K.I.S.S.- Keep It Short and Simple

Special Tribute To Pastor Ferdie Santos of Jesus The Shepherd Community Church

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 19:40:00 +0000

                        SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO PASTOR FERDIE SANTOS OF THE JESUS
                  THE SHEPHERD COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GEN. TRIAS, CAVITE
                  ON THE CELEBRATION OF HIS BIRTHDAY ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

That day was a very historic day for me as I brought my daughter- Margie Alarilla- Santos at the
feet of our Lord and master Jesus Christ where she accepted Him as her Lord and savior and became born again. Little did I realize that we began a chain of events that led to many souls that would be led to the feet of our Lord and master for the salvation of their souls and the attainment of eternal lives for them. She did the same to her husband Ferdie and their three kids, Jenny, Jasmine and Jenine. God has a wonderdul plan for their family. Ferdie became an assistant pastor of their church and he was sent to study through the Seminary Extension Education of the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary (PBTS Baguio). He then became the head Pastor of the Jesus The Shepherd Community Church at the 2nd Floor, Baranggay Center, Phase 3, Marycris Complex, Gen. Trias, Cavite. Their church is part of Eastern Cavite Baptist Churches Association where he is now their vice president. He is also the head of the Bible studies of their church where he, Margie and Jenny are teachers of PEPSOL Discipleship Training. Ferdie is the head of the Men's Primary Cell Group Leaders and Margie is the head of the Women's Primary Cell Group Leaders. Margie is also the teacher of the youth and adviser of the Worship Leading Team. Jenny is one of the cell group leaders
and church keyboardist. She is also a scholar at the De La Salle- Dasmarinas. Jasmine is one of the Wordhip Leaders/Singers. while Jenine assists in their current Sunday school, assisting the director and teachers in handling little kids.

I never thought that that little act of leading my daughter Margie to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and savior would go a long, long way in becoming a ray of light to lost people in their search for salvation and eternal life. In all these, all I can say is TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

Melencio A. Alarilla
1765 Potrero, Lolomboy, Bocaue, Bulacan 3018

5 Areas of Your Life Satan Wants To Enter

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 21:09:00 +0000

99 Notifications

Account Settings

News Feed

Mel Avila Alarilla

August 9 at 1:01pm · Bocaue ·

A Re-post from Bible Gateway
CHRISTIAN.com
(Definitely, must read for all Christians and believers)
Christianity.com Home
5 Areas of Your Life Satan Wants to Enter
Cindi McMenamin
Satan wants nothing more than to enter certain areas of your life so he can gain a stronghold. He’ll try anything to throw you off center, distract you from your focus, and render you ineffective for the Kingdom of God.
And I believe, after more than 25 years of ministering to women, that there are common areas he attacks – not just in women, but in any of us. As long as we’re aware of his strategies, we can be on guard to keep him out of his targeted entry points.
These are the five areas of your life Satan wants to enter:
1. Your heart – so it’s not God’s alone.
There’s a reason God’s Word tells us: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23). Satan knows he has an entry point into your life if God is not first in our hearts. God’s first commandment, set forth under the Old Covenant, was: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). And Jesus restated that under the New Covenant when He was asked what is the greatest commandment and responded by saying “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’...” (Luke 10:27). Satan’s greatest desire is to prevent you from giving God all of your heart so he will constantly dangle people, things, and desires in front of you – anything to distract you so he can erect a false god in front of you that you don’t even realize you have. He will try to lure you with a false god like your career, a spouse or love interest, a dream or goal, a hobby or lifestyle. I know many women whose first love is their bodies, so they spend more time in the gym working out than letting God work within. It’s a subtle way of starting to love other things more than God. Some of us love food, money, recreation, our children, a substance, or a “feeling” (like being in love, or feeling energetic) more than God, Himself. Guard your heart by keeping Christ on the throne of your life so Satan doesn’t try to sneak anything else in there.
2. Your worries – to make you doubt God’s love and provision. Satan wants you stressing, because then you’re not resting in God’s ability to care for you. Women tend to stress over the temporal – bills that must be paid, whether or not a man will come into our lives, if we’ll be able to have a child, what someone is saying about us, how our body looks, and so on. Men tend to stress about their jobs, providing for their families, and whether or not they are “making the cut” in several areas of life. Then there’s health concerns, fears about our aging parents, and other situations that can crowd out God’s peace in our lives and even cause us to begin to blame God for our circumstances. Don’t let Satan in this door through his tantalizing “what if?” questions and the doubts he weaves through your mind. God instructs us in Philippians 4:6-7 to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (NASB). Keep praying about your concerns and keep thanking God ahead of time for what He’s about to do, so Satan doesn’t get a stronghold in your mind through your worries and fears.
3. Your everyday thinking – so you’re just like the world.
It’s amazing how many people profess to know God and follow Him, yet their thinking patterns are just like those of anyone else in the world. Satan loves that. He wants you to be so absorbed with the ways of the world that you are clueless about what God’s Word says. He will do this through subtle messages in music lyrics, statements from your favorite celebrity, and words of advice from friends (even friends of yours who are believers, but are quoting “verses” that are not in the Bible). Scripture commands us: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is” (Romans 12:2, NLT). Furthermore, God’s Word instructs: “fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise... and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9, NLT). But Satan would rather have us in mental anguish by listening to the world, rather than the word of God. Guard your everyday thinking by soaking it in Scripture. It’s the only way to keep Satan and his worldly philosophies from entering in.
4. Your speech – so you tear others apart.
God wants us to be holy mouthpieces for Him – people who heal and help with our words. But Satan would rather have you and me blowing it big time with our mouths. A few critical words here, a few complaints there, some profanity mixed in with a little gossip on the side and we have given him permission to make us people who tear others apart and sound no different (and sometimes worse) than unbelievers. Satan knows we can cause much damage with our mouths if we do not bring them under God’s control. Whether it is gossip, criticism or unkind remarks, our mouths can be instruments of righteousness or unrighteousness. Close that door to Satan, altogether, by applying God’s instructions in Ephesians 4:29: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (NIV). And 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (NASB). Be a verbally thankful person who speaks only to lift others up, not tear them down. That will diminish and destroy a critical and complaining spirit that gives Satan a stronghold in our lives.
5. Our Bodies -- so they no longer glorify God.
Why is it that when people get depressed they overeat or drink excessively or turn to substances? Why is it that young girls will cut their bodies or starve themselves when they are dealing with emotional pain? I believe it’s because Satan will turn us against our bodies if he can, as a way of “getting back at God.” Our bodies are precious to God. Scripture commands us to “Give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?” (Romans 12:1, NLT). Satan knows that God considers our bodies His temple and therefore God wants us to keep our bodies holy, healthy and honoring to Him (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Scripture says keeping our bodies holy is our “spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1, NIV). So because our bodies are holy to God, Satan would love to have us harm them, mutilate them, starve them, and destroy them with substances. Don’t let him in. Not in how you dress. Not in how you see yourself. Not in how you treat yourself. Ask God for a healthy body image and a desire to protect your body so you can serve Him on this earth in it for as long as possible.
So what’s your strategy now that you know the areas where Satan wants to enter your life? God gives us a great defense through Paul’s instructions to the saints in Ephesians 6:11-18: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes...” I find it interesting that every piece of “armor” described in that passage refers to the character of Christ. (See my article “Are You a Warrior Woman or a Wounded One?”) In other words, put on Christ-likeness. Abide in Christ, be clothed in His character and righteousness, and you will fend off the attacks of the enemy.

7 Daily Steps To Trust In The Lord With All Your Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 19:10:00 +0000

7 Daily Steps to Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart

John UpChurch | Senior Editor

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Perhaps you’ve been told that as a Christian you must learn to “trust in the Lord with all your heart.” But this famous passage from Proverbs 3 contains more than just a general statement about living. Instead, you’ll find the steps you need each day to truly walk with God.
Follow these 7 daily steps to make sure you’re leaning on the Lord:

1. Don’t Depend on You

We live in a world where trust must be earned and seems to be in short supply. But Solomon, the famous king who wrote Proverbs, knew that trust is exactly where we must start:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5)

Most of us have faced disappointments, which have taught us that we can only depend upon ourselves. But living the life God has called us to means unlearning that lesson. Instead, we’re meant to rest in God’s understanding.
We may know in our minds that He possesses all wisdom:

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” Romans 11:33

But sometimes trusting Him completely like that can be tough. So, each day we must consciously lay aside our own plans and expectations—and surrender to His plans.
What if we don’t feel like we can trust Him like that? That’s where step 2 comes in…

2. Cry out to God

Surrendering to God begins with our lips and our thoughts. We need more than a commitment to depend on Him; we need to cry out to Him to show that dependence.

“in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:6)

When we pray, we admit that His ways are higher than ours. We show that we’re leaving our troubles and burdens and dreams in His capable hands. In fact, the Bible promises that when we reach out to Him in prayer, He hears us:

“Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. ” (Psalm 55:17)

We handed the keys of our lives to Him, and we know that He’s able to lead us. But in order for that to work, we have to…

3. Run from Evil

So much in this world can clutter up our relationship with God. John, the writer of the fourth gospel, describes them as the desires of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride in our lives (1 John 2:16). In other words, our blessings can easily become our stumbling blocks when we think of them as what we deserve or what we need to be happy.
Instead, life works best when we remember the true source of our blessings—God—and focus on the things that please Him:

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.” (Proverbs 3:7)

Sometimes, the only way to live the life God wants us to live is by separating ourselves from the bad influences that keep dragging us down. That works the best when we start pursuing something else in their place:

“Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)

Is that easy? Not at all. Fleeing from the evil desires that pull at us means spending a lot of time crying out to God and leaning on Him. But our Creator promises to honor our commitment to Him when we shun evil:

“This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:8)

When we pursue Him, we find life—abundant life. Running from evil and pursuing God doesn’t come naturally to most of us. Instead, it means we have to make a serious change:

4. Put God First in Your Life

It’s easiest to put ourselves first. When something good happens, we want to congratulate ourselves with a reward. When something bad happens, we want to console ourselves or find someone to blame. In other words, we often have a “me-centric” starting place.
And when it comes to money, the struggle is even harder. But Solomon, who had quite a bit of wealth himself, knew that his money didn’t belong to him:

“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9–10)

If we can trust God with the first of our wealth, we’re truly showing how much we depend on Him. Handing over the first part of our paycheck takes a huge amount of faith, after all. But doing so means being God-centric.
To get there, though, make sure you…

5. Check Yourself by God’s Word

Let’s be honest. We aren’t so good at evaluating ourselves. We will go to great lengths to excuse our behavior, our actions, and our sins. Who needs a defense attorney when we can pretty much find a reason for any bad thing we do? The prophet Jeremiah captures this very well:

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

If we’re ever going to truly trust in God and flee evil, we have to know exactly where we stand. We have to find an objective measure that tells us the truth. And that truth comes from God and His Word.
Of course, that doesn’t mean we’ll always like what we see or how we see it:

“My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke” (Proverbs 3:11)

That’s right. Sometimes it takes something bad happening or seeing ourselves in a bad light before we finally admit that we need to change. And the more we’re in the Bible, the more likely this is to happen.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)

When we have Scripture planted firmly in our hearts, God will often use that to deal with us.

6. Listen to the Holy Spirit

When Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to the church, He told His disciples that this Counselor would be their spiritual compass or GPS:

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)

As we go through our day, this same Holy Spirit guides us, too. That means we don’t have to go it alone or hope we’re getting it right. No, the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth and protects us:

“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” (2 Timothy 1:14)

After all, the gift of the Holy Spirit to us believers reminds us that we can truly…

7. Rest in God’s Love

When we face a difficult world each day, we can sometimes wonder if God even cares. Why do bad things happen? Where is God when I need Him? Solomon reminds us that God never takes a break or leaves us to fend for ourselves:

“because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:12)

Even in the midst of turmoil, God sticks with us and uses those challenges to shape us. When we understand that, our perspective completely flips. No longer do we see our setbacks as failures; we see them as moments when God, as our loving Father, works on us.
And that’s exactly why we can trust in the Lord with all our hearts. He cares for us each and every day. He gives us what we need to thrive. He pours blessing after blessing upon us.
Of course, following each of these daily steps isn’t easy. That’s why Jesus said we have to deny ourselves and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). Trusting God takes a whole-hearted commitment from dawn till dusk. But we’re never alone in it:

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)

That None Should Perish

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 01:13:00 +0000

THAT NONE SHOULD PERISH

The Lord wants all people to come to repentance and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and savior so that none should perish. The Lord never intended man to suffer the loss of eternal life and suffer eternal torment in hell. He wants all men to be saved that was why He sent His only begotten Son- Jesus Christ to suffer an excruciating death on the cross as expiation and ransom for mankind's sins. But there is a price for God's grace of salvation and that is, to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and savior and surrender our lives to Him. Those who will refuse God's offer of the grace of salvation will be condemned to spiritual death and eternal punishment in the flames of hell together with Satan and his minions. We are all encouraged by God to spread the Gospel of salvation to the whole world so that none should perish. Most people fail to realize the gravity of the situation. They make all kinds of rationalization not to avail of God's grace of salvation most often because of self pride and they don't want to give up their sinful lives. They want to please themselves and not God and want to enjoy the pleasures of wanton living. Thus they give all kinds of excuses not to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and savior and surrender their lives to Him. One of the most common excuses is "all streams lead to the same ocean." That means all religions, philosophies and beliefs lead to salvation of man's soul. This is farthest from the truth. Acts 4:12 states that, "There is no other name under heaven that was given to men by which we must be saved." John 14: 6 says, "Jesus answered, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me." We must do our utmost best to spread the Gospel of salvation so that none should perish.

