Instructions to the seven churches....

1. Love, be patient, and return to your first love



2. Do not fear the things you are about to suffer



3. Do not have any idols and do not commit sexual immorality



4. Serve and have faith



5. Be watchful, strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die



6. Keep the word and do not deny the faith



7. Anoint your eyes to see and be zealous

Revelation 2-3

New King James Version (NKJV)

1.     The Loveless Church- Ephesus

2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

2.     The Persecuted Church-Smyrna

9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

3.     The Compromising Church-Pergamos

13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.[a] 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

4.     The Corrupt Church- Thyatira

19 “I know your works, love, service, faith,[b] and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow[c] that woman[d] Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce[e] My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.[f] 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their[g] deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

 24 “Now to you I say, and[h] to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will[i] put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast what you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;

They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’[j]—

as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star.

5.     The Dead Church- Sardis

3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.[k] 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You[l] have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

6.     The Faithful Church- Philadelphia

8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;[n] for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold,[o] I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

7.     The Lukewarm Church- Laodiceans

15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,[q] I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

7 Must Haves

7 Must Haves

Fruitful Growth in the Faith   

2 Peter 1: 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Diligence:
1) haste, with haste
2) earnestness, diligence
a) earnestness in accomplishing, promoting, or striving after anything
b) to give all diligence, interest one's self most earnestly
3) the attention and care legally expected or required of a person (as a party to a contract).

Virtue:
1) a virtuous course of thought, feeling and action
a) moral goodness
2) moral excellence, as modesty, purity
3) conformity to a standard of right

Knowledge:
1) knowledge signifies in general intelligence, understanding
a) the general knowledge of Christian religion
b) the deeper more perfect and enlarged knowledge of this religion, such as belongs to the more advanced
c) esp. of things lawful and unlawful for Christians
d) moral wisdom, such as is seen in right living

Self-control:
temperance, (the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites)

Perseverance:
1) steadfastness, constancy, endurance
a) in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings
b) patiently, and steadfastly
2) a patient, steadfast waiting for
3) a patient enduring, sustaining, patience

 Godliness:
1) reverence, respect
2) piety towards God, godliness

Brotherly kindness:
1) love of brothers or sisters, brotherly love
2) in the NT the love which Christians cherish for each other as brethren

 

“Evil company corrupts good habits.” (NKJV)

Does the bible tell us to turn from certain people and not to associate with them….?

1 Corinthians 15:33 (AMP)

³³Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.

2 Timothy 3:1-9 (NKJV)

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

Proverbs 20:19
He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.

Proverbs 24:21(AMP)
My son, [reverently] fear the Lord and the king, and do not associate with those who are given to change [of allegiance, and are revolutionary]*lovers of themselves
This is a very long list....
*lovers of themselves
*lovers of money
*boasters
*proud
*blasphemers
*disobedient to parents
***unthankful
*unholy
*unloving
*unforgiving
***slanderers-people that talk, but dont have their facts right
*without self-control
*brutal
*despisers of good
*traitors
*headstrong
*haughty
***lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
***having a form of godliness but denying its power

***one who flatterswith his lips
***those who are given to change [of allegiance, and are revolutionary]

I am sure there is probably more, but this is a big enough list to get the point...There are a few points that people wouldnt think about, I underlined them. take a second look at them. Really be sure to understand.
 

Romans 12:16

 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion

• be of the same mind
• do not set your mind on high things
• associate with the humble
• do not be wise in your own eyes

Trying to build a church?

About this Temple you are building—

1 Kings 6:11 -13 The word of God came to Solomon saying, "About this Temple you are building—what's important is that you live the way I've set out for you and do what I tell you, following my instructions carefully and obediently. Then I'll complete in you the promise I made to David your father. I'll personally take up my residence among the Israelites—I won't desert my people Israel."

If you want to build the temple then you probably should study what God wants from you. You should also study what God doesn’t want you to do!

1.       (Adultery)1 Kings 11:1 King Solomon was obsessed with women.

