Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Naturally the world lacks faith....but so does the church! As a pastor’s wife I see the lack of faith daily. People don’t truly believe God anymore.
• Marriages break up because people don’t believe God can make their marriage great.
• Women don’t believe the part of the Bible that says to reverence her husband. “It may work for Mrs. Lisa but it you don’t know my husband.” etc.
• People run to Egypt for financial help because they don’t believe the Bible when it says “My God shall supply all your need.”
And I could go on and on. I’ve heard every excuse.
Even the Isrealites who saw the great miracles of God (parting of the Red Sea, the Manna, the earth opening up, the shoes that never wore out, the many battles won) didn’t have faith in God.
Deu 1:31 And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.
Deu 1:32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God,
And they didn’t please God and life was tougher for them because they chose their own way instead of God’s.
Thoughts on faith:
1. Faithless people are the most miserable ones in the church:
Deu 32:20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.
And in all their “frowardness” they drive a wedge between them and God (an often other people). Their prayers don’t get answered because God rewards faith.....not faithlessness.
These are the people that it is said, “They are always miserable. They never smile. I can’t please them.”
2. Faithless people are a fearful people.• Fearful that there won’t be enough money to pay the bills (or a McDonald hamburger)
• Fearful of bumps in the night
• Fearful of people
• Scared you won’t have any friends
• Afraid of “stepping out on faith”
Mat 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
(If you study this story you will see that Jesus SENT them into the storm. Storms are actually good for us. They reveal our faith or lack of faith.)
Mar 4:40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
3. Faithless people are disobedient to Jesus’ command.• This makes them disobedient
Mar 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. (Not a suggestion!)
4. Faithless people have trouble believing in God.
Trusting in God for all your needs to be met. Beleiving that He loves you and will never fail you. It is not taking a single thought on how you will be provided for.
Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Mat 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Mat 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Mat 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
Mat 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Mat 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
5. Faithless people have fewer blessings.
Mat 9:29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
Php 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
6. Faithless people will sink when storms come.
Mat 14:25-31 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
7. Faithless people confuse works with faith.“Well I teach Sunday school. I go to church. I tithe.” These things are good....but they don’t please God. Remember that Muslims, Buddhist, and Jehovah Witness’ teach, attend church, and tithe, too.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
8. Faithless people should realize that faith is easy to get and keep.
However, it will be tried and tested. During the trials just keep on doing what you do to get faith (the Word of God) and you’ll keep it through the storms.
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
4 Things on my heart:
The Bible has so much on these subjects that I am not touching the surface. Most people really don’t care what the Bible says. I’ve had people tell me "I know what the Bible says but God will forgive me."
1. Kindness
I want to teach you a song: Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
We don’t have to tell everything we feel. We don't have to be so blunt. You may say, "well, it’s my personality."
Pr 29:11 ¶ A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
Pr 12:16 ¶ A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.
I hear often, "Sometimes people think I am mad when I am not." This is a serious problem. I feel like it should be corrected. If people think you are mad then it is because you LOOK mad or SOUND mad. And I’d almost be willing to bet that you probably are quick-tempered or easily angered. Consider asking God to help your countenance.
Remember the story of Joseph? He seemingly had ever right to be unkind.
Ge 50:21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
King Rehoboam wondered how to lead his people. He asked counsel of two groups. One was the old men and the other was the young. Here is the counsel of the old men.
2Ch 10:7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.
When you must rebuke someone (even in a church situation) try doing what the Bible says: (And you don’t have to rebuke everyone about everything. Be selective with your rebukes. Why hurt people?)
Pr 15:1 ¶ A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Would you be considered a Proverbs 31 woman?
Pr 31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
This should be applied to visitors. Every maturing Christian should get out of their seat and welcome visitors.
2. Building your house
I want to talk to you about the way a woman should treat her husband. I have had my feel of mean women. Where are these girls learning this hateful, meanness that spews from their mouths? Has sex won you the right to be hateful? Because you have something you can hold over your husband’s head you feel you can demand him to obey you? I agree, we have weak men who don’t know how to handle a mean woman....but it is time that we, as women learn to treat our husbands well!
Pr 14:1 ¶ Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
Hands represent work. A foolish woman plucks down everything a man does. He can’t do anything right for you. Has your house increased?
Pr 9:13 ¶ A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
by implication, to be in great commotion or tumult, to rage, war, moan, clamor:--clamorous, concourse, cry aloud, be disquieted, loud, mourn, be moved, make a noise, rage, roar, sound, be troubled, make in tumult, tumultuous, be in an uproar.
Does it not bother you that God says you are a fool? Do you not care? If you do not care about this is it any wonder that your house is not a beautiful example of God’s grace and goodness? Is it not any wonder that your kids rebel?
Pr 31:10 ¶ Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
It saddens me that we have churches full of proud, arrogant women. No man is going to tell them what to do. Or they go from man to man hoping to find one that satisfies them....and they never will. Satisfaction comes from giving, loving, and sacrificing. Contentment is a conscious act. You must determine that you are going to build your husband into something wonderful.
Quit nagging.
3. Loyalty
How can people just walk out of a marriage or walk out of church and never come back. They are not loyal. This is a character trait that my husband and daughter are very strong in. My husband should have left me many times over. Everyone would have agreed with him in leaving me. But he was loyal. You can stab April in the back a hundred times and she may break fellowship but she never quits hurting over you. She always will seek ways to help you get right.
Pr 17:17 ¶ A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Mt 5:33 ¶ Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
De 23:23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth. (It doesn’t say what you mean in your heart....it says what you said with your mouth!)