Intimacy With God

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 19:02:00 +0000

INTIMACY WITH GOD

What do Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and Paul have in common. They all walked in the will of God and had great intimate relationship with Him. Enoch did not die. He was taken up to heaven by God because he walked with God. Of all the people of the earth during the time of the global deluge, only Noah, his wife and his sons and his sons wives survived the cataclysm all because of Noah's intimacy with God. Thus God used Noah, his wife and his sons and his sons wives to repopulate the earth whose entire population was wiped out during the deluge. Abram was called by God to settle in the land of Canaan and become the father of God's chosen people. Thus his name was changed to Abraham by God. Abraham believed God and all His promises and they were all credited to him as righteousness by God. Tested by God, Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son to God in obedience to God's command. David killed the giant Goliath and firmly established the greatness of God and Israel. It was said that David heart was after that of the Lord and God rewarded him with a mighty kingdom. Paul was a recipient of Jesus Christ apparition on the road to Damascus. Thus the once dreaded scourge of the early Christians was designated by God to be the apostle to the Gentiles. From then on, Paul immersed himself to the propagation of the early Christian church, suffering so many trials and deprivations but unwavering in his efforts to spread the word of God to the whole world and expand the fledgling Christina church. We owe to Paul the rapid expanse of the Christian church as we know it today.

We have to follow their examples if we want to have great intimacy with God. We should walk by faith not by sight and must do everything for the glory of God alone. We must imitate Christ in all that we must do and become totally selfless like Him. And if God so desires, we must be willing to sacrifice our very lives for the sake of others. And after our life has ended, we will be welcomed by God with open arms and we will hear these words from His lips, "well done, good and faithful servant. Welcome to My kingdom."

One Hundred Bible Lessons - Alban Douglas - Lesson 15

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 01:39:00 +0000

                                    ONE HUNDRED BIBLE LESSONS - ALBAN DOUGLAS
                                                   LESSON 15

                                             THE COMMANDS OF CHRIST


                                            INTRODUCTION

The idea for this lesson came from an issue of the "Herald of His Coming" which lists 147 commandments seven under each of the 21 headings.
(The Great Commission Prayer League lists 173 commandments of Christ taken from the Epistles and Revelation, whereas this lesson confines itself to the Gospels).
This is a day of extreme lawlessness with many believing that Christ abolished or fulfilled the law and left us with one vague commandment - love.

                                 I - REPENTANCE

Repentance is twofold: turning from sin and turning to God.
Matthew 4: 17 "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Luke 13: 24 "Strive to enter in at the straight gate: for many... shall not be able."
Matthew 6: 33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness."

II - BELIEF

We are to believe the Gospel, believe in Christ and in the Father.
Mark 1: 15 "Repent ye, and believe the Gospel." This was spoken by Jesus not John.
John 14: 1 "Ye believe in God, believe also in Me." This is a definite command.
John 6: 29 "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He has sent."

                            III - THE NEW BIRTH

The new birth is the mysterious operation of the Spirit that converts.
John 3: 7 "Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again."
Luke 10: 20 "Rejoice because your names are written in heaven."
Matthew 12: 33 "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit." Conversion is the only solution.

   IV - RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT

Each Christian is to be Spirit indwelt and empowered.
John 20: 22 "He breathed on them and said unto them, 'Receive you the Holy Ghost."
luke 24: 49 "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power."

V - FOLLOWING JESUS

The believer has no choice but to follow Jesus implicitly.
John 12: 26 If any man serve Me, let him follow Me."
Luke 9: 23 If any man will come after Me let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."
John 21: 22 "Follow thou Me."
Luke 5: 27 (Christ to Matthew) "Follow Me."

   VI - PRAYER

The Christian's life is to be characterized by prayer.
Luke 21: 36 "Watch ye therefore, and pray always."
Luke 22: 40 "Pray that ye enter not into temptation."
Luke 10: 2 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth laborers into His harvest."
Luke 6: 28 "Pray for them which despitefully use you."

   VII - FAITH

The believer is made great because he has faith in a great God.
Mark 11: 22 "Have faith in God." This is absolutely essential.
John 20: 27 "Be not faithless, but believing." Away with unbelief.
Matthew 14: 27 'Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."

The Saint Must Walk Alone

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 20:27:00 +0000

The Saint Must Walk Alone

A.W. Tozer |

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Most of the world's great souls have been lonely. Loneliness seems to be one price the saint must pay for his saintliness.
In the morning of the world (or should we say, in that strange darkness that came soon after the dawn of man's creation), that pious soul, Enoch, walked with God and was not, for God took him; and while it is not stated in so many words, a fair inference is that Enoch walked a path quite apart from his contemporaries.
Another lonely man was Noah who, of all the antediluvians, found grace in the sight of God; and every shred of evidence points to the aloneness of his life even while surrounded by his people.
Again, Abraham had Sarah and Lot, as well as many servants and herdsmen, but who can read his story and the apostolic comment upon it without sensing instantly that he was a man "whose soul was alike a star and dwelt apart"? As far as we know not one word did God ever speak to him in the company of men. Face down he communed with his God, and the innate dignity of the man forbade that he assume this posture in the presence of others. How sweet and solemn was the scene that night of the sacrifice when he saw the lamps of fire moving between the pieces of offering. There, alone with a horror of great darkness upon him, he heard the voice of God and knew that he was a man marked for divine favor.
Moses also was a man apart. While yet attached to the court of Pharaoh he took long walks alone, and during one of these walks while far removed from the crowds he saw an Egyptian and a Hebrew fighting and came to the rescue of his countryman. After the resultant break with Egypt he dwelt in almost complete seclusion in the desert. There, while he watched his sheep alone, the wonder of the burning bush appeared to him, and later on the peak of Sinai he crouched alone to gaze in fascinated awe at the Presence, partly hidden, partly disclosed, within the cloud and fire.
The prophets of pre-Christian times differed widely from each other, but one mark they bore in common was their enforced loneliness. They loved their people and gloried in the religion of the fathers, but their loyalty to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their zeal for the welfare of the nation of Israel drove them away from the crowd and into long periods of heaviness. "I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children," cried one and unwittingly spoke for all the rest.
Most revealing of all is the sight of that One of whom Moses and all the prophets did write, treading His lonely way to the cross. His deep loneliness was unrelieved by the presence of the multitudes.
'Tis midnight, and on Olive's brow
The star is dimmed that lately shone;
'Tis midnight; in the garden now,
The suffering Savior prays alone.
'Tis midnight, and from all removed
The Savior wrestles lone with fears;
E'en the disciple whom He loved
Heeds not his Master's grief and tears.
- William B. Tappan
He died alone in the darkness hidden from the sight of mortal man and no one saw Him when He arose triumphant and walked out of the tomb, though many saw Him afterward and bore witness to what they saw. There are some things too sacred for any eye but God's to look upon. The curiosity, the clamor, the well-meant but blundering effort to help can only hinder the waiting soul and make unlikely if not impossible the communication of the secret message of God to the worshiping heart.
Sometimes we react by a kind of religious reflex and repeat dutifully the proper words and phrases even though they fail to express our real feelings and lack the authenticity of personal experience. Right now is such a time. A certain conventional loyalty may lead some who hear this unfamiliar truth expressed for the first time to say brightly, "Oh, I am never lonely. Christ said, `I will never leave you nor forsake you,' and `Lo, I am with you alway.' How can I be lonely when Jesus is with me?"
Now I do not want to reflect on the sincerity of any Christian soul, but this stock testimony is too neat to be real. It is obviously what the speaker thinks should be true rather than what he has proved to be true by the test of experience. This cheerful denial of loneliness proves only that the speaker has never walked with God without the support and encouragement afforded him by society. The sense of companionship which he mistakenly attributes to the presence of Christ may and probably does arise from the presence of friendly people. Always remember: you cannot carry a cross in company. Though a man were surrounded by a vast crowd, his cross is his alone and his carrying of it marks him as a man apart. Society has turned against him; otherwise he would have no cross. No one is a friend to the man with a cross. "They all forsook Him, and fled."
The pain of loneliness arises from the constitution of our nature. God made us for each other. The desire for human companionship is completely natural and right. The loneliness of the Christian results from his walk with God in an ungodly world, a walk that must often take him away from the fellowship of good Christians as well as from that of the unregenerate world. His God-given instincts cry out for companionship with others of his kind, others who can understand his longings, his aspirations, his absorption in the love of Christ; and because within his circle of friends there are so few who share inner experiences, he is forced to walk alone. The unsatisfied longings of the prophets for human understanding caused them to cry out in their complaint, and even our Lord Himself suffered in the same way.
The man who has passed on into the divine Presence in actual inner experience will not find many who understand him. A certain amount of social fellowship will of course be his as he mingles with religious persons in the regular activities of the church, but true spiritual fellowship will be hard to find. But he should not expect things to be otherwise. After all he is a stranger and a pilgrim, and the journey he takes is not on his feet but in his heart. He walks with God in the garden of his own soul - and who but God can walk there with him? He is of another spirit from the multitudes that tread the courts of the Lord's house. He has seen that of which they have only heard, and he walks among them somewhat as Zacharias walked after his return from the altar when the people whispered, "He has seen a vision."
The truly spiritual man is indeed something of an oddity. He lives not for himself but to promote the interests of Another. He seeks to persuade people to give all to his Lord and asks no portion or share for himself. He delights not to be honored but to see his Savior glorified in the eyes of men. His joy is to see his Lord promoted and himself neglected. He finds few who care to talk about that which is the supreme object of his interest, so he is often silent and preoccupied in the midst of noisy religious shoptalk. For this he earns the reputation of being dull and overserious, so he is avoided and the gulf between him and society widens. He searches for friends upon whose garments he can detect the smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces, and finding few or none, he, like Mary of old, keeps these things in his heart.
It is this very loneliness that throws him back upon God. "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." His inability to find human companionship drives him to seek in God what he can find nowhere else. He learns in inner solitude what he could not have learned in the crowd - that Christ is All in All, that He is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, that in Him we have and possess life's summum bonum.
Two things remain to be said. One, that the lonely man of whom we speak is not a haughty man, nor is he the holier-than-thou, austere saint so bitterly satirized in popular literature. He is likely to feel that he is the least of all men and is sure to blame himself for his very loneliness. He wants to share his feelings with others and to open his heart to some like-minded soul who will understand him, but the spiritual climate around him does not encourage it, so he remains silent and tells his griefs to God alone.
The second thing is that the lonely saint is not the withdrawn man who hardens himself against human suffering and spends his days contemplating the heavens. Just the opposite is true. His loneliness makes him sympathetic to the approach of the brokenhearted and the fallen and the sin-bruised. Because he is detached from the world, he is all the more able to help it. Meister Eckhart taught his followers that if they should find themselves in prayer and happen to remember that a poor widow needed food, they should break off the prayer instantly and go care for the widow. "God will not suffer you to lose anything by it," he told them. "You can take up again in prayer where you left off and the Lord will make it up to you." This is typical of the great mystics and masters of the interior life from Paul to the present day.
The weakness of so many modern Christians is that they feel too much at home in the world. In their effort to achieve restful "adjustment" to unregenerate society they have lost their pilgrim character and become an essential part of the very moral order against which they are sent to protest. The world recognizes them and accepts them for what they are. And this is the saddest thing that can be said about them. They are not lonely, but neither are they saints.

Does God Ever Change His Mind?

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 19:39:00 +0000

Does God Ever Change His Mind?

Sam Storms | Senior Pastor, Bridgeway Church

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

All people are fickle, in varying degrees. I suspect we’d be shocked to learn how many times in the course of a normal day we change our plans, reverse course, or pull out an eraser to delete an appointment or a task we had set for the week. Changing our minds feels so natural to us as humans, it’s hard to envision life without it. In most instances the changes are harmless and typically result from unforeseeable circumstances, as well as the alterations that other people make that directly affect us. But what would it mean for God to change his mind? Does he? Could he? Or are all his plans and purposes immutable?
The importance of defining our theological terms with precision is most evident in the case of divine immutability. Here is a word that in contemporary evangelical circles evokes either protest or praise. Some see it as a threat to the biblical portrait of a God who does indeed change: he changes his mind (“repents”) and he changes his mode of being (“the Word became flesh”). Others are equally concerned that a careless tampering with this attribute of God will reduce him to a fickle, unfaithful, and ultimately unworthy object of our affection and worship. It is imperative, therefore, that we proceed cautiously, and yet with conviction, in the explanation of the sense in which God both can and cannot change.
Immutability as Consistency of Character
The immutability of God is related to, but clearly distinct from, his eternity. In saying that God is eternal, in the sense of everlasting, we mean that he always has existed and always will exist. He was preceded by nothing and shall be succeeded by nothing. In saying that God is immutable we mean that he is consistently the same in his eternal being. The Being, who eternally is, never changes. This affirmation of unchangeableness, however, is not designed to deny that there is change and development in God’s relations to his creatures. Consider the following:

We who were once his enemies are now by the grace of Christ his friends (Romans 5:6-11).
The God who declared his intention to destroy Nineveh for its sin “changed” his mind upon its repentance (more on this below).
Furthermore, this affirmation of immutability must not be interpreted in such a way that “the Word became flesh” is threatened (John 1:14). We must acknowledge (our salvation depends upon it!) that he who is in his eternal being very God became, in space-time history, very man. Yet the Word who became flesh did not cease to be the Word (no transubstantiation here!). The second person of the Trinity has taken unto himself or assumed a human nature, yet without alteration or reduction of his essential deity. He is now what he has always been: very God. He is now what he once was not: very man. He is now and forever will be both: the God-man. It is a simplistic and ill-conceived doctrine of immutability that denies any part of this essential biblical truth.