2.       (Idolatry) 1 Kings 11:9 -10 God was furious with Solomon for abandoning the God of Israel, the God who had twice appeared to him and had so clearly commanded him not to fool around with other gods. Solomon faithlessly disobeyed God's orders.

Consequence: 1 Kings 11:11 -13 God said to Solomon, "Since this is the way it is with you, that you have no intention of keeping faith with me and doing what I have commanded, I'm going to rip the kingdom from you and hand it over to someone else. But out of respect for your father David I won't do it in your lifetime. It's your son who will pay—I'll rip it right out of his grasp. Even then I won't take it all; I'll leave him one tribe in honor of my servant David and out of respect for my chosen city Jerusalem."

Our children will pay for it!

The plague has started…

The plague has started…

Quick, get the incense and make atonement.

“Numbers 16”

I have been praying about the reason or the reasons why the church  (as a whole) struggles so much, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get an answer like this. I have heard over and over how people do not agree with the way the church is going, how things are run or the way it is functioning. I am sure you know about the rebellion against Moses in the wilderness, but it has never struck me so hard before. I want to go over the story….in the Message translation to amplify the issues.  

1.       Korah didn’t like the direction Moses was taking the people; he stated that all the people were holy and godly, and they all could here from God.

Numbers 16:1-3 Getting on his high horse one day, Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, along with a few Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—rebelled against Moses. He had with him 250 leaders of the congregation of Israel, prominent men with positions in the Council. They came as a group and confronted Moses and Aaron, saying, "You've overstepped yourself. This entire community is holy and God is in their midst. So why do you act like you're running the whole show?" 

When Pastor or Pastors hurt your feelings, or if you disagree with the direction the church is going, be very careful not to rebell against the Pastor. It maybe true that we hear from God as well as them, and we may feel that the headship is overstepping their boundries but that is no excuse for this kind of behavior. God hates this kind of rebellion. Remember, the people were in the midst of God as well, the were equalivant to Christians today. They were in the congregation amongst the people of God. They were the people of God.

2.       We know that the ground opened up and swallowed them, I don’t want to rehearse this again but you can read about it if you would like in Numbers 16:4-33.

3.       Now here is where I really want to focus, notice that not everyone in the rebellion was swallowed up.

v, 34-35 At the sound of their cries everyone around ran for dear life, shouting, "We're about to be swallowed up alive!"  Then God sent lightning. The fire cremated the 250 men who were offering the incense.

The 250 men were offering the incense, is a picture of prayer….they were praying to God but they still were struck down. You maybe praying but that doesnt mean your not acting out against Gods annointed, and you may be in danger.

4.       THE NEXT DAY!!!

 v. 41 Grumbling broke out the next day in the community of Israel, grumbling against Moses and Aaron [the pastors]: "You have killed God's people!"

 42 But it so happened that when the community got together against Moses and Aaron, they looked over at the Tent of Meeting and there was the Cloud—the Glory of God for all to see.

 43-45 Moses and Aaron stood at the front of the Tent of Meeting. God spoke to Moses: "Back away from this congregation so that I can do away with them this very minute." They threw themselves facedown on the ground.

Notice: the next day after the 250 men were swallowed up, the people came together grumbling and complaining against Moses and Aaron (the Pastors) and immediately God arrived  to judge them again just like the previous day. It started with their mouthes!!! We need to keep our negative opinions about our pastors and headship to ourselves...

5.       The plague started….

v. 46 Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer and fill it with incense, along with fire from the Altar. Get to the congregation as fast as you can: make atonement for them. Anger is pouring out from God—the plague has started!"

 47-48 Aaron grabbed the censer, as directed by Moses, and ran into the midst of the congregation. The plague had already begun. He put burning incense into the censer and atoned for the people. He stood there between the living and the dead and stopped the plague.

 49-50 Fourteen thousand seven hundred people died from the plague, not counting those who died in the affair of Korah. Aaron then went back to join Moses at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. The plague was stopped.

