Thursday, June 11, 2015
When Humility is Like Rain Water to a Garden
I enjoy having a nice garden. I do not have one this year, because of the rain and other things going on. I have had beautiful and productive gardens in the past. The best year was the year I had a soil sample done to see if anything was lacking in the soil for growing vegetables. After getting the test results, I applied the recommended fertilizer and lime to the soil. I prepared the seed bed, purchased the desired plants and seeds, and spent my Saturday planting.
Have you ever planted a garden in the spring? The smell of the turned over soil is so refreshing. The feeling of accomplishment you get when you have spent a day of hard labor and stand back visualizing the anticipated results. I don't know about you, but I would be like a kid at Christmas each day, checking to see if anything I had planted was coming up. When everything is about 2 or 3 inches tall and the tomato plants are staked, the once bare spot of ground comes alive. Each morning I would drink my coffee out by the garden to admire its progress and its beauty.
Having a beautiful garden is like being a shepherd over a flock of sheep. You have to watch over it each day. You have to be very vigilant and persistent in keeping the weeds and pest from taking over. I would walk over the garden once a day, chopping out the weeds as they first sprouted. Letting them grow to maturity would be disastrous in 2 ways. Weeds rob your plants of moisture, and if left to mature they insure an abundance of weeds for your next season.
One year I did all of the above. The garden looked great. It began producing vegetables then something happened that I could not control. The weather turned very hot and the rains stopped. I started trying to water everything, but I just couldn't keep up with the heat. The garden needed a slow, steady rain to replenish the moisture in the ground and to cool everything down. We didn't get it.
My beautiful plants started wilting and then dying. My enthusiasm was overtaken by the heat and drought and I gave up on the garden for that year, hoping for a better one the next year. I had done everything I could do to have a good garden. The one thing I couldn't do to help each plant produce to its fullest potential was give it the needed rain each week. Without the rain the garden dried up and died.
Now, to the point I am trying to make. I want you to think of our country as the above garden. We work hard each day to have a good country. Some depend on the government (fertilizer), no pun intended, to make it grow. We think our politicians can accomplish this for us. Many think of the need for more jobs (seeds) so our citizens can prosper by earning a living to provide for our families, (bear fruit). I and others are concerned with our country not believing in God and obeying His commandments (drought). This has led to sins in our society that are an abomination to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The consequence is a country (garden) that will not produce good morals (fruit) this year, nor next year as well, and many years after that. Our grandchildren will inherit a godless and secular country(barren garden spot with only weeds) without the knowledge of God (rain) to bring them out of it. What do we do?
Has this happened to a nation before? I ask you at this time to pick up your Bible and read Deuteronomy 8:11-20. Notice the last verse of this chapter. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you will not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God. Is this happening to us? Has our country left God and is she not obedient to His word anymore? Do we have a solution? Are the solutions electing the right people, appointing conservative judges for the supreme court, putting prayer back in school, teaching God's word in public schools, or making more laws to control the hate, greed, and pride? An Absolute No!!!
Here is what we need to do. Just like I couldn't make it rain on my garden, protecting it from drought, I cannot make our country better. I can't make the sensual sins, greed, hatred or godlessness go away. But I know who can.
A few years ago there was a Pew poll publish showing that 78 percent of the citizens in our country were Christians. That being the case, 78 percent of this country are called by God's name. Why is that important? This means that approximately 78 percent of this country have been given the solution (they each have a Bible or can get one) to bring this country back to be blessed by God again. Each of us can do one simple thing, if we want a great country for our grandchildren to inherit. The simple thing that everyone called by God's name can do is: If My people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 0(2 Chronicles 7:14, NKJV)
If I will humble myself; that is surrender; be brought low; allow to be brought into subjection; show a consciousness of my defects or short comings; and be not proud; the first step God ask me to do has been taken. What does all this mean? I will give up my ideology, selfishness, pride, self righteousness, sins, shortcomings, defects, anything else that rules me, and allow God to have the keys to my life.
Why should I humble myself before God. Can you think of any greater being, power, or creator to be humbled by? Are you thinking of being humbled by mankind and his wisdom? You can forget that. That's why we are in this mess to start with.
Next, He says to pray. We need to make sure we do not regard iniquity in our hearts when we pray, because He will not hear us. (Psalm 66:18) He then says seek my face. If you or I are harboring sin in our life we will not seek His face. We will be like Adam and Eve trying to hide from Him when they sinned. We need to be able to confidently and boldly come before His throne as His children, so we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
As God's children we need to turn (Repent) from the wicked ways of the world we are hanging on to. (1 John 2:15-16) We cannot be a friend of the world and change anything. We need God's help, and we will not get it by wanting to be a friend of the world. (James 4:4)
When we do these things, what comes next may be something we have never seen in our lifetime. God says, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. When we, as God's people, do this, God will work a work in our days we have never seen. Look at the response Habakkuk received when he cried out to God. God answers Habakkuk's cry in Habakkuk 1:5, Look among the nations and watch- Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you. (NKJV) We have to have the faith He can do it again.
What would God heal our land from? What do we need to be healed from? What about killing over a million babies a year? What about families that have been divided by adultery and fornication? What about teaching our children that God didn't really create the world as God said He did? What about all of the works of the Devil that have created strongholds in this country?
Doing what we are doing now is not working. We need to do it God's way. What God tells us to do will only work if we follow that first step of humbling ourselves before the Lord. We are told this also in 1 Peter 5:6 and James 4:10. When I started studying humility and then being humble, a peace came over me. Not seeing myself better than anyone else has paved the way to humbling myself before God. I don't care who you are, what color you are, what sins you are doing, God loves you and me equally. We are both so special to Him that His only Son, God the Son, humbled himself, came from heaven, lived a sinless life in the flesh, and died for us, so we might be saved. All we have to do is to humble ourselves before God, believe and do what He commands us to do.
Do you see how our humility before God can be compared to a rain on my garden? It lets God work with and through His people to show there is a God in heaven. We also are then able to fulfill for Him all He has created us to be as His children. Just like good rains on a garden can produce a bumper crop.
I have used God's word the last few post to give us some solutions to get our country back to where she needs to be. We can either keep grumbling about it and wait for the government to do something about it or use His solutions to change our hearts first. Ok, I want to practice what I preach. I have humbled myself before God. I am praying fervently for our land and seeking His face. I have let go of my pride and self righteous arrogance, and I have started loving as God loves. I delight in His words and want to show God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit that I love them by keeping their commands.
Do you trust God at His word? Are you concerned about the state we are going to leave this country in for our grandchildren? Will they grow up, die, and miss heaven because no one was around to teach them the gospel of Christ? Will they have a faith like David to slay their giants? They won't if the people called by God's name do nothing. Come on friends. We can do it. God has always been there for us. He is with us, for us, and has power we don't have. Let's humble ourselves before Him and ask Him every day to help us do it.
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Thanks for reading and all the comments.
Rick
Friday, June 5, 2015
"Sic 'em Poochy" Was All I Had to Say
One of the many blessings I have had in life was growing up on the farm. Another blessing was having a dog named "Poochy" He was a beagle hound. Beagle hounds are known for chasing rabbits, but Poochy would chase any kind of animal. All I had to do was to say, Sic 'em Poochy , and it would stir his little heart up to ferocious chasing activities.
At my command he attacked our 2000 pound Charolais bull, dug into a skunk's den and brought him out (we all got in trouble for that one), chased rabbits, ground hogs, raccoons, and maybe a few people. He was a very loyal dog and was activated with the simple command of "sic 'em".
This started me to thinking about what stirs me up to do the things I was created by God to do. Poochy was doing exactly what he was created to do and then some. What about me? What words stir me up to take action? Poochy knew how to chase because I pointed out to him what to chase. What do I get stirred up about and chase? What God given talent do I have that needs to be stirred up to serve God to my fullest? What about you? What gets you stirred up for your creator, God? What talent has God created you with?
What stirred the shepherd boy, David, up when he went to visit his brothers fighting the Philistines? His love for God and his faith were developed while he was shepherding his father's sheep in the wilderness. He learned to trust and believe in God when he admired God's creation every day and night. He depended on and trusted in God's deliverance. When he saw and heard Goliath defying the armies of the living God, David said, "Is there not a cause?" The cause was a Philistine giant had defied the army's of the living God, and David wanted them to know there was a God in Israel. David was stirred from that point on to serve and bring glory and honor to God.