Nu 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
Now imagine with me....a kid. Their mother ask them to clean their room. They look at momma and say, "NO!" So their mother says, "You better get in their in clean your room now! I am your mother and you better obey me." And the kids says, "I don’t care what you say....I am NOT going to obey you!" Would you think that kids loves her mother? Of course not! Well, this is what you have done to God! You have said, "I don’t care what the Bible says....I am NOT going to work my marriage out."
What if that kids says, "I am a special circumstance....I just KNOW you will show me mercy." That parent is going to say, "You must obey me. You are NOT a special circumstance...you are a rebel." And how would you look at that kid? Would you trust that kid? Would you want to be around that kid? (Even if the sin is not toward you?)
I know people are going to disobey the word. They aren’t going to be loyal to God, church, family or anything. And how we should respond to such persons is a whole other lesson.
4. And the last thing is How to treat people who are unkind to you.
Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength.
How should we respond when someone rebukes you and they are unkind, blunt or just plain out of their realm of authority.
We should respond with love. And we must also be careful that we are not the ones who are rude in the first place. We should find our self-worth in how we treat others, not in how they treat us. We can't control how others treat us. But we can control how we treat others. So what should we do?
Mt 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Mt 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Mt 7:12 ¶ Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
1. Kindness
I want to teach you a song: Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
We don’t have to tell everything we feel. We don't have to be so blunt. You may say, "well, it’s my personality."
Pr 29:11 ¶ A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
Pr 12:16 ¶ A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.
I hear often, "Sometimes people think I am mad when I am not." This is a serious problem. I feel like it should be corrected. If people think you are mad then it is because you LOOK mad or SOUND mad. And I’d almost be willing to bet that you probably are quick-tempered or easily angered. Consider asking God to help your countenance.
Remember the story of Joseph? He seemingly had ever right to be unkind.
Ge 50:21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
King Rehoboam wondered how to lead his people. He asked counsel of two groups. One was the old men and the other was the young. Here is the counsel of the old men.
2Ch 10:7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.
When you must rebuke someone (even in a church situation) try doing what the Bible says: (And you don’t have to rebuke everyone about everything. Be selective with your rebukes. Why hurt people?)
Pr 15:1 ¶ A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Would you be considered a Proverbs 31 woman?
Pr 31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
This should be applied to visitors. Every maturing Christian should get out of their seat and welcome visitors.
2. Building your house
I want to talk to you about the way a woman should treat her husband. I have had my feel of mean women. Where are these girls learning this hateful, meanness that spews from their mouths? Has sex won you the right to be hateful? Because you have something you can hold over your husband’s head you feel you can demand him to obey you? I agree, we have weak men who don’t know how to handle a mean woman....but it is time that we, as women learn to treat our husbands well!
Pr 14:1 ¶ Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
Hands represent work. A foolish woman plucks down everything a man does. He can’t do anything right for you. Has your house increased?
Pr 9:13 ¶ A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
by implication, to be in great commotion or tumult, to rage, war, moan, clamor:--clamorous, concourse, cry aloud, be disquieted, loud, mourn, be moved, make a noise, rage, roar, sound, be troubled, make in tumult, tumultuous, be in an uproar.
Does it not bother you that God says you are a fool? Do you not care? If you do not care about this is it any wonder that your house is not a beautiful example of God’s grace and goodness? Is it not any wonder that your kids rebel?
Pr 31:10 ¶ Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
It saddens me that we have churches full of proud, arrogant women. No man is going to tell them what to do. Or they go from man to man hoping to find one that satisfies them....and they never will. Satisfaction comes from giving, loving, and sacrificing. Contentment is a conscious act. You must determine that you are going to build your husband into something wonderful.
Quit nagging.
3. Loyalty
How can people just walk out of a marriage or walk out of church and never come back. They are not loyal. This is a character trait that my husband and daughter are very strong in. My husband should have left me many times over. Everyone would have agreed with him in leaving me. But he was loyal. You can stab April in the back a hundred times and she may break fellowship but she never quits hurting over you. She always will seek ways to help you get right.
Pr 17:17 ¶ A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Mt 5:33 ¶ Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
De 23:23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth. (It doesn’t say what you mean in your heart....it says what you said with your mouth!)
Nu 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
Now imagine with me....a kid. Their mother ask them to clean their room. They look at momma and say, "NO!" So their mother says, "You better get in their in clean your room now! I am your mother and you better obey me." And the kids says, "I don’t care what you say....I am NOT going to obey you!" Would you think that kids loves her mother? Of course not! Well, this is what you have done to God! You have said, "I don’t care what the Bible says....I am NOT going to work my marriage out."
What if that kids says, "I am a special circumstance....I just KNOW you will show me mercy." That parent is going to say, "You must obey me. You are NOT a special circumstance...you are a rebel." And how would you look at that kid? Would you trust that kid? Would you want to be around that kid? (Even if the sin is not toward you?)
I know people are going to disobey the word. They aren’t going to be loyal to God, church, family or anything. And how we should respond to such persons is a whole other lesson.
4. And the last thing is How to treat people who are unkind to you.
Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength.
How should we respond when someone rebukes you and they are unkind, blunt or just plain out of their realm of authority.
We should respond with love. And we must also be careful that we are not the ones who are rude in the first place. We should find our self-worth in how we treat others, not in how they treat us. We can't control how others treat us. But we can control how we treat others. So what should we do?
Mt 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Mt 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Mt 7:12 ¶ Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
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