14,700 people died from the plaque that was started because of COMPLAINING against the headship!!! Not to mention the 250 that died the day before! All because the people spoke against their headship....Our pastors need our prayers. If you do not think they are doing what is right, heed this chapter...do not give the devil a foot hole in your church and pray for them. God is big enough to guide them in the direction they should go. Pride always makes people think they can do a better job, or they know whats best. Lucifer was full of it.

6.      The plague needs to be stopped.  Pastors...please pray for your congregation.  

I can’t help but wonder how many have fallen off because of this type of rebellion…There is nothing worse than to be poisoned by a fellow believer about things the Pastor is doing wrong.  No one benefits from it, and there is no edification in it. People are turned off by it and no fruit is produced.

Jesus was straight forward...

Luke 20:^{20 -22} Watching for a chance to get him, they sent spies who posed as honest inquirers, hoping to trick him into saying something that would get him in trouble with the law. So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you're honest and straightforward when you teach, that you don't pander to anyone but teach the way of God accurately. .

Jesus never indulged people with His teachings. He always taught straightforward, can you imagine how offended people got? If their heart wasn't totally surrendered to God, they would try their hardest to get Him in trouble with the law. I have seen and heard of people doing this very thing today! People will get offended by something someone says and run to tell their authority figures...

When you are someone that really loves the word of God and you see people twisting it and not interpreting it correctly, it can really make you angry! Then to be accused and slandered wrongly, after you try and explain it to them,  can just put a bad taste in your mouth.


 Luke 10:16
“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

John 12:48
He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.


Take heart, do what Jesus did. Don't pander to anyone but teach the way of God accurately. It is your calling, no matter what the consequence is....we must take a stand!

I have become very leery of people that every time there is a problem they run to tell their authority. Is this what God wants or are they just trying to brown nose? Get ahead, in the so called game. If someone offends you the bible does not say to run and tell your authority, it says to first go and talk to them. Discuss it with them! (Matt 18) I question peoples true motives when they do exactly what the religious leaders did in Jesus day. Are they truly seeking and doing the heart of God? The religious people where the people zealous for God, they appeared on fire for God and they abide by every rule! You would have never thought they had ulterior motives.
If they had a teachable spirit, they would have delighted to hear the teachings of Jesus. They would have questioned themselves and judged themselves to see if what Jesus was saying about them was true.

Now, there is a balance to this of course...

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Acts 17:11
These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

We must search ourselves to see if what people are saying is true.

Now there is a flip to this....Peter was very zealous and desired to please God very much. He was the one that Jesus commanded to come out of the boat and he walked on water, he also was the one Jesus rebuked because he always put his foot in his mouth. When people first get saved they are very radical, they abide by every law and think that if you aren't on outreach your backsliding.....this isn't what I am talking about. They have no ulterior motives, they just haven't matured or learned  how to have tact.

Matthew 14:29
He said, "Come ahead." Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, "Master, save me!"
Matthew 16:23
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
Now , before you read the next verse, its important that you understand that the religious leaders had a lot of rules. They would impose those rules on everyone. Even with what they would eat, some foods where forbidden, like pork, shrimp, catfish ect....

The law of love....
Romans 14:14-23 (The Message)

^13-14Forget about deciding what's right for each other. Here's what you need to be concerned about: that you don't get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is. I'm convinced—Jesus convinced me!—that everything as it is in itself is holy. We, of course, by the way we treat it or talk about it, can contaminate it.
^15-16If you confuse others by making a big issue over what they eat or don't eat, you're no longer a companion with them in love, are you? These, remember, are persons for whom Christ died. Would you risk sending them to hell over an item in their diet? Don't you dare let a piece of God-blessed food become an occasion of soul-poisoning!
^17-18God's kingdom isn't a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness' sake. It's what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you'll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you.
^19-21So let's agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don't drag them down by finding fault. You're certainly not going to permit an argument over what is served or not served at supper to wreck God's work among you, are you? I said it before and I'll say it again: All food is good, but it can turn bad if you use it badly, if you use it to trip others up and send them sprawling. When you sit down to a meal, your primary concern should not be to feed your own face but to share the life of Jesus. So be sensitive and courteous to the others who are eating. Don't eat or say or do things that might interfere with the free exchange of love.
^22-23Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong.