The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy to stir up the gift of God that was in him by the laying on of his hands. ( 2 Timothy 1:6) Paul knew what Timothy was capable of doing, and he encouraged him. Peter, in 2 Peter 1:13 said, Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,... ( Please read 2 Peter 1:1-15 to see what he was stirring them up to remember) Also, in 2 Peter 3:1-9, Peter says, he writes to them again in this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder). Please read also the rest of the chapter to find out what he wants us to remember. The Hebrew writer in Hebrews 10:24 said, And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,... Paul's spirit was stirred within him when he saw the city of Athens given over to idols. (Acts 17:16)
Back to what stirs me up. There are many things in this life that stir me up. If you read my books or my blog you already know a few of them. If I wasn't stirred up I never would have written a word in the first place. The number one thing that stirs me up is when Satan tries his best to get me not to obey the greatest command. He will use deception, trials, other people, fear, a weakened faith, doubt, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and finally the pride of life to get me not to obey this command. He hates us, as well as God, and does everything to get us away from God. Why? He knows we are so precious to God, and he can hurt God by us dying lost and not taking advantage of the salvation that Jesus provides us in His death. If he can get me not to obey this greatest command, then he can lure me away from God and accomplish his goal.
.
The greatest command as Jesus calls it is, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:36, NKJV) Again we are warned there can be nothing else to share the number one commandment with. 1 John 2: 15-17 says we cannot share this love with the world, and John describes what this is in verse 16. These are the tools of deception the Devil has been using since the beginning of time.
.
This is what stirs me up, as saying sic'em stirred my dog Poochy up. I do not want to be deceived in not obeying God, who loves me so much, by a created being that is preying on my destruction. (1 Peter 5:8) I especially do not want any of my family, friends, or brothers and sisters of humanity to fall for the same deception. When I learn to obey this commandment, my life will be transformed in such a way I have never seen. When all of God's people are stirred to obey God in this way, our children and grandchildren will have a better tomorrow as God's people. When we do not obey God in this way, what will the tomorrow of our children and grandchildren look like? All I can say is to Satan and his deception is, sic 'em and use Ephesians 6:10-20 to sic 'em with. Amen???
When I told Poochy to sic'em, he just did it. I think he wasn't afraid because he knew I had his back. How did he know this? Most of the time I had my shotgun with me. Was he smart enough to know this? He was a small dog and never backed down. You decide.
Can you and I live the way God wants u to live and use His methods to attack the sins of the world without fear? Yes. Does God have our back? Read Romans 8:31-39. I think He does.
This is a quote I received in an e-mail this week. There was not an author named. Thieves only steal what is valuable. The enemy is only attacking you because you're valuable to God. Thieves don't break into an empty house. You are important.
Do you want to build a strong faith like David? He was faced with many trials early in life, yet he killed the giant, Goliath, with everyone thinking it could not be done. We have some immoral giants in our world today. They are defying the children of the living God as Goliath did. They are named Abortion, Evolution, and Sexual Immorality. Look at the damage they have done in our country since 1970. Can God's people defeat these giants? Read my book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart, to read how David developed a giant slaying faith. You can go to www.amazon.com to preview and purchase the book.
Please send your comments to rhepler52@gmail.com.
Thanks for reading. "Sic 'em Poochy"
Rick
At my command he attacked our 2000 pound Charolais bull, dug into a skunk's den and brought him out (we all got in trouble for that one), chased rabbits, ground hogs, raccoons, and maybe a few people. He was a very loyal dog and was activated with the simple command of "sic 'em".
This started me to thinking about what stirs me up to do the things I was created by God to do. Poochy was doing exactly what he was created to do and then some. What about me? What words stir me up to take action? Poochy knew how to chase because I pointed out to him what to chase. What do I get stirred up about and chase? What God given talent do I have that needs to be stirred up to serve God to my fullest? What about you? What gets you stirred up for your creator, God? What talent has God created you with?
What stirred the shepherd boy, David, up when he went to visit his brothers fighting the Philistines? His love for God and his faith were developed while he was shepherding his father's sheep in the wilderness. He learned to trust and believe in God when he admired God's creation every day and night. He depended on and trusted in God's deliverance. When he saw and heard Goliath defying the armies of the living God, David said, "Is there not a cause?" The cause was a Philistine giant had defied the army's of the living God, and David wanted them to know there was a God in Israel. David was stirred from that point on to serve and bring glory and honor to God.
The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy to stir up the gift of God that was in him by the laying on of his hands. ( 2 Timothy 1:6) Paul knew what Timothy was capable of doing, and he encouraged him. Peter, in 2 Peter 1:13 said, Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,... ( Please read 2 Peter 1:1-15 to see what he was stirring them up to remember) Also, in 2 Peter 3:1-9, Peter says, he writes to them again in this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder). Please read also the rest of the chapter to find out what he wants us to remember. The Hebrew writer in Hebrews 10:24 said, And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,... Paul's spirit was stirred within him when he saw the city of Athens given over to idols. (Acts 17:16)
Back to what stirs me up. There are many things in this life that stir me up. If you read my books or my blog you already know a few of them. If I wasn't stirred up I never would have written a word in the first place. The number one thing that stirs me up is when Satan tries his best to get me not to obey the greatest command. He will use deception, trials, other people, fear, a weakened faith, doubt, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and finally the pride of life to get me not to obey this command. He hates us, as well as God, and does everything to get us away from God. Why? He knows we are so precious to God, and he can hurt God by us dying lost and not taking advantage of the salvation that Jesus provides us in His death. If he can get me not to obey this greatest command, then he can lure me away from God and accomplish his goal.
.
The greatest command as Jesus calls it is, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:36, NKJV) Again we are warned there can be nothing else to share the number one commandment with. 1 John 2: 15-17 says we cannot share this love with the world, and John describes what this is in verse 16. These are the tools of deception the Devil has been using since the beginning of time.
.
This is what stirs me up, as saying sic'em stirred my dog Poochy up. I do not want to be deceived in not obeying God, who loves me so much, by a created being that is preying on my destruction. (1 Peter 5:8) I especially do not want any of my family, friends, or brothers and sisters of humanity to fall for the same deception. When I learn to obey this commandment, my life will be transformed in such a way I have never seen. When all of God's people are stirred to obey God in this way, our children and grandchildren will have a better tomorrow as God's people. When we do not obey God in this way, what will the tomorrow of our children and grandchildren look like? All I can say is to Satan and his deception is, sic 'em and use Ephesians 6:10-20 to sic 'em with. Amen???
When I told Poochy to sic'em, he just did it. I think he wasn't afraid because he knew I had his back. How did he know this? Most of the time I had my shotgun with me. Was he smart enough to know this? He was a small dog and never backed down. You decide.
Can you and I live the way God wants u to live and use His methods to attack the sins of the world without fear? Yes. Does God have our back? Read Romans 8:31-39. I think He does.
This is a quote I received in an e-mail this week. There was not an author named. Thieves only steal what is valuable. The enemy is only attacking you because you're valuable to God. Thieves don't break into an empty house. You are important.
Do you want to build a strong faith like David? He was faced with many trials early in life, yet he killed the giant, Goliath, with everyone thinking it could not be done. We have some immoral giants in our world today. They are defying the children of the living God as Goliath did. They are named Abortion, Evolution, and Sexual Immorality. Look at the damage they have done in our country since 1970. Can God's people defeat these giants? Read my book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart, to read how David developed a giant slaying faith. You can go to www.amazon.com to preview and purchase the book.
Please send your comments to rhepler52@gmail.com.
Thanks for reading. "Sic 'em Poochy"
Rick
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
(Conclusion) "Tell Me What I Need to Do and I Will Do IT"
I have been focusing on loving God, yourself, and your neighbor. The last area of love I want to discuss is, Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her...(Ephesians 5:25, NKJV) Christ gave himself for the church. What is the church? The Greek word used in the New Testament was ekklesia, meaning assembly, congregation or called out. We read in Acts 2:47 about those who obeyed what Peter told them to do in Acts 2:38 and it says, And the Lord added to the church (called out, assembly or congregation) daily those who were being saved.
