling into rebellion and worshipping the golden calf while Moses was up in the mount with God receiving the Ten Commandments. Here we find they took their earrings and cast them into the fire and make a golden idol out of them which greatly displeased the Lord.
Exodus 32:2-3: "And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron."
There is one specific verse in the Old Testament which uses the Hebrew word, "lachash," which is a word specifically associated with witchcraft. Here, the jewelry is used as an amulet to cast a spell.There is one specific verse in the Old Testament which uses the Hebrew word, "lachash," which is a word specifically associated with witchcraft. Here, the jewelry is used as an amulet to cast a spell.
Isaiah 3:18-23: "In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, 19 The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, 20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, 21 The rings, and nose jewels, 22 The changeable suits of apparel,and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, 23 The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the veils."
This is what makes it spiritually dangerous for people. People not realizing this opens the door for Satanic attack because theyhave a mark or opening which allows the enemy entrance in their lives. Today this practice is growing because of false religions and pagan influences infiltrating the church.
Many of our young people are getting body piercings and tattoos out of a spirit of rebellion against their parents advice. Many men are also wearing earrings to make a statement of their rebellion by showing that they are "macho" or homosexual. Because the youth of our day are despising and rebelling against their parents this is very displeasing to the Lord as one of the Ten Commandments in the Bible is to honor our parents (Exodus 20:12, "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee" and Colossians 3:20: "Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.")Some complain and say that most of the women today in our society wear pierced earrings and they attempt to use this as an excuse for the bizarre body piercings they are flaunting. The Lord always judges what we do by our motives as He looks on the heart. It is a different matter when women wear pierced earrings as a custom, without the rebellion and pride attached to it. However, this could even be wrong if women are filled with vanity and pride over their appearance. Remember God looks at our heart attitudes. In fact, the Bible speaks of a generation of women that will be alive at the coming of the Lord that will be judged severely for their flirting and their haughtiness. Let us look again at the prophecy in Isaiah 3:16-24 (NIV):
16 The LORD says, "The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with out stretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.17 Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion; the Lord will make their scalps bald."18 In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces,19 The earrings, the bracelets and veils,20 The head dresses and ankle chains and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, 21 The signet rings and nose rings,22 The fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses23 And mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls.24 Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well dressed hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth: instead of beauty, branding.25 Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle.
We are living in a day that the Bible speaks of in 2 Timothy 3:1-7:
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
If you have been one that has been led away by lust or have been rebellious against your parents, you can come to the Lord and repent and He will give you a new start and a desire to live a holy and obedient life unto God. We should remove anything that portrays rebellion and ask the Lord to forgive us and give us a submissive spirit. Jesus does not condemn us, but rather, will help us. He loves us and invites us to a wonderful life in Him.
One note of warning to the church on this subject of body piercings. We have a generation now of young people that love the Lord yet do not understand all of His ways. Soon we are also going to be seeing a great revival among the youth of the world. The youth of this day want a real cause to live and die for. Most have not seen true Christianity. However, when they do come to Christ many will be bringing their tattoos, dress, music and old habits with them right into the church. We must be sure that we do not despise them nor look down on them, but rather welcome and love them and gently teach them the ways of the Lord. We are called to love and pray for them and help them avoid making some of the mistakes we have made in our own walk with the Lord. We need to be true mothers and fathers to them. Yes, we must speak the truth in love, but let us make sure we are loving them and not condemning them. On the other hand, we must not accept all that they would desire to bring with them that would harm them and compromise the Word of God. We will all need God's grace to bridge the generation gap. We would recommend a great article written by a young Christian on this very subject. Click here to read "Bridging the Generation Gap"
Bottom line in regard to body piercings would be to ask the popular youth slogan, "What Would Jesus Do?" I don't believe we will ever see Jesus with any body piercings that He placed on Himself. I can't imagine Jesus with a tongue ring or a navel piercing. The only scars on His body are the nail pierced hands and feet put there by the evil men that crucified Him. They were not self inflicted. Overcomers will put away the "little foxes" that lead to bigger compromises.