Thus, to say without qualification that God cannot change or that he can and often does change is at best unwise and at worst misleading. Our concept of immutability must be formulated in such a way that we do justice to every biblical assertion concerning both the “being” and “becoming” of God.
Clearly, then, to say that God is immutable is not to say that he is immobile or static, for whereas all change is activity, not all activity is change. It is simply to affirm that God always is and acts in perfect harmony with the revelation of himself and his will in Scripture. For example, Scripture tells us that God is good, just, and loving. Immutability, or constancy, simply asserts that when the circumstances in any situation call for goodness, justice, or love as the appropriate response on the part of the Deity, that is precisely what God will be (or do, as the case may be). To say the same thing, but negatively: if God ought to be good, just, or loving as the circumstances may demand, or as his promises would require, he will by no means ever be evil, unfair, or hateful.
Immutability means that the God who in Scripture is said to be omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent has not been, is not, and never will be—under any and all imaginable circumstances—localized, ignorant, or impotent. What he is, he always is. To be more specific, God is immutable in respect to (1) his essential being (which is to say that God can neither gain nor lose attributes); (2) his life (God neither became nor is becoming; his life never began, nor will it ever end); (3) his moral character (God can become neither better nor worse); and (4) his purpose or plan (God’s decree is unalterable). Let’s look briefly at each of these in turn.
Constancy of Being, Life, Character, and Plan
Immutability is a property that belongs to the divine essence in the sense that God can neither gain new attributes, which he didn’t have before, nor lose those already his. To put it crudely, God doesn’t grow. There is no increase or decrease in the divine Being. If God would increase (either quantitatively or qualitatively), he would necessarily have been incomplete prior to the change. If God were to decrease, he would be, necessarily, incomplete after the change. The Deity, then, is incapable of development either positively or negatively. He neither evolves nor devolves. His attributes, considered individually, can never be greater or less than what they are and have always been. God will never be wiser, more loving, more powerful, or holier than he ever has been and ever must be.
This is at least implied in God’s declaration to Moses, “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14), and is explicit in other texts:

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)
I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

When we talk about the immutability of God’s life, we are very close to the notion of eternality or everlastingness. We are saying that God never began to be and will never cease to be. His life simply is. He did not come into existence (for to become existent is a change from nothing to something), nor will he go out of existence (for to cease existing is a change from something to nothing). God is not young or old: he simply is. Thus, we read:

Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you will remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
but you are the same, and your years have no end. (Psalms 102:25-27)
Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
(Psalms 90:2; cf. Psalms 93:2)

Immutability may also be predicated of God’s moral character. He can become neither better (morally) nor worse than what he is. If God could change (or become) in respect to his moral character, it would be either for the better or the worse. If for the better, it would indicate that he was morally imperfect or incomplete antecedent to the time of change, and hence never God. If for the worse, it would indicate that he is now morally less perfect or complete than before, and hence no longer God. It will not do to say that God might conceivably change from one perfect Being into another equally perfect Being. For one must then specify in what sense he has changed. What constitutes God as different in the second mode of being from what he was in the first? Does he have more attributes, fewer attributes, better or worse attributes? If God in the second mode of being had the same attributes (both quantitatively and qualitatively), in what sense would he be different from what he was in the first mode of being?
To deny immutability to God’s purpose or plan would be no less an affront to the Deity than to predicate change of his being, life, and character. There are, as I understand, only two reasons why God would ever be forced or need to alter his purpose: (1) if he lacked the necessary foresight or knowledge to anticipate any and all contingencies (in which case he would not be omniscient, contrary to the claims of open theism); or (2) if, assuming he had the needed foresight, he lacked the power or ability to effect what he had planned (in which case he would not be omnipotent). But since God is infinite in wisdom and knowledge, there can be no error or oversight in the conception of his purpose. Also, since he is infinite in power (omnipotent), there can be no failure or frustration in the accomplishment of his purpose.
The many and varied changes in the relationship that God sustains to his creatures, as well as the more conspicuous events of redemptive history, are not to be thought of as indicating a change in God’s being or purpose. They are, rather, the execution in time of purposes eternally existing in the mind of God. For example, the abolition of the Mosaic covenant was no change in God’s will; it was, in fact, the fulfillment of his will, an eternal will that decreed change (from the Mosaic to the new covenant). Christ’s coming and work were no makeshift action to remedy unforeseen defects in the Old Testament scheme. They were but the realization (historical and concrete) of what God had from eternity decreed.

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
the plans of his heart to all generations.
(Psalms 33:10-11; cf. Psalms 110:4)
The Lord of hosts has sworn:
“As I have planned,
so shall it be,
and as I have purposed,
so shall it stand. (Isaiah 14:24)
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, “My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,”
calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it. (Isaiah 46:9-11).
Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
(Proverbs 19:21)
But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?
What he desires, that he does. (Job 23:13)
“I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. (Job 42:2)
So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath. (Hebrews 6:17)

Can God Change His Mind?
No treatment of the doctrine of immutability would be complete without a discussion of the problem posed by God’s alleged “repentance.” If God’s plan is unalterable and he is immutable, in what sense can it be said that he “changed his mind”?
The Hebrew word typically translated “change his mind” or “repent” is nacham. This word actually has a rather wide range of meanings, including everything from experiencing emotional pain such as grief or sorrow (cf. Genesis 6:6-7; Exodus 13:17; Judges 21:6, Judges 21:15; 1 Samuel 15:11, 1 Samuel 15:35; Job 42:6; Jeremiah 31:19), to the experience of being comforted (cf. Genesis 24:67; Genesis 27:42; Genesis 37:35; Genesis 38:12; 2 Samuel 13:39; Psalms 77:3; Psalms 119:52; Isaiah 1:24; Jeremiah 31:15; Ezekiel 5:13; Ezekiel 14:22; Ezekiel 31:16; Ezekiel 32:31), to the more extreme notion of relenting from or repudiating a course of action previously embraced (cf. Deuteronomy 32:36 = Psalms 135:14; Judges 2:18; 2 Samuel 24:16 = 1 Chronicles 21:15; Psalms 90:13; Psalms 106:45; Jeremiah 8:6; Jeremiah 20:16; Jeremiah 42:10), as well as retracting a statement or changing one’s mind regarding a course of action (cf. Exodus 32:12, Exodus 32:14; Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Psalms 110:4; Isaiah 57:6; Jeremiah 4:28; Jeremiah 15:6; Jeremiah 18:8, Jeremiah 18:10; Jeremiah 26:3, Jeremiah 26:13, Jeremiah 26:19; Ezekiel 24:14; Joel 2:13-14; Amos 7:3, Amos 7:6; Jonah 3:9-10; Jonah 4:2; Zechariah 8:14).
This compels us to acknowledge the ambiguity of the English word repent and cautions us to be careful in ascribing it to God. Human beings repent of moral evil. We transgress God’s law and acknowledge our sorrow for having done so and our determination to change how we behave. Obviously, whatever else God’s “repenting” might mean, it does not mean he has sinned and is changing his ways. If that were the case, he would hardly be worthy of the title God; still less would he be worthy of anyone’s worship. This is why most English versions (except the KJV) use the word “relent” or “retract” or something similar.
Let’s look specifically at two passages, both of which use the word nacham.

God is not man, that he should lie,
or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? (Numbers 23:19)
And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” (1 Samuel 15:28-29)

Note well that 1 Samuel 15:11 and 1 Samuel 15:11 say that God “regretted” making Saul king. Yet here in 1 Samuel 15:29 and Numbers 23:19 it says that God cannot repent, “change his mind,” or “regret” an action he has taken. Scholars have generally said that there are four possible ways of responding to these texts:

The statements in 1 Samuel 15:11, 35 and 1 Samuel 15:29 (as well as Num. 23:19) are contradictory.
The statement in 1 Samuel 15:29 (and Num. 23:19) must be interpreted in light of 1 Samuel 15:11, 35.
The statements in 1 Samuel 15:11, 35 must be interpreted in light of 1 Samuel 15:29 (and Num. 23:19).
The statements in 1 Samuel 15:11, 35 use the word nacham to mean “regret” or “feel emotional sorrow,” whereas in 1 Samuel 15:29 it means “deviate” from or “change one’s mind” concerning a stated course of action; thus, in point of fact, there is no inconsistency between verses 11, 35, and verse 29.

Open theists contend that Numbers 23:19 means that whereas God generally can repent, in this particular case he chooses not to. However, were that true, Bruce Ware asks, “does it not follow from this text [Num. 23:19] that, while it is generally true that God can lie, in this particular case he chooses not to? That is, the parallelism of lying and repenting indicates that just as God cannot lie, he cannot repent. The question becomes, then, can God ever lie?”¹ Assuming that all would answer the latter question no (cf. 2 Timothy 2:13; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18), it would appear that “the parallel relation of God’s repentance with lying would lead one to conclude that this passage is teaching more than simply that in this particular historical situation God chooses not to lie or repent. Rather, just as God can never lie, so He can never repent.”²
One should also take note of the contrast made between God and man. God is said not to be like humans, who both lie and repent. Ware observes:

Does not the force of this claim evaporate the instant one reads it to say, in this particular situation God is not like a man and so does not repent? Do men (i.e., human beings) always repent of what they say they will do? If so, the contrast can be maintained. But if human beings sometimes carry out what they say and sometimes repent and do otherwise, and if God, likewise sometimes carries out what he says and sometimes repents and does otherwise, then how is God different from humans? The only way the contrast works is if God, unlike men, never repents. It is generally true, not merely situationally true, that God does not repent.³

This applies as well to the texts in 1 Samuel 15. In other words, “to say that God sometimes repents (e.g., 1 Samuel 15:11, 1 Samuel 15:35) and sometimes doesn’t (1 Samuel 15:29) would be to argue that he sometimes lies and, in the same sense as with ‘repent,’ sometimes doesn’t. But the truth is that God never lies, and so this text requires also that he never repents.”⁴
Two additional observations are in order. First, many have appealed to a common figure of speech known as anthropopatheia or anthropopathism (from the Greek anthropos, “man,” plus pathos, “affection, feeling”). Thus, an anthropopathism is a figure of speech in which certain human passions, feelings, mental activities, and so on are predicated of God. This, of course, is related to the more well-known figure of speech called anthropomorphism (again, from the Greek for “man” plus morphe, “form”), in which there are ascribed to God human body parts (e.g., eyes, mouth, nostrils, hands). Ware defines anthropomorphism as follows: “A given ascription to God may rightly be understood as anthropomorphic when Scripture clearly presents God as transcending the very human or finite features it elsewhere attributes to him.”⁵ Thus, God is figuratively portrayed as “relenting” from a course of action or “changing his mind,” but in literal fact he does not. Open theists often contend that we adopt this approach to the problem because of an extrabiblical presupposition concerning the nature of God derived from the Greek ideal of perfection. This alien, philosophical criterion is imposed on Scripture rather than allowing God’s Word to shape our concept of God himself.
However, contrary to this assertion, most evangelicals appeal to anthropopathism because of what they believe Scripture explicitly teaches concerning the omniscience and immutability of God. It is the “analogy of faith,” Scripture’s harmonious interpretation of itself, not Greek philosophical presuppositions, that governs their treatment of such problem texts. Passages such as Numbers 23:19 and the others cited earlier are unequivocal: God is not a man. Therefore, he does not lie. He does not change his mind the way people do. He does not promise and then fail to fulfill. Those who appeal to anthropopathism insist that we are justified in interpreting the unclear in the light of the clear and utilizing a figure of speech generally acknowledged as entirely legitimate.
Second, and even more importantly, we must recognize the difference between unconditional divine decrees and conditional divine announcements (or warnings).⁶ The former will occur irrespective of other factors. The latter may occur dependent on the response of the person or persons to whom they apply. Occasionally something explicit in the context will indicate which of the two is in view. Most often, however, statements of divine intent are ambiguous. That is to say, one must determine from other data whether the declaration or determination of God is unconditional or conditional. For example, what we find in the case of Jonah and the Ninevites is most likely not an unqualified and unconditional declaration of purpose. Consider carefully the nature of this passage from Jeremiah (Jeremiah 18:5-12):

Then the word of the Lord came to me: O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it. Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: “Thus says the Lord, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.”
But they say, “That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.”