We have just read above of Christ's love for these people. He gave Himself for them. He also taught them how to live to please God the Father and also how to love their fellowman. Christ wanted husbands to love their wives the same way. We are to love our wives so much, that we would be willing to die protecting them, as Christ died protecting the called out from being spiritually lost.
What are the effects of Christ dying for the lost? The sacrifice needed to be perfect and we did not have a perfect one to give. He did it for us on Calvary. He taught us how to live in this fallen world with all it's pain and suffering. He taught us how to love and to love even our enemies. These early Christians had such a faith they were willing to die for it. The good news spread quickly to other lands.
What about husband's loving their wives in this manner? What impact would this have on our country? Would the family structure, as God would have it, be stronger than it is today? Would the children in our country be better off, if their dads loved their moms the way Christ loved His church? If the husband also loved her soul and wanted her to go to heaven when she passed from this life, would the children also reap great benefits from this love?
You and I know some husbands do not love their wives the way Christ loves the Church. Satan has used his deceptions to replace that love with lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes. He does not want the family complete, as God would have it. Satan wants our families in disarray. What kind of cause and effect does Satan's way have on our country? Looked at the TV lately?
There is one thing I especially want to point out. Go back to the verse, Ephesians 5:25. What stands out in this verse? How about the, Husbands love your wives, part? (Husbands, translated from the Greek word 'aner'. A masculine noun meaning a male) (wives, translated from the Greek word gyne. A feminine noun meaning a woman of any age) By the inspiration from the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul is telling the Ephesian husbands (males) to love their wives (any age female). I believe the inspired scriptures make it clear what a married couple looks like. Not male married to male nor female married to female. Any other views on this must first, cut this scripture out of the Bible.
We have discussed in this post and the previous two, a solution or prescription to get our country back living and obeying God's word. We have talked about loving God, our neighbors, ourselves, and if we are married men, our wives. This is just like the Doctor prescribing me three different medications. I will not get better if I only take one. I can't just love my wife and not love God, nor can I just love myself and not my neighbor. It takes all three combined for this to work.
If I love God with all my heart, soul, and mind, then loving the others should come naturally.
What about you? Do you love God like Christ tells us to love Him? Do you love your neighbors as yourself? Men, if you are married, do you love your wife as much as Christ loves the Church?
Why should we love God and Christ? We love Him, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19, NKJV)
Our country is in the biggest mess I have ever seen in my lifetime. Will our grandchildren inherit an America that has lost its love for God, each other, and the sanctity of marriage? Yes it will if we don't do something. What is that something we need to do? Husbands what do you do if you have not loved your wives and have forsaken them? What do you do if you have hatred in your heart for your fellow man? What if you have lived your life not loving God the way He has commanded? What do you do? You do the same thing those who hated God's Son and murdered Him, by the cruelest execution known to man, did. Repent. Be sorry for not loving the way God wants you to. In Acts chapter 2 they believed that Jesus was the Son of God, whom they had just a few days before crucified. They repented of it and were baptized for the remission of their sins. We read later in that same chapter that God added to the church daily those who were being saved.
We all have sinned and in some ways made a mess of our lives. We can repent of what we have done and do like they did in Acts chapter 2:38 and then in verse 47 they were added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Some of our mistakes we can't go back and correct, but we can start today making a new beginning, working for a better ending. The greatest attribute of God's love is His forgiveness. We don't need to let the Devil deceive us out of receiving ours.
I listened to a sermon the other day by Kenneth Grizzell. He brought to my attention 2 Kings 20:16-19. King Hezekiah was told by Isaiah what God had said to him. He said the days would be coming when all that is in your house and what your fathers have accumulated will be carried to Babylon and nothing would be left. He also said, "And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon". The next verse,19, is the one deserving our attention. King Hezekiah then said to Isaiah, The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good! For he said, Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days? What is he saying? It sounds like to me he is saying, well it won't happen in my days. So he is not going to do anything about it. He seems to not care about the future fate of his sons and grandsons, only relieved at least, it won't happen when I am alive.
I have given some solutions using love, that if applied, will begin to change our nation. All of them, and there are many more, are from God's word. We can sit by and have the attitude as Hezekiah, "At least it won't happen in our lifetime" or we can get back into God's word, on our knees in prayer, seeking and doing what God has said, to bring this country back once again, One Nation Under God, and mean it. If not, what do you think the future holds for our children and grandchildren.
Are you a Joshua saying, But as for me and my house, we will serve the lord or are you a Hezekiah, at least it won't happen while I am alive? One choice requires an active faith and the other requires doing nothing. God always gives us a choice. To do nothing, is to be like Hezekiah.
After reading, please send me your comments. Send them to rhepler52@gmail.com or post comments on facebook.
We can choose to begin a new life with God today and it will give new life and hope to our grandchildren. Thank you for reading this series on love. I do believe love is one of many solutions God has given us to be able to live in this fallen world.
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. (John 15:13,NKJV)
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3, NKJV)
Rick
We have just read above of Christ's love for these people. He gave Himself for them. He also taught them how to live to please God the Father and also how to love their fellowman. Christ wanted husbands to love their wives the same way. We are to love our wives so much, that we would be willing to die protecting them, as Christ died protecting the called out from being spiritually lost.
What are the effects of Christ dying for the lost? The sacrifice needed to be perfect and we did not have a perfect one to give. He did it for us on Calvary. He taught us how to live in this fallen world with all it's pain and suffering. He taught us how to love and to love even our enemies. These early Christians had such a faith they were willing to die for it. The good news spread quickly to other lands.
What about husband's loving their wives in this manner? What impact would this have on our country? Would the family structure, as God would have it, be stronger than it is today? Would the children in our country be better off, if their dads loved their moms the way Christ loved His church? If the husband also loved her soul and wanted her to go to heaven when she passed from this life, would the children also reap great benefits from this love?
You and I know some husbands do not love their wives the way Christ loves the Church. Satan has used his deceptions to replace that love with lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes. He does not want the family complete, as God would have it. Satan wants our families in disarray. What kind of cause and effect does Satan's way have on our country? Looked at the TV lately?
There is one thing I especially want to point out. Go back to the verse, Ephesians 5:25. What stands out in this verse? How about the, Husbands love your wives, part? (Husbands, translated from the Greek word 'aner'. A masculine noun meaning a male) (wives, translated from the Greek word gyne. A feminine noun meaning a woman of any age) By the inspiration from the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul is telling the Ephesian husbands (males) to love their wives (any age female). I believe the inspired scriptures make it clear what a married couple looks like. Not male married to male nor female married to female. Any other views on this must first, cut this scripture out of the Bible.
We have discussed in this post and the previous two, a solution or prescription to get our country back living and obeying God's word. We have talked about loving God, our neighbors, ourselves, and if we are married men, our wives. This is just like the Doctor prescribing me three different medications. I will not get better if I only take one. I can't just love my wife and not love God, nor can I just love myself and not my neighbor. It takes all three combined for this to work.
If I love God with all my heart, soul, and mind, then loving the others should come naturally.
What about you? Do you love God like Christ tells us to love Him? Do you love your neighbors as yourself? Men, if you are married, do you love your wife as much as Christ loves the Church?
Why should we love God and Christ? We love Him, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19, NKJV)
Our country is in the biggest mess I have ever seen in my lifetime. Will our grandchildren inherit an America that has lost its love for God, each other, and the sanctity of marriage? Yes it will if we don't do something. What is that something we need to do? Husbands what do you do if you have not loved your wives and have forsaken them? What do you do if you have hatred in your heart for your fellow man? What if you have lived your life not loving God the way He has commanded? What do you do? You do the same thing those who hated God's Son and murdered Him, by the cruelest execution known to man, did. Repent. Be sorry for not loving the way God wants you to. In Acts chapter 2 they believed that Jesus was the Son of God, whom they had just a few days before crucified. They repented of it and were baptized for the remission of their sins. We read later in that same chapter that God added to the church daily those who were being saved.
We all have sinned and in some ways made a mess of our lives. We can repent of what we have done and do like they did in Acts chapter 2:38 and then in verse 47 they were added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Some of our mistakes we can't go back and correct, but we can start today making a new beginning, working for a better ending. The greatest attribute of God's love is His forgiveness. We don't need to let the Devil deceive us out of receiving ours.