Used and abused...

When people think addiction they think, drugs and alcohol. However, we can be addicted to many things and people pleasing is one of them! I have struggled with this in my past and I have learned that people pleasing can run you ragged! It can kill the fire and peace God has given you! I have had to learn that I have certain boundaries that can not be crossed, if I let people cross them, I lose the victory. When people take advantage of me, it leaves me angry, hurt, used and resentful! We can blame everyone around us but it is our fault. We need to realize no one can take what we don't give. We are in control! If we do not take control, we have no one to blame but ourselves. I have had to learn to say no at the hardest times and make stands that were very uncomfortable, but today I am a better person because of it...not to mention happier!

Galatians 1:10 (New King James Version)
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

-VS-

1 Corinthians 10:33 (New King James Version)
just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

These 2 scriptures seem to contradict themselves. We need to learn the heart of God....God is not into the extremes. Everything has a balance. Our enemy loves to take us to the extreme with every teaching the bible teaches. 

Paul wanted to maintain good relationships with people, he wanted to win them to Christ! He put priority on pleasing God, he knew if he was to busy pleasing people, he wouldn't be able to please God. People pleasing takes all your TIME and ENERGY! It leaves no room for God and what He has called you to do.

Acts 5:29 (New King James Version)
But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.

Pleasing people is good but being a people pleaser is not.

If you allow yourself to be controlled, manipulated and used by others....you are indeed a people pleaser. If you fear rejection, judgement or what people say or think about you, you are probably are a people pleaser. If you fear people getting angry at you because of something you will or will not do, then you probably are a people pleaser.

Why do you do what you do? You reasoning and motives will tell you a lot about yourself.We should be doing things because we are led by God to do it or because it is the right thing to do. being persuaded by fear or people pleasing doesn't please God.

Sometimes things can appear to be good, but it may not be good at all. Enablers can be doing just the opposite of what God wants. They can be working against God, instead of with God. For instance: a person that enables an alcoholic to drink is not helping the person they are hurting them. Sometimes people need to hit bottom before they even find God! I was one of those people. I would have never experienced God if I didn't hit the bottom. If we are always rescuing people....God cant rescue them. We are in the way! If we love these people then the best thing we can do for them is stop helping them.


Hebrews 12:6 (The Message)
4-11In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children?

My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline,
but don't be crushed by it either.
It's the child he loves that he disciplines;
the child he embraces, he also corrects.
God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God

I am sure you will agree God is the author of real and true love. He shows us how to love correctly. He doesn't people please; he does what is best, no matter how hard it is. Tough love is the best love you can offer people sometimes.

Proverbs 13:24
He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

I put this scripture up because although we might not be dealing with our children, it still applies! I have many people that I consider my children in Christ...baby converts, ect. I want to be helpful but I don't want to be an enabler! When someone as me to do something, the best response is, "let me pray about it, I will get back to you." It makes us think about what it is we are committing to and if its Gods will.

John 12:42-43 (The Message)
On the other hand, a considerable number from the ranks of the leaders did believe. But because of the Pharisees, they didn't come out in the open with it. They were afraid of getting kicked out of the meeting place. When push came to shove they cared more for human approval than for God's glory.

You can see the hindrance here in these peoples lives, when they live out the fear of people pleasing. You cant be what God wants you to be like this.

If you open yourself up to being used and abused you will end up bitter, resentful and angry. You do have control of this, even if it is uncomfortable. We need to be careful what we subject ourselves to.

Proverbs 4:23 (New King James Version)
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.

I highly recommend reading the book "Approval Addiction" if you would like to read more about the subject.

My moms birthday pictures

 We decided to take random pictures of my mom last month for her birthday! We had so much fun! I really need to learn new techniques, this is what I enjoy doing!

Don't get distracted...

Matthew 13:57
So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.”

I want to draw the parallel from home town to home church. The place where everyone knows your flaws and knows where you came from.

Jesus could not do many miracles in His home town….prophet has no honor in his own home.