That God declared his intention to destroy Nineveh, only to withhold his hand when they repented, is thus no threat to the doctrine of immutability. On the contrary, had God destroyed Nineveh notwithstanding its repentance, he would have shown himself mutable. William Shedd explains:

If God had treated the Ninevites after their repentance, as he had threatened to treat them before their repentance, this would have proved him to be mutable. It would have showed him to be at one time displeased with impenitence, and at another with penitence. Charnock... remarks that “the unchangeableness of God, when considered in relation to the exercise of his attributes in the government of the world, consists not in always acting in the same manner, however cases and circumstances may alter; but in always doing what is right, and in adapting his treatment of his intelligent creatures to the variation of their actions and characters. When the devils, now fallen, stood as glorious angels, they were the objects of God’s love, necessarily; when they fell, they were the objects of God’s hatred, because impure. The same reason which made him love them while they were pure, made him hate them when they were criminal.” It is one thing for God to will a change in created things external to himself and another thing for him to change in his own nature and character.⁷

All this is simply to say that God’s immutability requires him to treat the wicked differently from the righteous. When the wicked repent, his treatment of them must change. Therefore, according to Strong, God’s immutability “is not that of the stone, that has no internal experience, but rather that of the column of mercury, that rises and falls with every change in the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere.”⁸
Thus we see that it is a principle of God’s immutable being (as revealed by him in Scripture) that he punishes the wicked and recalcitrant but blesses and forgives the righteous and repentant. If God were to reveal himself as such (as, in fact, he has done), only to punish the repentant and bless the recalcitrant, this would constitute real change and thus destroy immutability. God’s declaration of intent to punish the Ninevites because of their sinful behavior and wickedness is based on the assumption that they are and will remain wicked. However, if and when they repent (as they did), to punish them notwithstanding would constitute a change, indeed reversal, in God’s will and word, to the effect that he now, as over against the past, punishes rather than blesses the repentant.
Conclusion
What all this means, very simply, is that God is dependable! Our trust in him is therefore a confident trust, for we know that he will not, indeed cannot, change. His purposes are unfailing, and his promises unassailable. It is because the God who promised us eternal life is immutable that we may rest assured that nothing, not trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword, shall separate us from the love of Christ. It is because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever that neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, no not even powers, height, depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35-39)!

One Hundred Bible Lessons by Alban Douglas - Chapter 14

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 09:52:00 +0000

             ONE HUNDRED BIBLE LESSONS by ALBAN DOUGLAS - CHAPTER 14

                                 LESSON NUMBER 14 - THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST


                                                  INTRODUCTION

In this lesson, we attempt to summarize the main teachings of Christ while on earth. Christ, in His earthly ministry, gave three long discourses:
1) The sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapters 5-7;
2) Olivet Discourses, Matthew chapters 24-25; and
3) The Discourses in the Upper Room, John chapters 13-16, and probably 17; plus many other shorter messages.
Someone has said that Jesus touched on 18 subjects in the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 7: 28, 29 "The people were astonished at His doctrine, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."
Luke 4:32 "And they were astonished at His doctrine for His word was with power."
Luke 4:22 "And all bear Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth." In some ways, His teachings were new, revolutionary and contrary to human reasoning.

                                   JESUS TEACHING ABOUT SALVATION

In His conversation with Nicodemus, He told him that he had to be born again, John 3: 1-15.
In His talk with the Samaritan woman, He made her thirsty for Himself, the living water.
In John 6, He revealed Himself as the true bread that could satisfy true soul-hunger.
In Luke 7: 47-48, Jesus taught that He had the power to forgive sins of the penitent.
In John10, the discourse on the Good Shepherd, Jesus revealed that He was the only door to salvation, and that no man could be saved except through Him.
In Matthew 11: 28-30, Jesus gave an invitation for the laborers and the weary-laden to come to Him for salvation and soul-rest.
This wonderful salvation invitation is further expanded in Luke 14: 16-24 to include the wanderers on the highways and byways- the poor, maimed, faltering and the blind.
The best loved of all salvation stories is the recovery of the Prodigal son in Luke 15.

                         II-     JESUS TEACHING ABOUT DAILY CHRISTIAN LIVING

In Matthew 5: 33-48 we are taught: 1) not to swear; 2) to turn the other cheek and 3) to love our enemies.
In Matthew 6: 1-4; 19-21, about giving- 1) to be done secretly 2) an eternal investment.
Jesus taught a great deal about prayer- Matthew 6: 5-13; Luke 11: 1-13; John 14: 13-14; 16: 23-24; It was to be: 1) done in secret; 2) continuous; 3) unlimited in scope and power.
Jesus taught that we must forgive others before He will forgive us: Matthew 5: 23-24; 6: 14-15.
Jesus practiced fasting and taught it: Matthew 6: 16-16; Luke 4: 2 before the temptation.
Jesus cautioned against setting attentions on the necessities of life but taught that these (daily needs of food, clothing and shelter) will be provided by the Lord if we sought first the kingdom of God, Matthew 6: 25-34.
Jesus taught that it was necessary to confess Christ as Lord openly, Matthew 10: 32-33; John 9: 38.
Jesus instructed His converts to go home and witness to their relatives first, Mark 5: 19.
Jesus' teaching rang with assurance of salvation to the saved, John 3: 16, 18, 36; John 5: 24.
A great deal of the Upper Room discourses speak of the ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit who guides, conducts, energizes and strengthens the believers, John 14: 16-26.
Jesus did not promise His believers and disciples an easy time but mentioned persecution freely and promised help and grace for every trial, John 16: 1-6; Luke 12: 11-12.

       III - JESUS TEACHING ABOUT PHARISEES AND FALSE TEACHERS

Jesus was very loud in His denunciation of false teachers and hypocrites.
In Matthew 23: 13-36 He says, "woe unto you, scribes, pharisees and hypocrites" eight times, verses 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27 and 28, calling them blind guides and fools.
In John 8: 44, Jesus told them that they were of their "father the devil" - strong language.
In Matthew 16: 6, Jesus warned His disciples to "beware of the leaven of the pharisees and of the sadducees" who taught false doctrine denying the resurrection, etc.
Jesus taught that these false church leaders did their utmost to make converts but these were "twofold more the child of hell" than they were: Matthew 23: 15.
Matthew 7: 15-20 is a warning from the Savior to beware of false prophets that are ravening wolves dressed in sheep's clothing.
Luke 20: 45-47 is a clear warning to the disciples to beware of the scribes.

IV - JESUS' TEACHING ABOUT STEWARDSHIP

Jesus taught the right use of money and treasure in Luke 12: 16-34. The treasure was not for the rich man's personal gratification for he was a "fool," the true treasure (verses 33, 34) was that which was sent to the Lord ahead of time.
When the woman gave two small coins in Mark 12: 41-44, Jesus commended her very highly because she was not rich: she had given in spite of being very very poor.
In Matthew 25: 14-30, Jesus taught us to use our God given talents for His glory.
In Luke 19: 11-27, Jesus gave to His disciples the command to "occupy till I come," we are to use the money that He gave us for the Lord's glory and extension of the kingdom.
Christians are stewards of their money, time, talents, gifts and opportunities.

             V - JESUS' TEACHING ABOUT HEAVEN AND HELL

Our Lord spoke of hell and eternal punishment as least 70 times in the Gospels.
Matthew 25: 41 "Depart from Me , ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."
It was Jesus who gave us the clearest picture of the torments in hell in Luke 16: 19-31, Mark 9: 42-48 in a solemn warning to avoid hell.
In the Upper Room discourses, Jesus left the reassuring word that He was going away for a little while to prepare the mansions and return to receive us, John 14: 1-3.
To the dying repentant thief Jesus said, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise."
Jesus pictured heaven as a home with the Father God, Matthew 6: 9, Luke 11: 2.
Jesus came from heaven to die and bring many sons home to heaven, Hebrews 2: 10.

   VI - JESUS TEACHING ABOUT FRUIT BEARING

John 15: 1-17, the heart of the Upper Room discourse deals with the vine and the branches; with the desire that we should bear "fruit", "more fruit"; "much fruit."
In the parable of the barren fig tree in Luke 13: 6-9, the tree (Christians) that does not bear fruit was to be cut down, destroyed and cast into the fire.
In Matthew 7: 16-20 Jesus teaches that "by the fruits ye shall know them."
In the parable of the sower and the seed in Matthew 13: 1-23, Jesus expressed His desire that each Christian should bear fruit- some thirty fold, others sixty fold and others one hundred fold.
As Christians we should be purged in order that we will bear more fruit, John 15: 2.
The purging is a bitter experience of 'digging and dunging" Luke 13: 8, but essential.
Luke 6: 43-46, we as Christians are to bear the fruit of the Spirit and win souls for Him.

   VII - JESUS' TEACHING ON PROPHECY

The Olivet discourse in Matthew 24 to 25 deals mostly with prophetical subjects.
Matthew 24: 1-3 deals with the destruction of Jerusalem which took place in A.D. 70.
Matthew 24: 4-14 deals with the deteriorating career of this age in which we live.
Matthew 24: 15-26 deals with the Great Tribulation, the time of Jacob's trouble.
Matthew 24: 27-31 tells of the return of the Lord in glory. Further details are added in the parable of the fig tree, verses 32-51, and the ten virgins of Matthew 25: 1-13.
Matthew 25: 31-46 tells of the judgment of the nations, the separation of sheep and goats.
The seven mysteries of Matthew 13: 1-52 are different views of the kingdom of heaven.

CONCLUSION

I suppose the teaching of Christ could be summed up in one word- love.
He summarized the 600 commandments that the orthodox Jew lived under two commandments; 1) love the Lord and 2) love your fellowman, Matthew 22: 37-39.
Love has been the supreme mark of a Christian: John 13: 35, "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if you have love one to another."
In John 15: 13 Jesus, referring to His substitutionary death on the cross, says that He was demonstrating the greatest love possible to an individual.
Jesus prayer of intercession in John 17 is a plea for unity. See verses 11, 21, 22, 23. Not necessarily organic union but unity in purpose in winning lost souls.
Jesus left the church, His body, on earth to witness in His absence, Matthew 28: 19; Mark 16: 15.
Jesus' doctrine tells us not only to love the lovely but to love everyone, even our enemies, for He already loves them: Matthew 5: 44; 1 John 4:19; Romans 5: 8.

SOURCED FROM 100 BIBLE LESSONS BY ALBAN DOUGLAS

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 21:49:00 +0000

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Make sense of the senseless and order of chaos during family and global tragedies. Learn reasons why bad things happen to good people. Because pain is inevitable, but misery is optional, find ways to feel and share peace with your family.

Shannon Symonds

196,544 views | 703 shares

Just like most of you, at a very difficult time for my family, one of the most pressing questions in my heart was, "Why us?" Why were bad things happening to us? After all, I was a good person and my children certainly didn't deserve it.
When bad things happen to us, we often wonder, "Why us?" What have we done to deserve this? We may have done our best to follow Christ's teachings, always been kind or good and still, we are suffering.
Bad things do happen to good people
When it comes to suffering, it seems there is no such thing as a, “Get out of trials free,” card. No family is exempt. We will eventually experience our own tragedy, whether it is death, divorce, financial disaster, abuse, illness, natural or man-made disaster. Tragedy becomes tragedy based on our perception and ability to cope.
Even Christ suffered in our name and understands whatever pain you may have experienced, are experiencing or will ever experience. He volunteered to guide you, and walk through life beside your family because he loves you and your children. He does everything he can to balance the scales of justice when we do everything we can to keep his commandments.
Tim Hansel, a mountain climber who suffered lifetime pain, after falling into a crevasse during a climb, said, “Pain was inevitable, but misery was optional.” He encouraged others to choose joy.
Lately it seems that natural disasters are escalating, as is the violence perpetrated by man, including war and crime. Children want to know what we all want to know, why do bad things happen to good people. Parents may be hard pressed to answer their children’s questions.
Gene Cook, a religious leader, spoke about the reasons for personal and global suffering shortly after the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia which killed 280,000 people. He quoted the bible scriptures in Luke, Chapter 21. We read, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.”
Certainly the Tsunami’s in Japan and Indonesia qualify as the sea and waves roaring. Do tornadoes and earthquakes call your family closer to God or lead you to question his existence and ask, "Why us?" How will your family respond to tragedy?
Cook shared some of the reasons for suffering including the following
"Suffering is to prove oneself."
When we are abused, or suffer, the Heavens witness our response. Will we retaliate or forgive? Will we rise and lift others with us? Will we sink in selfishness and self-pity or serve as the Savior did?
"Suffering creates a witness against sin."
When Cain slew Abel in the Old Testament, the Lord said in Genesis, Chapter 4, “… What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.”
God's greatest gift to us is the freedom for everyone, good or bad, to choose right or wrong. There cannot be joy without pain, or abuse without a victim.
"Suffering teaches obedience."
Just as we allow our children to suffer natural and logical consequences, the Lord allows us to suffer consequences for our actions. If the stove is hot and you touch it, you will get burned.
"Suffering teaches patience and faith."
The book of Psalms, Chapter 37 reminds us to, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” Prayers are answered in the Lords time and way.
"Suffering assists one to repent and be forgiven."
Cook said, “Isn’t it wonderful that the Lord’s motive in allowing suffering truly is love, and He will even prepare a way for our deliverance? Truly He has loved us during these serious trials, in spite of what some may think.
…the Lord will use tragedy and sorrow to help humble His people and thereby cause them to repent and be saved. Listen carefully to this: _He loves you more than your being perfectly happy day by day, and thus He will do what is required to purify you so you can return to Him.”_
"Suffering can occur from the Lord hedging up your way."
When we do good things and are headed in the right directions we experience blessings. When we do not, or the Lord wishes to steer us in a different direction, he may hedge up our way to direct us.
"Suffering brings forth righteousness."
My mother loves to remind me that as it says in Hebrews chapter 12, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth... .” There are days when I feel far too loved.
"The Lord sews a spiritual tapestry into all our lives."
Cook said, “How little does man understand the purposes of God! How true these words: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. [Isaiah 55:8]”
"Men can bring suffering upon themselves
." For every choice there is a consequence. We have been given a set of commandments, with prayer and other means to guide us. If we choose to leave the map home and go off the grid, our family might suffer.
We may never know the reason for our family's suffering. Perhaps we are simply victims of someone’s choices, or perhaps we are part of a grand design — the scope and detail of which are beyond our understanding.
Whatever the reason for your family's suffering, remember the Lord loves your children and family more than you can imagine and always has their best interests in mind. Your family's pain may be inevitable, but your misery is optional. You can choose joy and faith. You may now know what his plan is, but know he has one for your family.