I listened to a sermon the other day by Kenneth Grizzell. He brought to my attention 2 Kings 20:16-19. King Hezekiah was told by Isaiah what God had said to him. He said the days would be coming when all that is in your house and what your fathers have accumulated will be carried to Babylon and nothing would be left. He also said, "And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon". The next verse,19, is the one deserving our attention. King Hezekiah then said to Isaiah, The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good! For he said, Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days? What is he saying? It sounds like to me he is saying, well it won't happen in my days. So he is not going to do anything about it. He seems to not care about the future fate of his sons and grandsons, only relieved at least, it won't happen when I am alive.
I have given some solutions using love, that if applied, will begin to change our nation. All of them, and there are many more, are from God's word. We can sit by and have the attitude as Hezekiah, "At least it won't happen in our lifetime" or we can get back into God's word, on our knees in prayer, seeking and doing what God has said, to bring this country back once again, One Nation Under God, and mean it. If not, what do you think the future holds for our children and grandchildren.
Are you a Joshua saying, But as for me and my house, we will serve the lord or are you a Hezekiah, at least it won't happen while I am alive? One choice requires an active faith and the other requires doing nothing. God always gives us a choice. To do nothing, is to be like Hezekiah.
After reading, please send me your comments. Send them to rhepler52@gmail.com or post comments on facebook.
We can choose to begin a new life with God today and it will give new life and hope to our grandchildren. Thank you for reading this series on love. I do believe love is one of many solutions God has given us to be able to live in this fallen world.
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. (John 15:13,NKJV)
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3, NKJV)
Rick
Saturday, May 16, 2015
(Continued from last week) "Tell Me What I Need to Do and I Will Do It"
We learn to love by studying God's word. We learn to love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19) The only way I know about God and that He loves me is by faith. This faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) If you never read the word of God you will never realize how much God loves you. You will never read verses like Romans 5:8, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.(NKJV) Satan does not want you to read that one. He wants you to blame God for all of your troubles and to never learn of God's love.
Has Satan already pulled this deception on you? Are you sure? Are you reading God's word to see how much He loves you? How can you love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength if you do not know Him and believe in Him? This is our first step in getting our hearts prepared to love. Could you make it through the day not knowing God loves you?
Now, what about loving our neighbors? Who is my neighbor anyway? I looked the word up in Strong's Lexicon. Neighbor: a friend, any other person and, according to Christ, anyone who we have chance to meet. (Please read Luke 10:25-37) So my neighbor is anyone and God commands me to love anyone whom I may have contact with. Although there are many areas of love, I am only going to use one area, loving the soul of my neighbor as do my own soul. God wants us to love Him, our neighbors, and everyone else. Satan would be pleased if we didn't love at all.
Mankind is self destructive when he chooses to abandon love in his life, either willingly or ignorantly. Innocent people get hurt when this happens. A good example is the riots in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland. The store owners had nothing to do with any of it, but their livelihood was destroyed in one night by selfish and unloving people. The opposite of love is hate, and hate was clearly shown by their actions. How did they let hate displace love in their hearts? They allowed something, only God is to handle, to enter into their hearts and that is vengeance. (Please read Romans 12:9-20)
When we let God handle the vengeance, we do not have to concern ourselves with it, which keeps us out of a world of trouble. In this world, God has set up governments to carry out His vengeance. And, on Judgment Day, He will carry it out with flaming fire. (Romans 13:1-7) (2 Thessalonians 1:5-9) Man seeks vengeance when he is selfish and doesn't care about anyone but himself. If someone does something to him or takes his things away, he wants to seek vengeance on them.
Notice Christ says in verse 27 of Luke chapter 10, as yourself. This indicates to me that I am to love myself. If I love myself, I will naturally want the best for myself, both physically and spiritually. If I truly love God as He commanded, I will want what He wants, and He wants me and you back in a relationship with Him as in the beginning, before man sinned. He has and is still using His love to get us back.
I have often thought that loving myself was taking care of all of my needs physically, emotionally, and materially. I have spent much time the last 60 years focusing on these, worrying about them, and struggling to supply them. Then I realized I am a living soul. According to what Jesus said I am to do in Matthew 22:37, I have a soul, heart, and mind to love God and I am to do it with all three of them. I started thinking about the three and the only one of the three that will still be in existence in a 1000 years is my soul. Now follow me closely. I have given more attention to my fleshly body, which I can see and will be decayed in the ground in 100 years, than I have my eternal soul, which I can't see but God tells me I have one. My conclusion is, I need to pay more attention to my soul and love it more, because my soul is what God wants to redeem and live with Him.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:28 not to fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. He says rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. God does not want us to perish, but that we would all come to repentance.(2 Peter 3:9) This includes me and my neighbors.
I am to love myself, by loving God with all my heart, soul, and mind. If I do this, I will search His word to learn how to live in a way pleasing to Him. I will put His kingdom first in my life, trusting Him to add all the things I have need of. (Matthew 6:33) Loving Him, obeying Him, and serving Him, will allow my soul to be told by the Lord when He comes again, well done thou good and faithful servant.(Matthew 25:21,23)
How will loving myself in this way help our country today? I will have God's Spirit and love you in a way that the world has never dreamed of. I will have God's Spirit dwelling in me producing love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. I will be your friend in time of trouble and a good neighbor.(Galatians 5:22)
The opposite of this is, if I love the world I will want to fulfill the lust of my flesh, and I will do the works of the flesh instead of the works of the Spirit. (1 John 2:15-16) (Galatians 5:16-21) Living for my flesh produces what we all see on the nightly news. I don't like it and I talk about how terrible it is, and they ought to do something about it. If I am a friend of the world, I am an enemy of God and part of the problem. (James 4:4) But if I love my soul as God wants me to, I begin to be a part of the solution God has for us, to be where we need to be.
How will my being a faithful Christian help my neighbor? I can help supply them with temporal things by giving them a few moments of peace for their fleshly bodies, or I can show them the hope that I have in Jesus that is eternal life. (1 Peter 3:15) I do not want to be lost in the place prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41) Notice the place was not prepared for man, but for the devil and his angels. Those who are rebellious toward God and do not His will are the cursed that will be placed in everlasting fire. I do not want my neighbors in that place either. I am going to confess to you I haven't always felt that way.
There was a time, I did not care about the souls of everyone. Those who didn't think like me, live like me, or look like me, I thought deserved to be lost. I was arrogantly self righteous. I was following all the rules. I checked my list and I was okay. Then I read how much God loved the world, the price paid by our Lord and savior Jesus Christ for the whole world, and how man was created in the image of God. The more I read the more ashamed I became. I read about the love for the lost by Paul and Peter. I needed to remind myself of who Christ died for. It was me and everyone else.
I can best love my neighbor by telling them the good news of Jesus. This is the love that never will fail. (1 Corinthians 13:13) I struggle each day with this life, but I do it with God by my side. I have neighbors that struggle each day to just survive. Some have no hope of ever having any peace. Some have turned to drugs and sexual immorality just to have a moment of fleshy pleasure. They can for a moment forget the mess their lives are in. Some are living lives of crime to feed a habit or just to get by. How do you feel when you see them or hear about them on the news. We do not like them. Worse than that, we don't love them. We think their sins are worse than our sins. Their sins hurt people. They act terrible and irresponsible. We think they are useless and are a drain on society.
You want to know why they are this way? THEY CAN'T SEE HIM!!!
In John 14:8 Phillip asked Jesus to show him the Father. Jesus told Him, He who has seen Me has seen the Father. What does that mean to us? Go to John 14:12. Jesus says, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also. Christ says that we are the light of the world, and we need to let our light shine before men to see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14,16)
I say I am a Christian, but if my neighbor cannot see Christ living in me, I have hidden the light God has given me to shine for Him. My neighbor deserves the opportunity to know God's love as I do.
I have rich neighbors and poor neighbors. I have neighbors whose bodies and lives have been ravaged by sin. Many, both rich and poor, never attend a worship service, read God's word, or even pray. You also have the same kind of neighbors. They have been deceived by the Devil to be friends with the world. They do not know that this is enmity with God. (James 4:1-6) Many have been taught the lie that everyone, no matter what they have done, goes to heaven when they die.