EDITOR'S NOTE: We are including a testimony of a former Hindu who knows only too well that body piercings and tattoos are a form of witchcraft:
I am from Malaysia and I truly enjoy the Overcoming Life Digest. Although I enjoy reading all the articles, I find the Little Foxes enlightening and informative. Last Friday, when I entered the GCN chatroom, they were discussing about tattoo and piercing (tongue). One of the believers there was telling them it was wrong for Christians to have tattoos. Since I was formerly a Hindu, I know tattoo is from Hinduism and also witchcraft. Also, Hindus pierce their tongue with small spears and prick the entire body with little hooks and go in trances. I have witnessed this personally. But praise God, I never took after any of these rituals even when I was a Hindu. Praise God, I managed to convince a few about the evil of tattoo. One of them asked me for scripture verses which I promised I would send. But during the weekend, I was busy and also, I couldn't find the relevant scriptures. I prayed to the Lord to help me. Then He reminded me of an article I read in your Digest last year. So I send them your article instead. Praise God for the articles in Little Foxes. Keep up the good work. Karen
This article was taken from the Overcoming Life Digest (November/December 1998 Issue); click here to view Digest
Betty Miller has written several books on other topics as well. To view titles or purchase those books click here: http://store.bible.com/
http://www.bible.com/bibleanswers_result.php?id=254
PIERCING THE BODY?
Song of Solomon 2:15 says, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes." Foxes sometime in search of food would enter into the grape orchards and devour the grapes and spoil the crop. However, the little foxes were too small to reach the grape bunches so they would chew on the vines and it would kill the whole vine. Instead of the farmer just losing his crop, he would lose his vine which was more disastrous. Spiritually some things we do or allow that we might think are little or insignificant can also be disastrous for us.
Many of the young people in our society here in the USA are embracing a dangerous "little fox" or seemingly "little thing" that may seem harmless. The young people are saying that it is a "trendy" thing to do. Many of them are showing off multiple ear, nose, tongue, eyebrow and navel jewels and rings attached to their pierced flesh. Some even have this done on unspeakable parts of their bodies. These are abnormal and unnatural.
As many people are not aware of the spiritual dangers in such practices, this article is not meant to condemn any that may already have this done. However, we would urge you to seek the Lord as to any further involvement in this practice. The Lord loves everyone, no matter what we are currently doing however, His desire is to show us a better way.
The Bible warns us against cuttings in our flesh in Leviticus 19:28 which says, "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord."
Our young people do not realize what they are doing has its roots in witchcraft and the practices of false religions. Those that have made trips to other parts of the world have viewed the bodies of those who have not only pierced and tattooed their bodies but have gone further, with mutilating their bodies. It is repulsive to see someone deform the body that the Lord made in perfection. The Lord admonishes us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20,
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
If we are to glorify God in our bodies, how do body piercings glorify Christ?
In 1 Kings 18 we find the story of Elijah contesting the evil prophets of Baal (a false god of that day whose followers practiced witchcraft). The prophets of Baal worked themselves into a frenzy trying to get their god, Baal to show himself mightier than the true and living God. However, the God of Elijah proved to be the true God. During the frenzy of the Baal worshipers they began to disfigure their bodies as we see from this scripture in 1 Kings 18:28, "And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them."Another scripture that warns us not to disfigure our bodies is Deuteronomy 14:1(Amp.): "You are the sons of the LORD your God: you shall not cut yourselves, or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead."When it speaks here about doing this in relation to the dead; this was a witchcraft rite done to mourn or remember their dead, so cutting, piercing and tattooing have its origin in witchcraft practices. The verse below reveals a connection between foreign gods and earrings.
Genesis 35:2: "Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: 3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. 4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem."
Perhaps a more well known scripture having to do with earrings is the record of the children of Israel falling into rebellion and worshipping the golden calf while Moses was up in the mount with God receiving the Ten Commandments. Here we find they took their earrings and cast them into the fire and make a golden idol out of them which greatly displeased the Lord.
Exodus 32:2-3: "And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron."
There is one specific verse in the Old Testament which uses the Hebrew word, "lachash," which is a word specifically associated with witchcraft. Here, the jewelry is used as an amulet to cast a spell.There is one specific verse in the Old Testament which uses the Hebrew word, "lachash," which is a word specifically associated with witchcraft. Here, the jewelry is used as an amulet to cast a spell.
Isaiah 3:18-23: "In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, 19 The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, 20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, 21 The rings, and nose jewels, 22 The changeable suits of apparel,and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, 23 The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the veils."
This is what makes it spiritually dangerous for people. People not realizing this opens the door for Satanic attack because theyhave a mark or opening which allows the enemy entrance in their lives. Today this practice is growing because of false religions and pagan influences infiltrating the church.