4 Ways To Rely On God During Tough Times

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 21:33:00 +0000

4 ways to rely on God during tough times

By relying on God, we can make it through the "spiritual whirlwinds" with faith and strength.

Wendy Jessen

151,313 views | 786 shares

The world is full of opposition: Good vs. evil, happiness vs. sadness, joy vs. sorrow or pleasure vs. pain. No one on earth is immune from suffering some sort of trial in their life. However, no matter the trial, God has not left us alone if we will just rely on him.
In a recent address, religious leader Neil Anderson, spoke about "spiritual whirlwinds." These whirlwinds are often the result of our own poor choices, but "some come because of the wrong choices of others, and some come just because this is mortality."
Read: Be still and know that I am God: 10 ways to recognize God's power in times of trouble
When we put our trust in God and rely on him, these challenges will strengthen our faith and build up our lives. Here are four ways to rely on God in the midst of the whirlwinds.
Make God the foundation for your life
Just as a home needs a firm foundation to last, the same goes for us. We need to be firmly planted on an unmovable source to outlast the storms of life. God is unchanging and immovable. If we build our foundation upon him we, too, can be immovable.
Stand up for what is right, even if you're alone
It can be difficult to remain true to what you know is right, especially when all of your friends share a different view. However, if we rely on God, we must stay true to his teachings even when they become unpopular. William Penn stated, "Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it." God remains unchanging in what is right or wrong, even when it seems the whole world has decided otherwise. Your faith in him will strengthen as you recognize his supporting influence in your life.
Trust in God's teachings, his example and his commandments
The number one source for correct information is God. He is the author of truth. As you follow him, you will understand more fully his plan for you on this earth. With this understanding, you will be strengthened and become more resolved to do what he has asked. God is able to help those who seek him easier than those who don't. He is waiting to help, with hands outstretched, we just have to be willing to come to him and use his help. Those who are following him are more likely to seek his aid.
Read: 7 things to remember if you feel like God has abandoned you
God's atonement is for every person on the earth
He is waiting to extend mercy to those that seek it. He wants us to feel his love that he has for each of us. In the times of spiritual whirlwinds, his offer is the same. Where there is sin, there is repentance. Where there is hurt, there is healing. Where there are trials, there is support. But, he can't give us help we are not willing to accept. Rely on God in your struggles, and he will sustain and support you. You will feel his love and know how to improve and heal. The atonement is the antidote to pain, suffering, hurts and sin.
We have many trials, temptations, life tests, difficulties and sorrows to help us grow and achieve our full potential. We can find the necessary strength to overcome anything by relying on God. As we seek him, we can experience an increase in faith, hope and understanding. The "spiritual whirlwinds" cannot destroy us when our strength comes from God.

4 Tips For Real Communication With God

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 21:22:00 +0000

4 tips for real communication with God

We have a role in the success of our communication with God, just as much as we do when we communicate with our families. These tips will help you to do your part to have more purposeful, interactive communication with your Heavenly Father.

Sara Hagmann

210,657 views | 750 shares

Prayer is an essential part of a religious, spiritual life. As we acknowledge our own fallibility and the greatness of God, our prayers can be more meaningful. They can give us strength when times are hard, like when a child has a chronic illness, or when our spouse needs our forgiveness. Our prayers can allow us to rest from our day-to-day struggles like early morning feedings, demanding schedules, and rebellious teens.
However, we still need to put the work into having effective prayers. We have a role in the success of our communication with God, just as much as we do when we communicate with our families. These tips will help you to do your part to have more purposeful, interactive communication with your Heavenly Father. Believe me: He will do his part, too.
1. Ponder your life and what you need
My husband and I have frequent conversations where I ask, "What do you think we should do about this?" His answer is inevitably "I don't know." This frustrated me until I realized that I hadn't even thought about what we should do. It was, in essence, a lazy question.
Likewise, when we talk to God we need to know what it is we're actually asking for. So ask yourself, "What does my life look like right now?" There are times when the kids are doing great at school, our spouses are excited about being home, and we even managed to do a Pinterest project or two. These are the times we need to know where we can be of the most help. Other times, our prayers are more of a cry for help. Think about your life so that you can be specific in your prayers. Knowing where you are on the spectrum right now will help move you to a better place when you pray.
2. Reflect on your divine identity and your relationship with God
Did you know that you are a child of God? The all-knowing ruler of the universe eternal being is the literal father of your spirit. He loves you perfectly, 10 million times more than any earthly parent could. Sometimes he asks you to forego things that are temporary and mediocre, but only because he sees things from an eternal point of view. He wouldn't want you to settle for less than the best, which is what his precious child deserves. Remembering that, changes everything about prayer.
3. Visualize God listening to you pray
When I pray, I try to think of myself as a princess approaching her father's throne. I imagine myself reporting on the assignment I have been given and receiving counsel and encouragement. In my mind's eye, I can see the love on God's face. Try it the next time you pray. It's a sweet experience, especially when you pray for your spouse and children.
4. Ask inspired questions
Believe it or not, you can pray about your prayers. This is often the first step to finding out your obstacles to having meaningful conversations with God. It is also the first step to asking the right questions. Recently, I have been asking for a grateful heart. This is very different from my prayer a few weeks ago, which was worn out and frustrated and confused. After I prayed about what I should be asking for, I realized that happiness is something God can help me seek, not something that just finds me. I wouldn't have realized this without changing my question from "why me?" to "what can I do differently?" If you're struggling to receive answers, try rethinking your question.
When it comes down to it, God really wants to talk and listen to us, especially about our families. However, our ability to talk and listen to Him can often use some work. When we are self-aware, both in knowing what our life looks like and knowing who we really are, we can ask useful questions. We can also have the humility necessary to change our lives in the way that pleases Heavenly Father. Praying in this way takes courage, but it is always worth it in the end.

4 Things God Wants You To Remember When Life Is Hard

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 21:03:00 +0000

4 things God wants you to remember when life is hard

We've all had them — those days (or years) when nothing works out.

Dave Willis

747,609 views | 3,148 shares

We've all had days (and maybe even years) when life just doesn't seem to be going our way!
I've had long seasons of life where I felt like nothing was working and everything was out of whack, and I've had frustrating days where I just can't seem to get anything accomplished. This morning was one of those times…
I was getting all three of our boys ready for school which is a massive undertaking and makes me respect my wife even more because she is normally the one doing it! Amidst the screaming infant and complaining gradeschoolers, there was a mess in the kitchen, a dirty diaper on the floor, toothpaste on the sink and stress in the air. When we FINALLY got out the door, Connor had forgotten something and had to run back in. The door was open just long enough for (I'm not making this up) a bird to fly in the house.
Read: Be still and know that I am God: 10 ways to recognize God's power in times of trouble
Now, I've got to figure out a way to get the bird out of the house and all the kids loaded up as fast as I can. I eventually got the bird out (unharmed) and the kids loaded and just before I pulled out onto the main road, a garbage truck cut me off and started driving about five miles per hour and stopping at every other house. I wasn't sure whether to scream or laugh at the irony of it.
In the grand scheme of things, a stressful morning doesn't impact life or eternity all that much, but in those longer seasons of joblessness, sickness, financial stress, marriage strain and other ongoing life events, the stress and frustration can seem overwhelming. Below are four things I've learned to remember in those challenging seasons of life that have helped me and I pray they help you as well!
Struggles in life are inevitable, but destruction is optional. Remembering these four principles can make all the difference.
1. Remember that your Character should always be stronger than your Circumstances
We can't always control what happens to us, but we can always control how we choose to respond. In those moments when I choose to stop complaining and instead give thanks to God for the good in my life, the parts that seem bad start to seem much less significant. Choose to keep a positive attitude and thankful heart regardless of what you're going through.
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
2. Remember that your Struggles always lead to Strength
Every difficulty in your life, whether big or small, is something God will use to produce more strength, faith and perseverance in you if you let Him! All your pain has a purpose.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
3. Remember that God's timing is always perfect
God's plans are almost always different from our plans, but His plans are always perfect! Have the patience to wait on His timing instead of forcing your own.
"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord; plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Read: 7 things to remember if you feel like God has abandoned you
4. Remember that God will never leave your side
You may feel like you're going through this struggle all alone, but from the moment you ask Jesus to bring you into God's family, He will be by your side to the end so never lose hope!
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

6 Ways To Know That God Is Speaking To You

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:54:00 +0000

6 ways to know that God is speaking to you

In a world of constant noise and chaos, it is sometimes difficult to recognize God's voice and understand what he is trying to say. Here are six ways we can recognize and understand when God is trying to talk to us.

Tiffany Fletcher

476,768 views | 1,985 shares

Families today need the ability to know and understand God's voice in their life. Husbands and wives need to recognize God's voice so that they may learn how to build their marriage on a foundation of faith and selfless service. Mothers and Fathers need God's voice to help guide them when raising and teaching their children and to help their children gain righteous values and moral character. Children need to recognize God's voice so that they may be warned of danger when it arises and to help keep them from temptation when they are put in difficult situations.
Read: 10 incredible blessings that God never wants you to forget
In a world where fast-paced and high-tech living is the everyday norm, it can sometimes be difficult to hear the still small whisperings of the Spirit, which is one of God’s preferred ways of communication. Often times, even when we do hear it, it is difficult to distinguish among the many worldly voices drowning him out. If God’s voice is sometimes difficult for you or your children to recognize, remember, God most often speaks to the mind and heart. So, as you search your thoughts and feelings, here are six ways you can know if God is speaking to you.
Does it persuade you to do good?
If you’re suddenly inspired to do a good deed or you feel inclined to make things right by doing the right thing, then you can know that you are receiving communication from God. Everything good comes from God, and that includes thoughts of doing good.
Does it promote feelings of love?
Are you prompted to show kindness when indifference would be so much easier? Are you compelled to clothe the homeless, feed the hungry, or help a family in need? If your heart is full of love and concern for others, then you can know that God is speaking to you. It is his way of helping his children in need through you.
Does it enlighten your mind?
Are you inspired to create something beautiful, to learn something new or to gain further understanding? Does your path seem clear, is your mind quickened or do you see life in a new light? If so, then your mind has been enlightened by the spirit of God and he is communicating his light to your mind and heart. This is how God brings beauty, joy and pure understanding into the world.
Does it build you or someone else up?
Are your thoughts and feelings positive? Are they affirmative in nature? Are they uplifting and do they edify? Do they bring you to a higher place to stand? If they do, then you can be certain that you are hearing God’s voice speaking to your heart. God’s voice will always uplift and edify. He will never speak thoughts of doubt, discouragement or fear. God’s voice will always be a voice of hope.
Does it bring peace?
Do you feel at peace with a decision? Do you feel calm in a time of trial? Do you feel comforted in your sorrows? If you do, then God is with you speaking peace to your heart and bringing solace to your soul. This is how God comforts his children.
Read: Be still and know that I am God: 10 ways to recognize God's power in times of trouble
Does it inspire you to be better than you are?
Are you motivated to be better today than you were yesterday? Do you desire to create goals and work toward fulfilling them? Do you see the goodness in others and desire to create that goodness in yourself? If you have a desire to improve, then you are being driven by the voice of God as he molds you into the person he knows you can be. This is how God perfects his children.
God speaks to his children in many ways, and if you are listening, you can know when he is speaking to you and your children. If it invites you to do good, then you can be certain that it is from God. If you are doing your best to make the right choices in your life and you strive to live worthy of God’s spirit, you can know in your heart exactly what God is saying to you.

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 02:24:00 +0000

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF

Can we actually do that? Can we really love our neighbor as ourselves? It seems that this is a very hard thing to do. But that is exactly what God wants us to do. Asked by a religious leader what were the greatest commandments of God, Jesus answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22: 37-40). Now do you think you can do this? Loving your neighbor as yourself seems an impossible thing to do. But with God, nothing is impossible. Loving God with all our hearts, with all our soul and with all our mind open our hearts for the agape love of God to flow into our hearts until we realize we cannot truly love God without loving our neighbors as ourselves. We become partakers of God's agape love to mankind. (God's agape love is unmerited, gracious, and constantly seeking the benefit of the ones He loves). Thus those who become united with God in spirit, mind and soul begin to manifest this kind of love. This was the kind of unselfish love exhibited by the saints and religious giants of old like St Francis of Assisi, St Claire, St Bernadette and others, and this was the same kind of love exhibited by Mother Teresa of this century. The very first step to love our neighbor as ourselves is to develop selflessness in ourselves. Sometimes we have to sacrifice our own interest for the sake of others. It may be difficult at first but with constant prayers and great intimacy with God, we start to develop this trait until it becomes second nature to us.