How do I know this? I have seen on the news in recent months the family and friends of those who were killed by police, making statements saying, their loved ones are now an angel in heaven looking down on them. I have also been to funerals, knowing the deceased never worshipped God, read His word, and he/she lived like the world. The preacher would say, he/she is in heaven looking down because he/she believed in the Lord. That is deception with an eternal consequence. I love them enough to tell them what God says, and not what man says. Don't you take my word for it either.(James 2:19)
Read what Christ has to say about it. (Matthew 7:21-23) I love myself enough to want the truth and I love my neighbor the same way. Am I your enemy because I tell you the truth. I tell you this truth in love. (Ephesians 4:12-15)
Reading what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 got my attention. John tells us in 1 John 3:18 to love in deed and truth. If I love my neighbor as myself, I want him/her to know the truth and hopefully obey it. I do not want them to be eternally lost. Look at the love and passion Christ had for the lost. Also, read how Paul and Peter loved the lost. If I profess to be a Christian, I should have this same love for the lost.
My little world around me needs to see God living in me, and not me living in and doing the things of this world. Will this kind of love for my neighbor make a difference in the world? When I truly found out how much God loves me, it made a difference in me. How about you? Good! Let's start today loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Christ has shown us the solutions to the problems we are having in our country today. (Matthew 22:36-40) Teaching ourselves and our neighbors about God's love and His plan of salvation for all humanity, will give peace to the poverty stricken, hope to those who are suffering in their sins, and a pleasing faith in God, to overcome any trial this life has to offer. We will be able to sing the hymn of faith, as the prophet Habakkuk. (Habakkuk 3:17-19) Obeying God's word will give us a peace of God, which passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:4-7)
I am having good results with the solutions my doctor gave me to get my blood sugar down from 300. I did what she told me to do. No buts or questions. I am just doing it. I checked it 2 days ago and it was 93 instead of the danger level of 300. Also, I weighed today and I am 212 pounds instead of the 224 pounds. Her solutions are working, because I am doing what she told me to do. My physical body is better for doing it. I am continually being careful about my diet and increasing my exercising. I feel better.
Each day I search God's word for what He wants me to do in this life. I also pray, trusting He will supply all my needs. The blessings in Christ keep coming each day. My neighbors will, See Him, living in me, if I continue living for Him. His solutions will work and do not cost us anything. The price has already been paid on the cross. This is far from man's approach to the solutions we need. We think if we get a new set of politicians and more costly government programs with more government regulations our problems will be solved. Really? It hasn't worked.
It is not hard to love yourself and your neighbor as yourself. You just have to have something to stir you up to do it. Like when the doctor told me, Rick, you are a diabetic, this stirred me up to take action on what she told me to do.
In all of my writings, I am trying to stir up myself and my neighbors to do the good works of God. I truly hope that something I write may, stir you up, to desire God and be with Him every day by reading what He wants you to and praying to Him with your gratitude and petitions.
With God, we together can make a difference in our country. Without Him, it is very obvious, we will never improve. Let's stir one another up to do the good works of God.(Hebrews 10:24)
From this day forward, let us live in the solution instead of living in the problem. The ending will be so much better if we do.
Rick Hepler
Please share today's post with your church and friends. Your comments are always welcomed. You can go to www.rhepler52@gmail.com to leave your comments. Also consider reading my books along with your Bibles to increase the faith of your children and grandchildren. You will find my books, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart and 123 Tips for My Grandchildren and Yours on www.amazon.com. Thank you for telling your friends and recommending my blog and books to your friends. It is really helping, and I greatly appreciate it.
Thank you,
Rick
Thursday, April 30, 2015
"Tell Me What I Need to Do and I Will Do It"
Every problem has a solution. We may not know what it is, but someone does. I went to the doctor yesterday to get the results from my blood test. When she came in the first words she said, "This is not good you are a diabetic". At that point, she received my full attention. The main stuff that should have been low was high and the stuff that should be high was low. The most critical readings were: glucose 297, triglycerides 410, vitamin D 16.9 and the good cholesterol 33. I immediately said, "Tell me what I need to do and this time I will do it".
She had told me in previous years to exercise, cut back on carbohydrates, meats, and most importantly the portions I was consuming. I ignored all advice and the danger to my health gradually increased to this point. If I do not do as she advised, I will have major problems from diabetes and heart disease. I previously ignored the truth she was telling me, but now I seek it and will obey it, because if not, I and the people who love me, will be going down a path of pain and suffering. The true facts from my blood test got my attention.
In the same light, look at our nation today. Since I was born (1952) the morality of this great nation has declined gradually over the years, a little at a time. The good (Faithful Christian Living and Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength) is at a critical low, when it should be high and the bad (Just look at the nightly news on this one) is high when it should be low.
Is it possible for us to react the same way with this as I reacted to my blood test? The result of previous years of neglecting the truth from our Creator God has led us to this point in our nation's history. Are we concerned the way our nation is headed? Are we going to ignore it and let it get gradually worse than it is, causing more pain and suffering in the future for our children and grandchildren? Is this serious enough for us to say, "Tell me what I need to do and this time I will do it"?
The solution has been before us all the time and can be easily done by every American. The riots and every social ill can be conquered by this one thing. This solution in its truest form will last through all eternity. As I have just had my physical exam, to do my part in helping to bring our country back, I need to have a spiritual exam. I need to be honest with myself and examine myself with God's word. (Psalm 26:2; 2 Corinthians 13:5; and Galatians 6:4)
I have to get myself in good shape physically before I can tell others how to get healthy. I must also live as God wants me to, before I can tell others. I must identify and correct my flaws before I can teach and encourage someone else.
Each day I am thankful for Christ dying in my place, giving me the opportunity to be righteous before God in Christ. I can never, nor ever live long enough to do enough good deeds to be able to stand before God as righteous. I need Jesus to do that for me, and He has wonderfully so done. Thank God!
What is it and can I start today? The solution is love. It is the solution because our enemy, the Devil, wants us to stay away from it. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Why did I choose this as a solution? I think it is the right solution because love suffers long and is kind. ( Love gives second chances, and many times I have needed second chances.) If I have love, when you have good fortune I will rejoice with you and not be angry because you received something good and I didn't. If I have love, I won't boast of having displayed it and will not be prideful because I have shown the love.
If I have love, I will not be rude and selfish. If I have love, I will not get easily irritated, will not think evil, and will not be glad in unrighteousness, but I will rejoice in the truth with others.(1 Corinthians 13:4-6)
Notice the rejoice in truth part. What truth is Paul talking about? God's word. The prayer Jesus prayed to God for his disciples in John 17:17 tells us the truth he is talking about. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. Jesus also said in John 8:32, And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free (NKJV). What is the truth. The Psalmist says in Psalm 119:151, You are near ,O Lord and all Your commandments are truth(NKJV). Jesus said in John 14:15, If you love Me keep My commandments (NKJV).
So love involves rejoicing in the truth, which is God's word including His commandments. If I love Christ, I will keep His commandments. Will our country be a better place if you and I keep His commandments?
Who am I to love? First, I am to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and great commandment, then I am to love my neighbor as myself ( Matthew 22:37-39). Who else am I to love? I am to love my enemy (Matthew 5:44). That one may be the toughest, but it is a command. The last one I want to mention is found in Ephesians 5:25, Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her...(NKJV).
This sounds like an excellent prescription for our country to get back where we need to be. This will not cost the taxpayers a dime. Everyone can participate. Neighborhoods will be safer. And the economy would probably get better. How? Continue to read the solutions below.
The prescription for Godly living is in God's word. What I am proposing will work and we can all participate. I am going to examine myself on today's post, because I probably am not loving like I should. I need God's word to tell me, but I hope it doesn't scare me like my blood test did.
Also, we need to encourage one another on this prescription God has given us. I know I need encouragement everyday from God and my fellowman.
Thanks for reading.
Rick
She had told me in previous years to exercise, cut back on carbohydrates, meats, and most importantly the portions I was consuming. I ignored all advice and the danger to my health gradually increased to this point. If I do not do as she advised, I will have major problems from diabetes and heart disease. I previously ignored the truth she was telling me, but now I seek it and will obey it, because if not, I and the people who love me, will be going down a path of pain and suffering. The true facts from my blood test got my attention.
