We hear often how God is being removed out of schools and government buildings and so on. But perhaps we have forgotten God is not in the buildings of stone or in the plaques or words. God is within his believers hearts he is anywhere they are. Perhaps the reason God is being removed from those public places is because believers are not in those places? In the book of Amos it warns that at the end there shall be a great famine, not of food and water but of hearing the Word of God. We know that without hearing of the word there is no faith, and without faith there is no pleasing God.

If we want God back in those public places we must first begin by getting God back into our hearts.

Rev_3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Amo_8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

Rom_10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

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.

Perhaps instead blaming the failures of upon our government allowing God to be removed out of public places, we should point first at our self?

I created a FB account, my wife was using at times my mom’s account to copy family and friend pics they would post so we decided to create an account. I ventured into one of the strategy games because I have heard so many talk about them. I noticed quickly that it was a game that would occupy all your time if you wanted to actually do any good on it.

But the interesting part was how they feed upon this generation. If you are willing to spend money you can speed up the process of the game, can you imagine people paying money just to speed up the game? I am sure there are some that do, we have become a now generation and they feed upon that type of mindset.

One of the traits of Christianity is patience; we can see how having it prevents the world from profiting off of us.

Luk_21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

Before change comes before repentance is accepted one must acknowledge they are doing wrong. As that famous saying goes the first step is acknowledging there is a problem. As my wife and I were doing our house cleaning this morning this came to my mind, so I wanted to share it.

How can so many be against so much and yet be part of the problem?

When we become desensitized to sin we allow it to grow, because it no longer offends us, when we participate in that sin we encourage it to grow.

How many of us have seen these poor people that have lost all through gambling, and yet we gamble, a lotto ticket or just a quick visit to the gambling casinos. Do we watch those shows that should not be watched, such as Ellen and yet we know by the word homosexuality is evil? When we watch those shows which should not be watched we are becoming desensitized and encouraging that sin to grow. If we don’t accept our blame we will NEVER grow, we will continue being lukewarm and as the word tells us, we will be spit out. Do we wonder as if some strange thing happens when our children act out; do we not accept the blame? Children act according to the examples set in their life, by those examples the friends they will make will feed into them even more, of good or evil.

Little compromises are magnified in the world and through the eyes of others, let us cast off all appearance of evil.

“A path led is one more easily followed by another, to life or death”.

Pro 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. : 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

This is my view, something to think about.

1 God formed man

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground…

2 God gives man his commandment

Gen 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

3 God creates woman out of man

Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

4 Serpent tempts Eve

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 3 (Then Eve said) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

What I want to share is how Eve stated neither shall ye touch it. When we review the commandment we do not read God telling Adam not to touch it, but just not to eat it. My view is that Adam added to God’s word when he instructed Eve, he added nor touch it for extra caution. The word tells us that Eve took the forbidden fruit in her hand, perhaps which was her greatest challenge, to touch it. Once she realized she didn’t die from touching it, the eating of it had no more of a threat? The word of God being weakened by man adding to the commandment of God.

Deu 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

I have been reading a lot of news on how guns should be banned etc, to the carnal mind that makes sense. But to the Christian the way to stop school shootings is by getting God back into schools.

Deu_30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Perhaps it is time for Christians to quit compromising and instead of becoming more tolerant that we become less tolerant of sin?

In the Old Testament we read how the priest is supposed to keep the lamp burning in the temple of God all night, to me it is symbolically showing God’s presence in the darkness being brought forth by the priest.

Exo 27:20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.

As we read 1 Sa. Eli had lost his site and so he allowed the light to go out at night. It is through the word of God we are given site so we can keep the light burning, showing forth the light of Christ to a dark world.

1Sa 3:2  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; 3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

Mat_5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Mat_5:14 Ye are the light of the world…

Inspired by Bro Doc’s post about the upside down world.

I wanted to share with others this story dealing with the upside down way the world does things.

My sister has a female friend named Deb whose husband has been suffering for a few years with lung cancer. He had received lung transplants some time back also. They lived on his disability as she took care of him. He passed away a few months ago. Deb’s husband Steve had no life insurance and they didn’t have much money so they were going to have to go real cheap on the funeral, they were going to have him cremated. Someone stepped up and paid for a real nice funeral, nice coffin and nice grave.

Since the funeral Deb has not found a job and now she might loose her home. Each month she is getting further in the hole financially.

The upside down way of thinking is this, more care was taken for the dead than for the living. Instead of a wasted expense on a nice funeral for the dead, the money could have been used to pay the bills to continue the life of the living.

As the word tells us our belief is counted for righteousness.

As we read the word we should read all the promises that are obtained by the righteous.

If those promises aren’t obtained it is not that God has changed his mind but that our level of belief is not as great as we try to claim. Our level of belief grows just like following a map to a destination increases the closeness to our destination. There are many that deny that as truth because they have followed their map and yet not obtained the promised destination. Perhaps the map we have followed is not completely correct?

If we are not obtaining what God promises we can change God or change our self. A proud man tries to change God, which is why they shall fall.

Mat_6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Psa_34:17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

Pro_11:8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

Psa_34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Psa_5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Psa_34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

Psa_37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Psa_92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

In the book of Daniel we read about King Nebuchadnezzar and how he built a gold statue and passed a law that every one had to bow down before it when they heard the music. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not bow before an idol. They were willing to die before they would disobey the word of God by bowing before an idol.

Because they were willing to die for their beliefs, they brought glory to the true God, and were rewarded for their convictions.

Dan 3:29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

Dan 3:30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

There are several other stories in which those that are willing to die for their beliefs bring glory to the true God and are rewarded here are a few, Esther, Mordecai and Daniel.

Before one can glorify God to other and be rewarded for standing strong upon their beliefs, they have to first be tested. See the persecution your going through today as a potential for you to bring glory to the Lord and to be rewarded.

Mat_5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

A Grateful Heart

By Paul Chappell

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2012

I got this from Bro Doc’s post, I wanted to share it. 

DEVOTIONALLANCASTERBAPTISTCHURCH 

Ravensbruck was known as one of the worst German concentration camps during World War II. When Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsie found themselves imprisoned there, they were disgusted to discover that their barracks were infested with fleas.

When Corrie began to complain, Betsie insisted that they instead give thanks, quoting 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” With some persuasion, Corrie finally joined her sister in thanking God for the fleas.

Several months later, the two sisters expressed their surprise that the camp guards had never come back to their barracks to disrupt or prevent the evening Bible studies they held for their fellow prisoners. It was then that Corrie realized that the very fleas which she had so despised had actually been a God-sent protection from the cruel guards.

When we think we deserve good things, we find it hard to be thankful, and we often miss the blessings God sends “in disguise.” Greed, materialism, and selfishness destroy a grateful heart. God, our society, and our parents don’t owe us anything, no matter what others may say or think.

Rather than complaining about what we don’t have or don’t get, it is important that we are grateful for what we do have. Every one of us will suffer setbacks and experience loss. But there are always things for which we can be grateful—things we can never lose. As believers, our eternal destiny is settled and can never be changed. We always have the promises of God on which we can fully rely.