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself, Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 19:51:00 +0000

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself, Part 2

by John Piper

[Editor's Note: While both parts can stand alone, see Part 1 for the beginning of this series.]
Matthew 22:34-40
A Very Radical Command
"Love your neighbor as yourself" is a very radical command. What I mean by "radical" is this: it cuts to the root of our sinfulness and exposes it and, by God's grace, severs it. The root of our sinfulness is the desire for our own happiness apart from God and apart from the happiness of others in God. Let me say it again: the root of our sinfulness is the desire to be happy apart from God and apart from the happiness of others in God. All sin comes from a desire to be happy cut off from glory of God and cut off from the good of others. The command of Jesus cuts to this root, exposes it, and severs it.
Another name for this root of sinfulness is pride. Pride is the presumption that we can be happy without depending on God as the source of our happiness and without caring if others find their happiness in God. Pride is the passion to be happy contaminated and corrupted by two things: 1) the unwillingness to see God as the only fountain of true and lasting joy, and 2) the unwillingness to see other people as designed by God to receive our joy in him. If you take the desire to be happy and strip away from it God as the fountain of your happiness, and people as the recipients of your happiness, what you have left is the engine of pride. Pride is the pursuit of happiness anywhere but in the glory of God and the good of other people. This is the root of all sin.
Now Jesus says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." And with that commandment he cuts to the root of our sinfulness. How so?
Jesus says in effect: I start with your inborn, deep, defining human trait—your love for yourself. This is a given. I don't command it; I assume it. All of you have a powerful instinct of self-preservation and self-fulfillment. You all want to be happy. You all want to live and to live with satisfaction. You want food for yourself. You want clothes for yourself. You want a place to live for yourself. You want protection from violence against yourself. You want meaningful or pleasant activity to fill your days. You want some friends to like you and spend some time with you. You want your life to count in some way. All this is self-love. Self-love is the deep longing to diminish pain and to increase happiness. That's what Jesus starts with when he says, "as yourself."
Everyone, without exception, has this human trait. This is what moves us to do this or that. Even suicide is pursued out of this principle of self-love. In the midst of a feeling of utter meaningless and hopelessness and numbness of depression the soul says: "It can't get any worse than this. So even if I don't know what I will gain through death, I do know what I will escape." And so suicide is an attempt to escape the intolerable. It is an act of self-love.
Now Jesus says, I start with this self-love. This is what I know about you. This is common to all people. You don't have to learn it. It comes with your humanity. My Father created it. In and of itself it is good. To hunger for food is not evil. To want to be warm in the winter is not evil. To want to be safe in a crisis is not evil. To want to be healthy during a plague is not evil. To want to be liked by others is not evil. To want your life to count in some significant way is not evil. This was a defining human trait before the fall of man into sin, and it is not evil in itself.
Whether it has become evil in your life will be exposed as you hear and respond to Jesus' commandment. He commands, "As you love yourself, so love your neighbor." Which means: As you long for food when you are hungry, so long to feed your neighbor when he is hungry. As you long for nice clothes for yourself, so long for nice clothes for your neighbor. As you work for a comfortable place to live, so desire a comfortable place to live for your neighbor. As you seek to be safe and secure from calamity and violence, so seek comfort and security for your neighbor. As you seek friends for yourself, so be a friend to your neighbor. As you want your life to count and be significant, so desire that same significance for your neighbor. As you work to make good grades yourself, so work to help your neighbor make good grades. As you like to be welcomed into strange company, so welcome your neighbor into strange company. As you would that men would do to you, do so to them.
In other words make your self-seeking the measure of your self-giving. When Jesus says, "Love your neighbor as yourself," the word "as" is very radical: "Love your neighbor as yourself." That's a BIG word: "As!" It means: If you are energetic in pursing your own happiness, be energetic in pursuing the happiness of your neighbor. If you are creative in pursuing your own happiness, be creative in pursuing the happiness of your neighbor. If you are persevering in pursuing your own happiness, be persevering in pursuing the happiness of your neighbor. In other words, Jesus is not just saying: seek for your neighbor the same things you seek for yourself, but also seek them in the same way—the same zeal and energy and creativity and perseverance. The same life and death commitment when you are in danger. Make your own self-seeking the measure of your self-giving. Measure your pursuit of the happiness of others, and what it should be, by the pursuit of your own. How do you pursue your own well-being? Pursue your neighbor's well-being that way too.

Be Like Christ

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 01:02:00 +0000

BE LIKE CHRIST

We were originally created by God in His own image and likeness but that blueprint was lost when our first parents fell at the Garden of Eden by disobeying the command of God not to eat of the fruits of the Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil. Then the whole seed of humanity came under a curse losing his direct fellowship with God and being born under a state of depravity with his spirit becoming dormant and non effectual. But God so loved mankind that He remedied the situation by sending His only begotten Son to die on the cross and become a propitiation for humanity's sins. Christ death opened the gates of heaven to mankind but only to those who will accept Jesus Christ as Lord and savior and would surrender their lives to Him. "Jesus answered, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14: 6) Being born again, the renewed man is transformed by God from glory to glory until he reach the whole measure of the fullness of Jesus Christ. This is the promise of God. "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1: 6). We should emulate the examples of Jesus Christ because God intended Him to be the trailblazer for struggling mankind. If we have faith that God requires of us, we can do the same miracles that Jesus did, all for the glory of God. We must be totally selfless as Jesus was and we must love all mankind with the love exhibited by Jesus Christ. Then we will become the light of the world and the salt of the earth reflecting the glorious image of Jesus Christ.

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself, Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 17:56:00 +0000

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself, Part 1

John Piper | Desiring God

Friday, February 13, 2015

Matthew 22:34-40

But when the Pharisees heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they gathered themselves together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" And He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

The Incredible Context of This Commandment
My main concern in this text is the commandment: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But it is surrounded by such stupendous statements we would be foolhardy to plunge into it without pondering these surroundings. So it is going to take us two weeks at least to deal with this text.
The Great and Foremost Commandment
The two stupendous things I have in mind are, first, the greatest commandment in the Word of God. In verse 36 a Pharisee asks Jesus, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" Jesus answers by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5,

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

Then he adds his own words to put the commandment even higher than the question required. The question was, "Which is the great commandment?" and Jesus says, "This is the great and foremost commandment."
So the first stupendous thing surrounding the commandment to love your neighbor as you love yourself is the commandment to love God as the greatest and foremost thing that is in the entire Word of God. The greatest and most important thing you can do is love God—love GOD—with all your heart and soul and mind.
On These Two Depend the Whole Law and the Prophets
The other stupendous thing surrounding the command to love your neighbor as you love yourself is what follows in verse 40,

On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.

Everything else in the Old Testament in some sense depends on these two commandments: the commandment to love God and the commandment to love our neighbor. This is an amazing statement. We have the authority of the Son of God here telling us something utterly stupendous about the origin and design of the entire plan and Word of God.
The Overwhelming Commandment to Neighbor Love
Now those are the two stupendous things we need to ponder before we dive into the overwhelming commandment to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. I say it is overwhelming because it seems to demand that I tear the skin off my body and wrap it around another person so that I feel that I am that other person; and all the longings that I have for my own safety and health and success and happiness I now feel for that other person as though he were me.
It is an absolutely staggering commandment. If this is what it means, then something unbelievably powerful and earthshaking and reconstructing and overturning and upending will have to happen in our souls. Something supernatural. Something well beyond what self-preserving, self-enhancing, self-exalting, self-esteeming, self-advancing human beings like John Piper can do on their own.
Before we take up such a commandment and apply it to our lives, we need to ponder these two stupendous things that surround the commandment. That the commandment to love God is the great and foremost commandment in the Word of God and that all the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.

The Whole Law and the Prophets

Let's start with verse 40. "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."
He Didn't Have to Say This
First, consider the sheer fact that Jesus said this. He didn't have to say it. The Pharisee didn't ask this. Jesus went beyond what he asked and said more. He seems to want to push the importance and centrality of these commandments as much as he can. He has said that the commandment to love God is great and foremost. He has said the commandment to love your neighbor as you love yourself is "like it." Verse 39: "The second is like it . . . " That's enough to raise the stakes here almost as high as they can be raised. We have the greatest commandment in all the revelation of God to humanity (Love God); and we have the second greatest, which is like the greatest (Love your neighbor).
But Jesus doesn't stop there. He wants us to be stunned at how important these two commandments are. He wants us to stop and wonder. He wants us to spend more than a passing moment on these things. More than a week or two of preaching. So he adds, "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." They are 1) the first and the greatest, and 2) the second that is like the first and the greatest. But they are also the two commandments on which everything else in the Bible depends. "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."
Now what does this mean? Let me see if I can open a window into heaven by contrasting what Jesus says here (in v. 40) with what he says in Matthew 7:12 and what Paul says in Romans 13. Turn with me to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:12. This verse is better known as the Golden Rule. It is, I think, a good commentary on "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."
Matthew 7:12: This Is the Law and the Prophets
Jesus has just said that God will give us good things if we ask and seek and knock, because he is a loving Father. Then in Matthew 7:12 he says,

Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Notice that again Jesus refers to the Law and the Prophets like he did in Matthew 22:40. He says, if you do to others what you would have them do to you, then "this is the Law and the Prophets." In Matthew 22:40 he said, "On these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets."
Take notice here that the first commandment is not mentioned in Matthew 7:12. Loving God with all your heart is not mentioned. Treating others the way we would like to be treated, he says, "is the Law and the Prophets."
We must be careful here. Some people over the centuries have tried to take sentences like the Golden Rule and say that Jesus was mainly a profound teacher of human ethics; and that what he taught is not dependent on God or any relationship with God. They say, "See, he can sum up the whole Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets, in practical human relationships: the Golden Rule."
I say we must be careful here, because thinking like that not only ignores the great things Jesus said about God elsewhere and the amazing things he said about himself coming from God to give his life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45); it also ignores the immediate context. Verse 12 begins with "therefore" (dropped in the NIV):

Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them.

What this shows is that the Golden Rule depends on what went before—on our relationship to God as our Father who loves us and answers our prayers and gives us good things when we ask him (Matthew 7:9-11). In fact this is a very profound key to how we are able to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. So God is here upholding the Golden Rule by his fatherly provision. His love for us and our trusting, prayerful love back to him is the source of power for living the Golden Rule. So you can't turn Jesus into a mere teacher of ethics.
But still, Jesus does say that treating others as you want to be treated "is the law and the prophets." He does not say that loving God "is the Law and the Prophets." Why does he say it in this way? I think what he means is that when you see people love like that (fulfill the Golden Rule), what you are seeing is the visible expression of the Law and the Prophets. This behavior among people manifests openly and publicly and practically what the Old Testament is about. It fulfills the Law and the Prophets. Loving God is invisible. It is an internal passion of the soul. But it comes to expression when you love others.
So loving others is the outward manifestation, the visible expression, the practical demonstration, and therefore the fulfillment of what the Old Testament is about. So there is a sense in which the second commandment (to love your neighbor) is the visible goal of the whole Word of God. It's not as though loving God is not here, or that loving God is less important; rather loving God is made visible and manifest and full in our visibly, practically, sacrificially loving others. I think that is why the second commandment stands by itself when the New Testament says that love fulfills the law.
Romans 13:8–10: Love of Neighbor Fulfills the Law
Let's look at one other text that points in this direction.
Look at Romans 13:8-10.

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 For this, 'You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,' and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

Two times (vv. 8, 10) Paul says that the command to love our neighbor is the "fulfillment of the law." This is what Jesus meant when he said (in Matthew 7:12) that treating others as you would like to be treated "is the law and the prophets." And, just as in Matthew 7:12, Paul doesn't say that the law is fulfilled in loving God and loving neighbors. He only says that if you love your neighbor, you fill up the law. I think this means the same as Matthew 7:12, Loving our neighbor as we love ourselves is the visible expression and manifestation and practical completion and fulfillment of all that the Old Testament was about, including love for God. Love for God comes to visible manifestation when we love others. Or you could say, our love for God is "fulfilled" when we love others.
We know Paul saw this practical love as utterly dependent on our relationship to God. In Romans 8:3-4 he says,

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh [= self reliance], but according to the Spirit [= God-reliance].

In other words, fulfilling the law—loving our neighbor as we love ourselves—is not something we can do on our own. We do it by the Holy Spirit. And we saw last week that Paul teaches God supplies the Spirit to us through faith.
So it's the same as in Matthew 7:12. When Jesus and Paul say that loving our neighbor as we love ourselves is the fulfillment of the Old Testament, they don't exclude our love for God and his love for us; they assume it.
Matthew 22:37–40: On These Two Hang . . .
But let's go back to our text in Matthew 22:37-40. Here Jesus DOES mention both love for God and love for neighbor; and he explicitly says (in v. 40), "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." Why? I want to suggest that he is saying something different here than in those other texts (Matthew 7:12; Romans 13:8, Romans 13:10). Here he does not say that these two commandments "fulfill" the Law and the Prophets, or that they "are" the Law and the Prophets. He says that the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments. Verse 40:

On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.