In the same light, look at our nation today. Since I was born (1952) the morality of this great nation has declined gradually over the years, a little at a time. The good (Faithful Christian Living and Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength) is at a critical low, when it should be high and the bad (Just look at the nightly news on this one) is high when it should be low.
Is it possible for us to react the same way with this as I reacted to my blood test? The result of previous years of neglecting the truth from our Creator God has led us to this point in our nation's history. Are we concerned the way our nation is headed? Are we going to ignore it and let it get gradually worse than it is, causing more pain and suffering in the future for our children and grandchildren? Is this serious enough for us to say, "Tell me what I need to do and this time I will do it"?
The solution has been before us all the time and can be easily done by every American. The riots and every social ill can be conquered by this one thing. This solution in its truest form will last through all eternity. As I have just had my physical exam, to do my part in helping to bring our country back, I need to have a spiritual exam. I need to be honest with myself and examine myself with God's word. (Psalm 26:2; 2 Corinthians 13:5; and Galatians 6:4)
I have to get myself in good shape physically before I can tell others how to get healthy. I must also live as God wants me to, before I can tell others. I must identify and correct my flaws before I can teach and encourage someone else.
Each day I am thankful for Christ dying in my place, giving me the opportunity to be righteous before God in Christ. I can never, nor ever live long enough to do enough good deeds to be able to stand before God as righteous. I need Jesus to do that for me, and He has wonderfully so done. Thank God!
What is it and can I start today? The solution is love. It is the solution because our enemy, the Devil, wants us to stay away from it. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Why did I choose this as a solution? I think it is the right solution because love suffers long and is kind. ( Love gives second chances, and many times I have needed second chances.) If I have love, when you have good fortune I will rejoice with you and not be angry because you received something good and I didn't. If I have love, I won't boast of having displayed it and will not be prideful because I have shown the love.
If I have love, I will not be rude and selfish. If I have love, I will not get easily irritated, will not think evil, and will not be glad in unrighteousness, but I will rejoice in the truth with others.(1 Corinthians 13:4-6)
Notice the rejoice in truth part. What truth is Paul talking about? God's word. The prayer Jesus prayed to God for his disciples in John 17:17 tells us the truth he is talking about. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. Jesus also said in John 8:32, And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free (NKJV). What is the truth. The Psalmist says in Psalm 119:151, You are near ,O Lord and all Your commandments are truth(NKJV). Jesus said in John 14:15, If you love Me keep My commandments (NKJV).
So love involves rejoicing in the truth, which is God's word including His commandments. If I love Christ, I will keep His commandments. Will our country be a better place if you and I keep His commandments?
Who am I to love? First, I am to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and great commandment, then I am to love my neighbor as myself ( Matthew 22:37-39). Who else am I to love? I am to love my enemy (Matthew 5:44). That one may be the toughest, but it is a command. The last one I want to mention is found in Ephesians 5:25, Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her...(NKJV).
This sounds like an excellent prescription for our country to get back where we need to be. This will not cost the taxpayers a dime. Everyone can participate. Neighborhoods will be safer. And the economy would probably get better. How? Continue to read the solutions below.
- If I love God, I will obey His commandments. I will daily, like I was searching for a treasure, read His word and fervently pray to Him. Then my knowledge of Him will increase my trust in Him and also my love for His truth. I must desire to love as He would have me to. If I do not love others, I do not know God. Read these powerful scriptures on the consequences of not loving. (1 John chapters 3 and 4) If Satan can divert a small portion of my time each day from my praying to God, reading His Word and meditating on what I have read, I will eventually not have God in my knowledge. I then may end up like those who were destroyed by the flood (Genesis 6:1-7) and those in (Romans 1:28-32). I am trying to be spiritually healthy. I still have many flaws, but prayer and God's word helps me to keep walking in His light. I am still subject to falling away and being spiritually sick gradually. It is just like my physical blood test. My glucose and triglycerides numbers did not rise over night. I knew two years ago I needed to pay attention to my diet, and the amount I exercised. I never did. I let large amounts of carbohydrates and fatty foods take the place of healthy eating. Also, I let a sedentary lifestyle of watching TV, sitting in my office chair reading, and other non physical activities take the place of the exercise I should have been doing to remain healthy. Look what that gradual neglect to my body has done to me. If I continue to neglect it the way I have been, I will suffer heart disease, maybe die before I want, and end up having enormous medical bills. I am going to do what she told me to do and do it every day. If I let the world creep into my spiritual life like I have let an unhealthy lifestyle enter my physical life, I will be dead spiritually. I do not want neither of the above, but I must remain vigilant each day on both.
The prescription for Godly living is in God's word. What I am proposing will work and we can all participate. I am going to examine myself on today's post, because I probably am not loving like I should. I need God's word to tell me, but I hope it doesn't scare me like my blood test did.
Also, we need to encourage one another on this prescription God has given us. I know I need encouragement everyday from God and my fellowman.
Thanks for reading.
Rick
Monday, April 27, 2015
Our Enemy was Almost Successful
The sunrise was beautiful this morning. After being cloudy yesterday, I really needed some sunshine today. The sun always shines, but sometimes the clouds get in our way of seeing it. The sun just does what it was created to do. It gives us light, warmth, magnificent sunrises and sunsets, and of course a good source of vitamin D. By these things, the sun then glorifies God by doing what it was created to do.
Along with the sunrise was the singing of birds this morning. I believe they were as happy as I was to see the sun. I noticed a Robin had built a perfectly round nest on top of my electric meter. The birds were just doing what God created them to do and seemed happy in doing it. Thus, they too glorified God by doing what He created them to do.
The spring flowers and some trees are blooming beautifully. They too are glorifying God with the beauty He created them to display.
Then my most important question arises after the previous statements. How am I glorifying God? How am I going to glorify my Creator today? (Matthew 5:14-16) Am I going to do what God created me to do today? Unlike His other creatures, that do what He designed them to do, He has given me a choice to do what I choose. I may choose to do his will or something other than His will.
I have a frightening thought. What if I was one of the descendants of Seth and married one of the beautiful daughters of men. Would I have retained the knowledge of God to continue loving, worshipping, and obeying Him, or would I have followed the world causing the wrath of God to destroy it? Would I have been like Noah? Would I have found grace in the eyes of God? What about you?
God knew the people would not turn back to Him. Only Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
How do I know that? In Genesis 6:7 ...God said He was sorry He made them. Is there hope for man today? The Lord loves us so much and does not want us to be lost. Read 2 Peter 3:9. He doesn't want any of us to perish, but that we would all come to repentance. How do we keep from being like the descendants of Seth? Read the rest of 2 Peter chapter 3. Don't allow the world or the things of the world to lead you and your family away from God.
What happened to mankind from Genesis 4:26 to Genesis 6:6-7? Satan used the same method to get mankind to choose evil instead of God that he used on Adam, Eve, and their son Cain. He uses the same today. The only difference today, with internet, social media and TV, it can happen more rapidly. What are his tools? Read 1 John 2:15-17 again. Man fell for it back then and the consequence was the arousing of the wrath of God into destroying His creation, except Noah and his family. Satan thought he had won.
Only one man found grace in the eyes of God. Only one man caused God not to destroy all of His creation completely. What power mankind has when he obeys and loves a loving God. Have you ever thought about the agony Noah and his family endured while building the ark? I imagine it is just like today. God's people are laughed at and called right wing extremist when they stand for God's truth.
This one thing is certain. When the first rain drop hit earth, it was too late for anyone other than Noah, his family, and the animals they put in the ark. Like the first rain drop of the flood, the first note of the trumpet sounding when the Lord comes again will be too late for those who fell for the deception of the devil, his devices, and the love of the world.
How did this happen? From verse 26 of Genesis chapter 4 to Genesis 6:5-7, the son's of God began to lose their faith when they married the daughter's of men. They had the knowledge of good and evil and were gradually influenced by the daughter's and son's of men to choose evil over good. Satan used his tools to deceive them into thinking continually evil thoughts in their hearts. This led to their manifesting the evil acts that God detested. Sounds like where we are heading today. Have you read the news lately? Have you seen what's happening in Baltimore tonight?