Many of our young people are getting body piercings and tattoos out of a spirit of rebellion against their parents advice. Many men are also wearing earrings to make a statement of their rebellion by showing that they are "macho" or homosexual. Because the youth of our day are despising and rebelling against their parents this is very displeasing to the Lord as one of the Ten Commandments in the Bible is to honor our parents (Exodus 20:12, "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee" and Colossians 3:20: "Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.")Some complain and say that most of the women today in our society wear pierced earrings and they attempt to use this as an excuse for the bizarre body piercings they are flaunting. The Lord always judges what we do by our motives as He looks on the heart. It is a different matter when women wear pierced earrings as a custom, without the rebellion and pride attached to it. However, this could even be wrong if women are filled with vanity and pride over their appearance. Remember God looks at our heart attitudes. In fact, the Bible speaks of a generation of women that will be alive at the coming of the Lord that will be judged severely for their flirting and their haughtiness. Let us look again at the prophecy in Isaiah 3:16-24 (NIV):
16 The LORD says, "The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with out stretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.17 Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion; the Lord will make their scalps bald."18 In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces,19 The earrings, the bracelets and veils,20 The head dresses and ankle chains and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, 21 The signet rings and nose rings,22 The fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses23 And mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls.24 Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well dressed hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth: instead of beauty, branding.25 Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle.
We are living in a day that the Bible speaks of in 2 Timothy 3:1-7:
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
If you have been one that has been led away by lust or have been rebellious against your parents, you can come to the Lord and repent and He will give you a new start and a desire to live a holy and obedient life unto God. We should remove anything that portrays rebellion and ask the Lord to forgive us and give us a submissive spirit. Jesus does not condemn us, but rather, will help us. He loves us and invites us to a wonderful life in Him.
One note of warning to the church on this subject of body piercings. We have a generation now of young people that love the Lord yet do not understand all of His ways. Soon we are also going to be seeing a great revival among the youth of the world. The youth of this day want a real cause to live and die for. Most have not seen true Christianity. However, when they do come to Christ many will be bringing their tattoos, dress, music and old habits with them right into the church. We must be sure that we do not despise them nor look down on them, but rather welcome and love them and gently teach them the ways of the Lord. We are called to love and pray for them and help them avoid making some of the mistakes we have made in our own walk with the Lord. We need to be true mothers and fathers to them. Yes, we must speak the truth in love, but let us make sure we are loving them and not condemning them. On the other hand, we must not accept all that they would desire to bring with them that would harm them and compromise the Word of God. We will all need God's grace to bridge the generation gap. We would recommend a great article written by a young Christian on this very subject. Click here to read "Bridging the Generation Gap"
Bottom line in regard to body piercings would be to ask the popular youth slogan, "What Would Jesus Do?" I don't believe we will ever see Jesus with any body piercings that He placed on Himself. I can't imagine Jesus with a tongue ring or a navel piercing. The only scars on His body are the nail pierced hands and feet put there by the evil men that crucified Him. They were not self inflicted. Overcomers will put away the "little foxes" that lead to bigger compromises.
EDITOR'S NOTE: We are including a testimony of a former Hindu who knows only too well that body piercings and tattoos are a form of witchcraft:
I am from Malaysia and I truly enjoy the Overcoming Life Digest. Although I enjoy reading all the articles, I find the Little Foxes enlightening and informative. Last Friday, when I entered the GCN chatroom, they were discussing about tattoo and piercing (tongue). One of the believers there was telling them it was wrong for Christians to have tattoos. Since I was formerly a Hindu, I know tattoo is from Hinduism and also witchcraft. Also, Hindus pierce their tongue with small spears and prick the entire body with little hooks and go in trances. I have witnessed this personally. But praise God, I never took after any of these rituals even when I was a Hindu. Praise God, I managed to convince a few about the evil of tattoo. One of them asked me for scripture verses which I promised I would send. But during the weekend, I was busy and also, I couldn't find the relevant scriptures. I prayed to the Lord to help me. Then He reminded me of an article I read in your Digest last year. So I send them your article instead. Praise God for the articles in Little Foxes. Keep up the good work. Karen
This article was taken from the Overcoming Life Digest (November/December 1998 Issue); click here to view Digest
Betty Miller has written several books on other topics as well. To view titles or purchase those books click here: http://store.bible.com/
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