Now this is a window into heaven, if you have eyes to see. When he says here that the Law and the Prophets depend (literally: "hang," like a stone around the neck, or a snake on the hand, or a man on a cross) on love, this is the reverse of what those other texts were saying. They were saying that the Law and Prophets lead to and find expression and fulfillment in love. But here in Matthew 22:40 Jesus is saying the reverse: love leads to and finds expression in the Law and the Prophets. The Law and the Prophets are hanging on—depending on—something before them, namely, God's passion that this world, this history of humankind, be a world of love to God and radical, other-oriented love to each other.
Illustration
Let me see if I can put this in a picture, so that you can see it more plainly. It is so important, if we are going to grasp the magnitude of the significance of love in our midst, as we move forward into the practical expressions of it in our preaching and in our life together at Bethlehem.
Let's picture the inspired history of redemption from creation to consummation as a scroll like the one John saw in Revelation 5. This is the Law and the Prophets (and the New Testament). The story of God's acts and purposes in history are told in this scroll, along with God's commandments and promises. Matthew 7:12 and Romans 13:8-10 tell us that, when the people of God love their neighbor as they love themselves, the purpose of this scroll is being fulfilled. Its aim is being expressed visibly, manifested practically so "that people can see our good deeds and give glory to our Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). So the scroll is leading to love. Love is flowing from the scroll.
But then Jesus gives us an incredible perspective. He lifts us out of history and out of the world for a moment and shows us the scroll from a distance. Now we can see it whole—the Law and the Prophets, the Old Testament, the story of redemption, the purposes and acts of God in history. And what we see is that the scroll is hanging by two golden chains, one fastened to each end of the scroll handles. And Jesus lifts our eyes to heaven, and we see the chains run up and disappear into heaven.
Then he takes us up to heaven. And he shows us the ends of the chains. They are fastened to the throne of God. One chain is fastened to the right arm of the throne where the words are inscribed: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind." And the other chain is fastened to the left arm of the throne where the words are inscribed, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
And Jesus turns to us and says, "The whole scroll, the whole Law and the Prophets, the whole history of redemption and all my Father's plans and acts hang on these two great sovereign purposes of God—that he be loved by his people, and that his people love each other."
I believe it would not be too much to say that all of creation, all of redemption, all of history hang on these two great purposes—that humans love God with all our heart, and that from the overflow of that love we love each other.
Which means that love is the origin (Matthew 22:40) and the goal (Romans 13:8, Romans 13:10) of the Law and the Prophets. It is the beginning and the end of why God inspired the Bible. It's the fountainhead and spring at the one end, and the shoreless ocean at the other end of the river of redemptive history—remembered and promised in the Word of God.
God's Word to Us This Morning
God's word for us this morning is that we take with tremendous seriousness this season of dealing with love at Bethlehem. That we let this picture stun us and remake our priorities. That we get alone with him and deal with him about these things. That we not assume that we fully know what love is or that it has the proper centrality in our lives. He is saying: All of Scripture, all of his plans for history, hang—HANG—on these two great purposes: that he be loved with all our heart, and that we love each other as we love ourselves.

What Is The Best Way To Protect Yourself Against False Teaching?

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Fri, 12 Feb 2016 03:01:00 +0000

Christianity.com Daily Update

What is the Best Way to Protect Yourself against False Teaching?

Liz Kanoy

Some Christians can easily come up with a list of dangerous pastors, speakers, or books…but there are others who are not able to tell the difference as easily. Aaron Armstrong, blogger and speaker, has written a blog piece titled How do we protect ourselves against false teaching? on his website, Blogging Theologically. He relays,

“As a new Christian—and worse, a new Christian developing doctrinal convictions—I tended to wield my lofty opinions (some of which were even right) as a mighty hammer with which to smash my perceived foes. So I would do stupid things like blurt out, “Why would you read that—don’t you know it’s heretical nonsense?” And let me tell you, that does not win friends or influence people.”

Armstrong expresses that sometimes our “mighty theological hammer of justice” does not always have the effect we intend. Instead we should be asking, why are so many Christians prey to these false teachers? How can we address the real problem? Armstrong says the root of the problem is biblical illiteracy among many Christians today. If Christians don’t know that what they’re hearing is wrong, they won’t question it. So how do we protect ourselves from false teaching and encourage others to do the same? Armstrong writes,
“I’ve really come to appreciate the simple truth that the best way to protect ourselves against false teaching (and protect others from it as well) is not always with lofty arguments, but with the consistent study of Scripture.”
I once heard a pastor ask his congregation, what’s the best way to spot counterfeits—do you study as many counterfeits as you can or do you study the real thing? The answer is the real thing…there will always be counterfeits, and new ones will pop up every day. But while counterfeits may change, Scripture stays the same.
The solution is to know what Scriptures says and compare everything else against it. If you’re not sure ask yourself, “What do the Scriptures say?” Then seek it out. God gifted us with his Spirit for a reason; He's ready and willing to help us with our understanding. Armstrong explains,

“When we read a book, even by a generally trustworthy source, we need to ask this. When we listen to our pastors’ sermons, we ought to do likewise. When we read blogs and tweets and other such things, we must always ask this question. When we do this, when we are committed to, with the help of the Holy Spirit, seeking to understand the Scriptures to the best of our ability, and when we hold all teaching—even good teaching—up to its light, there is no place for false teaching to hide.”

To read Aaron Armstrong's full article please visit BloggingTheologically.com.
In 3 Ways to Handle False Teaching and False Teachers Crosswalk.com Contributor Matthew Harmon states, “… every believer is responsible for being so familiar with the true gospel that false teaching is immediately obvious. The gospel is the only way that we can be made pure, because it points us to the only one who is truly pure-Jesus Christ.”
For Christians it is important to spend time in the Word each day because the more we know Scripture the easier it will be to spot false truths. Not only will we be able to spot false teaching, but our relationship with God will be so much richer. We have nothing to lose when it comes to spending time in God's Word!

Count Your Blessings

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Fri, 12 Feb 2016 02:52:00 +0000

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

Most people dwell on what's negative and whatever they lack in life. They always compare themselves with people who have accomplished more in life. They want the very best that life can offer but they end up frustrated and stressed. Why? Because no man has the monopoly of the very best in life. Each man has his own limitations in life and life on earth is never perfect. To be happy and contented in life, why not try the opposite approach. Why not count our blessings instead of what's lacking in us. Why not be thankful to God for whatever blessings He has bestowed on us. Then we will see that this is a wonderful world bestowed with so many blessings that we would lose count on them. Surely there's the fresh air that we breathe every day. And there's that warm sunshine that dispels all gloominess in this world. And who is not thrilled when they see a rainbow up in the sky. Even the myriads of birds and insects that fly in the air remind us of how blessed we are to be alive. The waves of the sea that constantly traverse the seashore gives us a tingling feeling when they embrace our feet. And who would forget the wonderful sounds of nature at night when the night creatures begin to sing their lullaby. And we will have peace and joy in our hearts if we know that we are walking in the will of God and have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior. Then we can really anticipate that blissful reunion with the Lord in heaven and enjoy life eternal.

Vignettes From The Pearly Gates (Additional posts)

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Wed, 10 Feb 2016 18:27:00 +0000

                                          VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

If you have already accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior, and if you remain faithful to God's will in your life, nothing can snatch you away from the Lord. Hear His promise. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall them out of My hand." (John 10: 27-28)

                                           VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

If you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior, please do so now before it is already too late. "Seek the Lord while you can find Him. Call on Him now while He is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thoughts of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that He may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for He will forgive generously." (Isaiah 55: 6-7)

3
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

"If any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and He will give it to you. God is generous to everyone and He does not find fault with them. When you ask for something, do not have any doubts. A person who has doubts is like a wave that is blown by the wind, and tossed by the sea. A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can't make up his mind about anything." (James 1: 5-8)

VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Anxious`about something dreadful that might happen to you? Losing sleep on a frightful possibility that might happen to you? Here's the solution to your problem. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4: 6-7)

5
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

PSALM 23 (Chapters 1 - 6)
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me towards paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows. Surely, goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

6
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Love conquers all. Hear what Paul says about love. "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, if I have faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." (1Corinthians 13: 1-3)

VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Be vigilant and careful in what you believe in so that you may not be deceived. "Be careful not to allow anyone to captive you through an empty deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits to the world and not according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form and you have been filled in Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority." (Colossians 2: 8-10)

   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

As much as possible, be at peace with everyone you know, forgiving their offenses as much as God has forgiven yours. "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace." (Ephesians 4: 2-3)

   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES
2nd Commandment
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."

   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

We must love one another because that is the command of God to us. "A new command I give you: Love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." (John 13: 34-35)

VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

As long as we are walking in the will of God and having accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior, nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 38-39)

11
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Walk in total obedience to the will of God in your life. "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to the fullness of God." (Ephesians 31: 17-19)

12
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Faced with an extreme trial that tends to destroy your faith in the goodness of God? "Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1: 2-4)

13
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Faced with an over powering temptation that you feel you could no longer resist? "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end or the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance." (1Peter 1: 13-14)

14
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Be sure to make Bible reading a priority activity of your day. Why? Because...."All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2Timothy 3: 16-17)

15
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Who are those who will surely enter the gates of heaven? Here's the answer. "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart. Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol. Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord. And righteousness from the God of his salvation." (Psalms 24: 3-5)

16
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

These are the rewards for those who will walk in the will of the Lord. "Blessed is the one who does not walk in the step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers; but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither- whatever they do progress." (Psalm 1: 1-3)

17
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

It is not a matter of us choosing God but of God choosing us. "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. And so whatever you ask in My name, the father will give you." (John 15:16)

18
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

These are the greatest commandments of God. "Jesus said unto him, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.'" (Matthew 22: 37-40)

19
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Not because everybody is doing it means God approves of it. Be careful in choosing the path you will take in life. "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2)

20
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Unable to bear the terrible strain of the trial you are bearing? Praying to God to take away the trial which has caused you untold miseries? Hear God's answer. "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weaknesses." (2Corinthians 12: 9)

21
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

If you trust the Lord with your very life, these are what He will do for you. "If you say, 'The Lord is my refuge,' and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." (Psalm 91: 9-12)

22
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

These are the promises of the Lord to those who really love Him. "Because he loves Me, says the Lord, 'I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call on Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver and honor him with long life. I will satisfy him and show him my salvation." (Psalm 91: 14-16)

23
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

God has a perfect plan for the life of everyone. Everything that happened to us is good because God allowed that to happen in accordance with His plan for our lives. The stern lessons we may have encountered in life were the results of our going the opposite way from where God wants us to go. "And we know that in all things, God works together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." (Romans 8: 28)

24
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Cling to the Lord for your safety because He promised that..."When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, your savior."
(Isaiah 43: 2-3a)

25
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

These are the two greatest commandments of God as announced by Jesus Christ. We must follow not only the first but also the second in order to please God and do His will in our lives. "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22: 37-40)

26
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Be compassionate and patient with one another, forgiving the mistakes of others as God has forgiven you. "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts , knowledge, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." (Colossians 3: 12-13)

27
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Do not be dismayed nor be afraid of your enemies for the Lord has made a promise to you. "The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war breaks out against me, even then will I be confident. One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple."
(Psalm 27: 1-4)

28
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Not sure whether you will have eternal life after you die? Do you want to make sure that you will attain eternal life after your death? Then do this. "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides in him." (John 3: 36)

29
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

You are now a new creation in Christ, so leave behind all sinful habits that will separate you from God. "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." (Colossians 3: 9-10)

30
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Put your trust in the Lord and walk in His will and this is what He will do to you. "But blessed is the one who trust in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes, its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17: 7-8)

31
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

God's mercies and love for you will never end. Never hesitate to come to the Lord and confess your sins to Him. He will pardon you if your confession is sincere. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."
(Lamentations 3: 22-23)

32
                      VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES
We must pray and strive for the fullness of the Holy Spirit. "That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height- to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3: 16-19)

33
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

To all who have already accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior and have already surrendered their lives to Him, these are what you must do. "Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3: 12-14)

34
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Do all your works with diligence and with a singleness of purpose as though you are doing it for the Lord. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
(Colossians 3: 23-24)

35
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of your body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3: 15-17)

36
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Walk in the way of the Lord and also do good. God is no respecter of persons. "God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life. But for those who are self seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil."
(Romans 2: 6-9)

37
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

We are called by the Lord for righteousness and holy living. "I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord: that is My name! I will not give glory to another or My praise to idols."
(Isaiah 42: 6-8)

38
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

We have no fear if we are walking in the ways of the Lord because this is what He promised. "The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war breaks out against me, even then will I be confident." (Psalm 27: 1-3)

39
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

If we are walking in the will of the Lord, there is always peace in our hearts. "Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory." (Romans 5: 1-2)

40
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Fear the Lord and walk in His ways and this is what He will do for you. "But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His Holy Name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord even as we put our hope in you."
(Psalm 33: 18- 22)

41
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

The Lord will create a New Jerusalem. "Behold I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in My people; the sounds of weeping and crying will be heard on it no more." (Isaiah 65: 17-19)

42
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Love is not just a feeling. It is a decision we make to be committed to the one we love no matter what the circumstances maybe. Love should be centered in Christ to make it work and last a lifetime and beyond. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
(1Corinthians 13: 4-8)
43
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Beware of false prophets and false teachers who will introduce misleading and erroneous doctrines among you. "But there were false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them- bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping." (2Peter 2: 1-3)

44
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

As God's people, holy and beloved, lead a righteous life so that people may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. "Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God." (1John 3: 7-9)

45
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

We must seek enlightenment from the Lord and live by the mighty power of Christ's resurrection from the dead. "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know...what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 1: 18-20)

46
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

When we received Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior and have surrendered our lives to Him, we were marked by the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession. "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1: 13-14)

47
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

When we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior and after we have been born again, we are declared as children of God and co-heirs with Jesus Christ in the kingdom of heaven. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Dear friends, now we are all children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."
(1John 3: 1-3)

48
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Put into practice the lessons you learned from the word of God, for in doing so, you will be like a wise man building his house on a rock as a firm foundation. "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and put them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall, because it has its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7: 24-27)

49
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness, and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self control, and to self control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."
(2Peter 1: 3-9)

50
   VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

The Lord wants us to cast all our cares to Him for He cares about us. "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."
(1Peter 5: 5b-10)

51
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

As much as possible, we must live in harmony and peace with one another. "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, 'Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
(1Peter 3: 8-12)

52
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

Never for a moment think that you have a better plan for your life than what God intends for you. He knows everything, so much more than we could ever know. So better to humble ourselves and meekly obey His leading for our lives. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."
(Isaiah 55: 8-9)

53
VIGNETTES FROM THE PEARLY GATES

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade- kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
(1Peter 3: 3-7)

OUR WILL VS GOD'S WILL

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 21:20:00 +0000

OUR WILL VS GOD'S WILL

We were taught that we must exercise our will in order to survive and achieve success in life. The stronger our will, the better for us. But in the spiritual realm, the opposite is true. We must discern God's will and do it in our lives in order for us to advance in God's kingdom. It boils down to a clash between the two- God's will versus our will. The more we exercise our will and become successful in life, the more will we become independent of God. And the more we become independent of God, the more we rely on our own strengths and resources instead of being dependent on God. We may never notice it but we will slowly and surely drift away from God. And before we realize it, we are already building up our own monuments of success. This will start our downfall in life. We may become financially successful and powerful in life but we become bereft of the true riches of heaven. We become king of the earth but a miserable pauper in God's kingdom. But what is worst is that, we lose our passport to God's kingdom and eternal life with God.