The world gradually influenced them to distance God in their lives. Where is God in your life? Are you concerned with where God will be in your children's and grandchildren's lives when they are your age? Please read Jeremiah 4:22, Hosea 4:1 and Romans 1:28 and see the dangers of not having God in our knowledge.
God loves us much more than the world loves us. He wants all of us to retain Him in our knowledge. When we do this, we will live before Him as He wants us to live, choosing to do good, and we will not be able to be deceived into choosing evil by the Devil. It is our decision in whom we choose to follow. The consequences are felt by all. Do we want to make a difference? Are we tired of the immorality in our land today? Then we need to have God in our knowledge, submit to Him, and live the way He wants us to live.
Do you want to build your children and grandchildren's faith in God? Then sit down with them at night and read your Bible to them of how God's men built their faith in times of old. You can read to them how young David grew his faith, into a faith able to remove giants. You can also go to www.amazon.com to purchase my book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart. I write about how David built his faith and love for God.
Please send your comments to rhepler52@gmail.com. Please share my blog with others. I have people in 10 different countries reading this blog each week. Thank you for sharing.
We need to recognize our enemy. the Devil. How he wants to deceive us out of the inheritance God wants us to have. If we desire to retain God in our knowledge, we will make the choices God wants us to make. It is always our choice.
Thank you for reading.
Rick
Along with the sunrise was the singing of birds this morning. I believe they were as happy as I was to see the sun. I noticed a Robin had built a perfectly round nest on top of my electric meter. The birds were just doing what God created them to do and seemed happy in doing it. Thus, they too glorified God by doing what He created them to do.
The spring flowers and some trees are blooming beautifully. They too are glorifying God with the beauty He created them to display.
Then my most important question arises after the previous statements. How am I glorifying God? How am I going to glorify my Creator today? (Matthew 5:14-16) Am I going to do what God created me to do today? Unlike His other creatures, that do what He designed them to do, He has given me a choice to do what I choose. I may choose to do his will or something other than His will.
I have a frightening thought. What if I was one of the descendants of Seth and married one of the beautiful daughters of men. Would I have retained the knowledge of God to continue loving, worshipping, and obeying Him, or would I have followed the world causing the wrath of God to destroy it? Would I have been like Noah? Would I have found grace in the eyes of God? What about you?
God knew the people would not turn back to Him. Only Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
How do I know that? In Genesis 6:7 ...God said He was sorry He made them. Is there hope for man today? The Lord loves us so much and does not want us to be lost. Read 2 Peter 3:9. He doesn't want any of us to perish, but that we would all come to repentance. How do we keep from being like the descendants of Seth? Read the rest of 2 Peter chapter 3. Don't allow the world or the things of the world to lead you and your family away from God.
What happened to mankind from Genesis 4:26 to Genesis 6:6-7? Satan used the same method to get mankind to choose evil instead of God that he used on Adam, Eve, and their son Cain. He uses the same today. The only difference today, with internet, social media and TV, it can happen more rapidly. What are his tools? Read 1 John 2:15-17 again. Man fell for it back then and the consequence was the arousing of the wrath of God into destroying His creation, except Noah and his family. Satan thought he had won.
Only one man found grace in the eyes of God. Only one man caused God not to destroy all of His creation completely. What power mankind has when he obeys and loves a loving God. Have you ever thought about the agony Noah and his family endured while building the ark? I imagine it is just like today. God's people are laughed at and called right wing extremist when they stand for God's truth.
This one thing is certain. When the first rain drop hit earth, it was too late for anyone other than Noah, his family, and the animals they put in the ark. Like the first rain drop of the flood, the first note of the trumpet sounding when the Lord comes again will be too late for those who fell for the deception of the devil, his devices, and the love of the world.
How did this happen? From verse 26 of Genesis chapter 4 to Genesis 6:5-7, the son's of God began to lose their faith when they married the daughter's of men. They had the knowledge of good and evil and were gradually influenced by the daughter's and son's of men to choose evil over good. Satan used his tools to deceive them into thinking continually evil thoughts in their hearts. This led to their manifesting the evil acts that God detested. Sounds like where we are heading today. Have you read the news lately? Have you seen what's happening in Baltimore tonight?
The world gradually influenced them to distance God in their lives. Where is God in your life? Are you concerned with where God will be in your children's and grandchildren's lives when they are your age? Please read Jeremiah 4:22, Hosea 4:1 and Romans 1:28 and see the dangers of not having God in our knowledge.
God loves us much more than the world loves us. He wants all of us to retain Him in our knowledge. When we do this, we will live before Him as He wants us to live, choosing to do good, and we will not be able to be deceived into choosing evil by the Devil. It is our decision in whom we choose to follow. The consequences are felt by all. Do we want to make a difference? Are we tired of the immorality in our land today? Then we need to have God in our knowledge, submit to Him, and live the way He wants us to live.
Do you want to build your children and grandchildren's faith in God? Then sit down with them at night and read your Bible to them of how God's men built their faith in times of old. You can read to them how young David grew his faith, into a faith able to remove giants. You can also go to www.amazon.com to purchase my book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart. I write about how David built his faith and love for God.
Please send your comments to rhepler52@gmail.com. Please share my blog with others. I have people in 10 different countries reading this blog each week. Thank you for sharing.
We need to recognize our enemy. the Devil. How he wants to deceive us out of the inheritance God wants us to have. If we desire to retain God in our knowledge, we will make the choices God wants us to make. It is always our choice.
Thank you for reading.
Rick
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
I Have an Enemy (3)
Today is another post on, I Have an Enemy. I am using these post to expose my enemy, and yours, for what he is, his main goal, his methods, and the consequences of choosing to follow him. Sometimes we may follow him and not realize it. (1 Corinthians 11:13-15) If you have fallen for his devices, and we all have, remember this one thing. We have a Redeemer, Jesus the Christ and Satan doesn't. That ought to tell you what God thinks of Satan and his angels.
Let's go back to Genesis 4:7 for a moment. God gives Cain a choice. If Cain chooses to do well, he will be accepted. If Cain chooses not to do well, then sin lies at the door, waiting to come in at the first opportunity. God tells Cain that the sin at the door desires him, but Cain should rule over it. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul tells us the same thing, Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (2 Thessalonians 5:21-22, NKJV) Also, please read Titus 2:12.
What did Satan use on Cain? One of the 3? Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. ( 1 John 2:15-17)
I believe by the way Cain responded to God, or lack of response, Satan is using the pride of life on him. The definition of pride in Strong's Greek Lexicon is: an insolent and empty assurance, which trust in its own power and resources and shamefully despises and violates divine laws and human rights. Yes, I think this describes it. Cain had a bad attitude of worshiping God. He was jealous of his brother because he was accepted and not him. He murdered his brother, which definitely violated Abel's rights. Cain had his own self-interest in mind. He wanted to live his life by his own understanding.
How could he avoided this and how can we? Two passages come to mind, but we have to be humble and really want to do them. These have helped me in every walk of life. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5, NKJV) and You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37,NKJV. You do this, selfish pride will never be an issue. Had Cain followed the above, we may have never had the flood. Again, his choices led to terrible consequences
.
A few more points. When you read of the family of Cain in Genesis 4:16-24, we read where Cain built a city. His descendants were the originators of those who lived in tents, had livestock, of music and also those who worked in bronze and iron. They began to be self sufficient. I do not find anywhere were they ever spoke of God. He was the one who gave them the talents to do what they did, but they forgot Him, or maybe never knew Him.
Cain reminds me of the parable of the lost son in Luke 15:17-32. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod. He did what he wanted and his family followed his actions to their own destruction by the flood. Christ told the parable of the lost son. He also went away to a far land. His father blessed him with riches. Away from his father he squandered the riches lived for the lust of the flesh and ended up living and eating with swine instead of his father. But this story ended good. The lost son repented and returned to his father, who loved him very much. Jesus made this possible for us by His dying on the cross
.
Next, Satan is ready to take on the descendants of Seth. In Genesis 4:25-26. Eve bore another son and called him Seth. She said, God had appointed her another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain killed. Seth had a son named Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord. It sounds like Seth's family is following God. God has a plan of redemption through the families of Seth, but Satan has a plan of death through the families of Cain.