Responding To Opposition And Persecution

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 08:09:00 +0000

Responding to Opposition and Persecution

Founders Ministries exists to work for the recovery of the gospel and the biblical re-formation of local churches. They have a myriad of ministries that are given to that two-pronged effort, including a
read more

by Tom Ascol
It is impossible to live a faithful Christian life without experiencing opposition and persecution. Jesus promises his disciples that in this world we “will have tribulation” (John 16:33), and Paul warns Timothy that “all who desire to live a godly live in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Given this inevitable reality, how then are followers of Jesus to respond to such treatment?
Jesus clearly answers that question when he says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44) and “bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:28). This is what apostles teach, as well. “Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:14); “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9).
It is natural to become defensive or combative when mistreated, but the way of Christ calls us to respond with humility and love. As we remember our sin and what we actually deserve, we are humbled. As we remember our opponents and what they actually need, we desire to see them blessed.
Two examples stand out in my mind as illustrating this kind of grace at work. The first comes from a fascinating scene in the life of King David. When his son Absalom usurped his throne, David was forced to flee Jerusalem. Early in his journey Shimei confronted him and his entourage by throwing stones at them and cursing David, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! The LORD has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and theLORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood” (2 Samuel 16:7–8).
Those words had enough truth in them to pierce David’s conscience. One of his mighty men, Abishai, wanted to decapitate that “dead dog” Shimei, but David, reminded of his own sin and God’s sovereignty over even these events, refused to allow any vengeful response and to leave the matter with God.
The second example comes from the life of George Whitefield, the 18^th century evangelist who was greatly used in the Great Awakening. He was often abused by opponents, even having rotten fruit and dead cats thrown at him on occasion. Perhaps nothing wounded him more deeply than to be vilified in the name of Christ by fellow ministers of the gospel. He describes one such occasion that took place on a Sunday morning in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1740.

In the morning, I went to church, and heard the Commissary [representative of the Bishop of London] preach. Had some infernal spirit been sent to draw my picture, I think it scarcely possible that he could have painted me in more horrid colours. I think, if ever, then was the time that all manner of evil was spoken against me falsely for Christ’s sake. The Commissary seemed to ransack church history for instances of enthusiasm and abused grace. He drew a parallel between me and all the Oliverians, Ranters, Quakers, French Prophets, till he came down to a family of the Dutarts, who lived, not many years ago, in South Carolina, and were guilty of the most notorious incests and murder.

How would you have responded to being singled out, lied about, and scorned in such a way in a Sunday morning sermon? Whitefield’s response shows us the way of Christ.

To the honour of God’s free grace be it spoken, whilst the Commissary was representing me thus, I felt the Blessed Spirit strengthening and refreshing my soul. God, at the same time, gave me to see what I was by nature, and how I had deserved His eternal wrath; and, therefore, I did not feel the least resentment against the preacher. No; I pitied, I prayed for him; and wished, from my soul, that the Lord would convert him, as he once did the persecutor Saul, and let him know that it is Jesus Whom he persecutes. In the evening, many came, I was informed, to hear what I would say; but as the Commissary hinted, that his sermons should be printed, and as they were full of invidious falsehood, I held my tongue, and made little or no reply.

This is precisely the way that our Lord responded when he suffered to accomplish our salvation. In doing so he has provide us with an example of how we who follow him are to respond. “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).
Christians must remember that our Master secured our salvation through suffering and crucifixion. The path that we are called to walk as we work out that salvation in our own lives is no different. As servants, we are not above our Master. By the grace that comes from our Lord, we can learn to live by faith in him so that we do not respond to opposition and persecution in the same way as those who do not know his grace. As we do so, we demonstrate that there is a power greater than our own strength at work in our lives and provide a platform for the source of this power to be proclaimed with persuasive credibility.

Now I Know.....Now I Understand

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 07:57:00 +0000

NOW I KNOW.......NOW I UNDERSTAND

I consider myself the biggest underachiever in the world. Although we were not actually well off but struggling, I started out in life with a lot of promise. I was very serious in my studies and my family looked at me as a great deliverer. After school, I landed a good job at the biggest company in the Philippines where everybody looked at me as a trailblazer. But somewhere along the way, controversy hit me and I found myself resigning because I stepped on somebody's toes and those toes belonged to a company bigwig. I drifted from one company to another hoping to land a bigger and more prestigious job than my previous employment. But alas, fate must have conspired to bring me down. I was saddled by life threatening sicknesses right and left which rendered me ineffectual in my job and was forced to retire early in life. My life made a turnaround in 2000 when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior and became born again. Although I became stronger and more resilient in life, the spiral downward dip in my life continued until I was left with nothing in life. I was confounded and asked the Lord the reason for it. Later on I found the answer to my questions. The Lord brought me down to the lowest level because He wanted me to serve Him. I know my vocation in the Christian ministry is to teach. And that's what I am doing now. I now look for the welfare of others disregarding my own. I remember the words I told my audience in a Bible study in a very depressed area before. How miserable will you be if you are living a miserable life now and later on become more miserable in the afterlife because you failed to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior. We have to make every effort to achieve the condition that "none should perish." Every soul is valuable and people who live wanton lives never knew what awaits them. Now I know....now I understand.

6 Critical Truths To Understand About Anger

noreply@blogger.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 02:17:00 +0000

6 Critical Truths to Understand about Anger

Mark Altrogge

RSS

Contributors

Mark Altrogge has been senior pastor of Saving Grace Church of Indiana, Pennsylvania, since 1982. He has written hundreds of songs for worship, including “I Stand in Awe” and “I’m Forever Grateful.” Mark an
read more

The Bible has a lot to say about anger.
I don’t mean righteous anger, the kind of anger we can experience toward injustice or evil but sinful anger. Many times we may feel we are “righteous” in our anger because someone wronged us. Anger often involves our sense of justice. But it’s very easy to slide into sinful anger, hatred, and bitterness. Here are some Biblical truths and principles that God has used to help me make progress in conquering my own sinful anger.
Anger is not caused by other people or our circumstances. It comes out of our own hearts.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. MT 15:19

No one else can make you angry. Circumstances don’t cause your anger. Anger is your own sin. David Powlison says our hearts are like sponges. If I squeeze a sponge and black ink comes out, it might seem that the squeezing caused black ink to come out. Yet I might squeeze another sponge and have clear water come out. So, it was not the squeeze that caused the ink to come out, but ink came out because that was what was in the sponge. The squeeze merely revealed what was there in the first place. Other people and circumstances can “squeeze” our hearts and if anger comes out, it is because that’s what was in our heart.
Anger is caused by our own unfulfilled desires.

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. JA 4:1–2

James says our own “passions”—cravings and desires—cause all our quarrels and fights. We desire and do not have; so, we murder, fight, and quarrel. In other words, we want something and we don’t get it; so, we get angry. Whenever you are angry ask yourself, “What is it that I want right now that I’m not getting?” Once I told my kids to go to bed and heard them wrestling and throwing things upstairs. When I went up I said, “You’re making me mad,” to which one replied, “But you have said no one else can make you mad.” I said, “You’re right. You are disobeying me, which tempts me (squeezes me), and it is my anger, my sin.” When I went downstairs I asked myself, “What do I want that I’m not getting?” My answer: I wanted to relax. I wanted kids who always perfectly and immediately obeyed. I wanted to watch TV, not oversee bedtime.
Anger won’t make anyone do the right thing.

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. JA 1:19–20

Many times we think anger will motivate others to do the “right” thing. Parents think anger will make their kids do the right thing, or act “righteously.” But anger won’t produce the righteousness of God. Anger might make kids outwardly obey, like little Pharisees, but it won’t change their hearts. Anger won’t produce inward righteousness in our spouse or coworkers. Anger does no good.
Anger toward another person is murder of the heart.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brotherc will be liable to judgment; whoever insultsd his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” MT 5:21–22

We tend to downplay the seriousness of anger. “I was just venting” or “letting off steam.” But Jesus said anger is murder of the heart and a violation of one of the 10 commandments. It can make us subject to the very hell of fire.
Anger makes things worse.

A harsh word stirs up anger. PR 15:1
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife. PR 15:18

Not only does anger fail to produce righteousness, it makes things worse. It stirs up anger in others. It stirs up strife. It has the opposite effect to what we are desiring.
Anger opens the door for Satan

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. EPH 4:26–27

When we “let the sun go down on our anger” or fail to deal with it in a timely fashion, either by asking forgiveness, forgiving others, or working things out with them, it opens the door for Satan to tempt us to bitterness, revenge, slander, and a host of other sins. Cain’s anger at Abel led him to kill his brother. Anger is serious. We must deal with it quickly.
These truths have helped me numerous times when I’ve been tempted to anger. I’m not saying I’ve conquered it and I never sin in anger. But by God’s grace, understanding these things has helped me make progress. I hope you, too, will find God’s Word and Spirit help you make progress in overcoming anger.

Mark Altrogge has been senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Indiana, Pennsylvania, since 1982. He has written hundreds of songs for worship, including “I Stand in Awe” and “I’m Forever Grateful.” Mark and his wife, Kristi, have four sons and one daughter. Find out more on his blog, The Blazing Center.

K.I.S.S.- Keep It Short and Simple

Special Tribute To Pastor Ferdie Santos of Jesus The Shepherd Community Church

5 Areas of Your Life Satan Wants To Enter

Suggested Groups

News Feed

7 Daily Steps To Trust In The Lord With All Your Heart

7 Daily Steps to Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart

1. Don’t Depend on You

2. Cry out to God

3. Run from Evil

4. Put God First in Your Life

5. Check Yourself by God’s Word

6. Listen to the Holy Spirit

7. Rest in God’s Love

That None Should Perish

Intimacy With God

One Hundred Bible Lessons - Alban Douglas - Lesson 15

The Saint Must Walk Alone

The Saint Must Walk Alone

Does God Ever Change His Mind?

Does God Ever Change His Mind?

One Hundred Bible Lessons by Alban Douglas - Chapter 14

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Bad things do happen to good people

Cook shared some of the reasons for suffering including the following

"Suffering is to prove oneself."

"Suffering creates a witness against sin."

"Suffering teaches obedience."

"Suffering teaches patience and faith."

"Suffering assists one to repent and be forgiven."

"Suffering can occur from the Lord hedging up your way."

"Suffering brings forth righteousness."

"The Lord sews a spiritual tapestry into all our lives."

"Men can bring suffering upon themselves

4 Ways To Rely On God During Tough Times

4 ways to rely on God during tough times

Make God the foundation for your life

Stand up for what is right, even if you're alone

Trust in God's teachings, his example and his commandments

God's atonement is for every person on the earth

4 Tips For Real Communication With God

4 tips for real communication with God

1. Ponder your life and what you need

2. Reflect on your divine identity and your relationship with God

3. Visualize God listening to you pray

4. Ask inspired questions

4 Things God Wants You To Remember When Life Is Hard

4 things God wants you to remember when life is hard

1. Remember that your Character should always be stronger than your Circumstances

2. Remember that your Struggles always lead to Strength

3. Remember that God's timing is always perfect

4. Remember that God will never leave your side

6 Ways To Know That God Is Speaking To You

6 ways to know that God is speaking to you

Does it persuade you to do good?

Does it promote feelings of love?

Does it enlighten your mind?

Does it build you or someone else up?

Does it bring peace?

Does it inspire you to be better than you are?

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself, Part 2

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself, Part 2

by John Piper

Be Like Christ

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself, Part 1

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself, Part 1

The Whole Law and the Prophets

What Is The Best Way To Protect Yourself Against False Teaching?

What is the Best Way to Protect Yourself against False Teaching?

Liz Kanoy

Count Your Blessings

Vignettes From The Pearly Gates (Additional posts)

OUR WILL VS GOD'S WILL

Responding To Opposition And Persecution

Responding to Opposition and Persecution

Now I Know.....Now I Understand

6 Critical Truths To Understand About Anger

6 Critical Truths to Understand about Anger