Satan, in his plan wants to turn the sons of God away from God. How is he going to do it? He still uses the same temptation today. It has been successful all through the ages. What is it? The temptation of the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh. (Read Genesis 6:1-7) The sons of God, descendants of Seth, saw the daughters of men, Cain's descendants, that they were beautiful. They took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. Satan set it up, the lust of the eyes followed by the lust of the flesh.
Did the sons of God influence the daughters of men to follow God? What happened? In verse 5 we see how deceptive and powerful Satan can be if we let him control our thoughts. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. All of the sons of God except Noah and his family would be destroyed in the flood. None of them chose to come back to God. They had been blinded by the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. They wanted no part of God. Does this sound familiar today?
How many faithful Christians do you know who have been taken down by Satan in this manner? I know of some, but a few came back into the open arms of God like the lost son. We have all sinned, but remember God does not want us to be lost. Can't we see His love by Jesus' death on the cross?
How could the sons of God prevented this? It is not like Satan made them do it. He just planted an idea and they allowed it to manifest into sinful actions. These actions come out of the heart.(Matthew 15:19 and Proverbs 23:7) How do we handle it? 2 Corinthians 10:5, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Cain could not capture and control his thoughts.
If you are tempted like this, just reasonably look at the end result. Your family may be broken up, your children may be like Cain's and also the sons of God. They may choose to forget God and live like the world. All of your descendants could be like they were in Romans 1:28. And as even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things that are not fitting.
At the time of the flood, more people followed evil than were saved by the ark. Why would anyone want to give up a powerful loving God, and an eternity with Him, for the evil works of the Devil and eternal damnation?
You and I cannot be friends with world and friends with God. Satan will get us to fall every time. (Read James 4:4) If I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul and mind, do you think I may have an influence on my family and the people around me to be good? Also, I will go to God's word to help me defeat the devil. A good place to go and read is Ephesians 6:10-20. I almost forgot. Please read Galatians 5:16, I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. NKJV And always, pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17)
Let me give you an important reminder. If you and I are in Christ,(Galatians 3:27) we have a great spiritual blessing. If we are weak and fall into Satan's snare, guess what. Go to 1 John 1:5-10 to see what to do and how powerful the blood of Jesus, our savior is. How can I sin against a God who loves me so much? How about you?
Our country is in a mess. We cannot clean it up will politicians and laws. We must live like Christ, love every soul as God does, and in the most loving way we can, carry the Gospel to them. My brothers and sisters in humanity are not my enemy. The devil who tempts and destroys their lives is.
Continue to join with me and share with your loved one's as we identify our enemy, his methods and his hatred for us and all that is good. With God all things are possible. To be continued next week.
Please share this to others on facebook or by emails. You can send comments to rhepler52@gmail.com . Also my book The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart, will help you and your children build a faith like David, and my latest book, 123 Tips for My Grandchildren and Yours, gives tips on how to live in this fallen world. You can go to www.amazon.com to download your copy.
Thanks for reading.
Rick
Let's go back to Genesis 4:7 for a moment. God gives Cain a choice. If Cain chooses to do well, he will be accepted. If Cain chooses not to do well, then sin lies at the door, waiting to come in at the first opportunity. God tells Cain that the sin at the door desires him, but Cain should rule over it. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul tells us the same thing, Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (2 Thessalonians 5:21-22, NKJV) Also, please read Titus 2:12.
What did Satan use on Cain? One of the 3? Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. ( 1 John 2:15-17)
I believe by the way Cain responded to God, or lack of response, Satan is using the pride of life on him. The definition of pride in Strong's Greek Lexicon is: an insolent and empty assurance, which trust in its own power and resources and shamefully despises and violates divine laws and human rights. Yes, I think this describes it. Cain had a bad attitude of worshiping God. He was jealous of his brother because he was accepted and not him. He murdered his brother, which definitely violated Abel's rights. Cain had his own self-interest in mind. He wanted to live his life by his own understanding.
How could he avoided this and how can we? Two passages come to mind, but we have to be humble and really want to do them. These have helped me in every walk of life. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5, NKJV) and You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37,NKJV. You do this, selfish pride will never be an issue. Had Cain followed the above, we may have never had the flood. Again, his choices led to terrible consequences
.
A few more points. When you read of the family of Cain in Genesis 4:16-24, we read where Cain built a city. His descendants were the originators of those who lived in tents, had livestock, of music and also those who worked in bronze and iron. They began to be self sufficient. I do not find anywhere were they ever spoke of God. He was the one who gave them the talents to do what they did, but they forgot Him, or maybe never knew Him.
Cain reminds me of the parable of the lost son in Luke 15:17-32. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod. He did what he wanted and his family followed his actions to their own destruction by the flood. Christ told the parable of the lost son. He also went away to a far land. His father blessed him with riches. Away from his father he squandered the riches lived for the lust of the flesh and ended up living and eating with swine instead of his father. But this story ended good. The lost son repented and returned to his father, who loved him very much. Jesus made this possible for us by His dying on the cross
.
Next, Satan is ready to take on the descendants of Seth. In Genesis 4:25-26. Eve bore another son and called him Seth. She said, God had appointed her another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain killed. Seth had a son named Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord. It sounds like Seth's family is following God. God has a plan of redemption through the families of Seth, but Satan has a plan of death through the families of Cain.
Satan, in his plan wants to turn the sons of God away from God. How is he going to do it? He still uses the same temptation today. It has been successful all through the ages. What is it? The temptation of the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh. (Read Genesis 6:1-7) The sons of God, descendants of Seth, saw the daughters of men, Cain's descendants, that they were beautiful. They took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. Satan set it up, the lust of the eyes followed by the lust of the flesh.
Did the sons of God influence the daughters of men to follow God? What happened? In verse 5 we see how deceptive and powerful Satan can be if we let him control our thoughts. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. All of the sons of God except Noah and his family would be destroyed in the flood. None of them chose to come back to God. They had been blinded by the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. They wanted no part of God. Does this sound familiar today?
How many faithful Christians do you know who have been taken down by Satan in this manner? I know of some, but a few came back into the open arms of God like the lost son. We have all sinned, but remember God does not want us to be lost. Can't we see His love by Jesus' death on the cross?
How could the sons of God prevented this? It is not like Satan made them do it. He just planted an idea and they allowed it to manifest into sinful actions. These actions come out of the heart.(Matthew 15:19 and Proverbs 23:7) How do we handle it? 2 Corinthians 10:5, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Cain could not capture and control his thoughts.
If you are tempted like this, just reasonably look at the end result. Your family may be broken up, your children may be like Cain's and also the sons of God. They may choose to forget God and live like the world. All of your descendants could be like they were in Romans 1:28. And as even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things that are not fitting.
At the time of the flood, more people followed evil than were saved by the ark. Why would anyone want to give up a powerful loving God, and an eternity with Him, for the evil works of the Devil and eternal damnation?
You and I cannot be friends with world and friends with God. Satan will get us to fall every time. (Read James 4:4) If I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul and mind, do you think I may have an influence on my family and the people around me to be good? Also, I will go to God's word to help me defeat the devil. A good place to go and read is Ephesians 6:10-20. I almost forgot. Please read Galatians 5:16, I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. NKJV And always, pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17)
Let me give you an important reminder. If you and I are in Christ,(Galatians 3:27) we have a great spiritual blessing. If we are weak and fall into Satan's snare, guess what. Go to 1 John 1:5-10 to see what to do and how powerful the blood of Jesus, our savior is. How can I sin against a God who loves me so much? How about you?
Our country is in a mess. We cannot clean it up will politicians and laws. We must live like Christ, love every soul as God does, and in the most loving way we can, carry the Gospel to them. My brothers and sisters in humanity are not my enemy. The devil who tempts and destroys their lives is.
Continue to join with me and share with your loved one's as we identify our enemy, his methods and his hatred for us and all that is good. With God all things are possible. To be continued next week.
Please share this to others on facebook or by emails. You can send comments to rhepler52@gmail.com . Also my book The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart, will help you and your children build a faith like David, and my latest book, 123 Tips for My Grandchildren and Yours, gives tips on how to live in this fallen world. You can go to www.amazon.com to download your copy.
Thanks for reading.
Rick
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