·         He did not let their rejection stop him, he knew he had many others to reach.

·         He didn't try and convince them he was a great guy.

·         He didn’t try a explain the Validity of his ministry.

·         He didn’t defend himself .

·        He never tried to help people that did not want help, he didn't beg them to believe.

Jesus did not say oh please can I help u or try over and over to help someone. He helped those that called out to Him….these were the people that already believed.

If they do not ask then do not try and help them! (This is for people that are saved and born again) This is not for the people we are supposed to reach out to, the people that do not know Him.

Luke 4:28-30 they tried to kill him when His words got corrective. They were ok with him when he was preaching  in the desert....when they needed something.

10% of people will not like you NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO!

Satan uses rejection to stop people in their tracks to keep them from fulfilling the call on their life!

 Matthew 10:14 (Amplified Bible)
14And whoever will not receive and accept and welcome you nor listen to your message, as you leave that house or town, shake the dust [of it] from your feet.

 Even when you find people that love and accept you, you must keep going.....don't stop there!

Luke 4:42-44 (Amplified Bible)

    ⁴²And when daybreak came, He left [Peter's house] and went into an isolated [desert] place. And the people looked for Him until they came up to Him and tried to prevent Him from leaving them.
    ⁴³But He said to them, I must preach the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of God to the other cities [and towns] also, for I was sent for this [purpose].
    ⁴⁴And He continued to preach in the synagogues of Galilee.

He wasn’t moved by rejection or acceptance, he was moved by the spirit of god.

You cant try and keep people happy, it will never work!

Jesus didn't even just stay were the multitudes where. He would leave the 99 for the 1!

Matthew 18:12-14 (Amplified Bible)
12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray and gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost?
13And if it should be that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost.
14Just so it is not the will of My Father Who is in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost and perish.

We need to stay focused....we need to see with our eyes wide open. Our eyes need to be focused outwardly not inwardly...always looking at our own lives. People are so concerned with their own lives they don't see the heart of God. What really counts! Its not all about me!

Amos 6:3-6 (The Message)
Woe to you who are rushing headlong to disaster!
Catastrophe is just around the corner!
Woe to those who live in luxury
and expect everyone else to serve them!
Woe to those who live only for today,
indifferent to the fate of others!
Woe to the playboys, the playgirls,
who think life is a party held just for them!
Woe to those addicted to feeling good—life without pain!
those obsessed with looking good—life without wrinkles!
They could not care less
about their country going to ruin.

God help us not to be consumed by this world!
I don't care who hates me....I will not stay in a place where people love me.....I wont even stay in the multitudes. My hearts desire is to be lead by God, feel His heart and see what truly needs to get done and the DO IT....before its to late!

Matthew 13:22-23 (New King James Version)
22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
My prayer is that God would help me identify the distractions in my life so I can be more useful to Him! 

Religious?

I have been saved 9 years now. It has come to my attention that people use the word religous in different ways. Some mean it as a put down and others use it as what the definition states.

Religious means relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity 2. of, relating to, or devoted to religious beliefs or observances 3. scrupulously and conscientiously faithful.


When Jesus dealt with religious people, He was very harsh at times. Religiousness is bad when you have become a robot. Doing traditions just for the sack of doing them and not knowing why or even what you are doing.

Addressing the people that only do what they are taught or have been told without really understanding. Their hearts are far from God.

Isaiah 29:13
The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.

Addressing the people that are religous but still don't know who God really is:\

Acts 17:22-23 (New Living Translation)
22 So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.

Addressing the people that claim to be religous but it is useless to them:

James 1:26 (New Living Translation)
26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.

By definition I am a religous person, however, I know my God personally and intimately! I know His name and I understand why I do what I do. My heart is fully engaged! I do understand why people use this term but I beleive it is being used lightly. I dont beleive we should call people this. I also think that it is used when something has been said that hurts. I truly dont desire to hurt anyone but I will preach and teach the gospel and I stick to....If God be true, every man is a liar! If you contradict God, I WILL NOT AGREE WITH YOU. :-)!

 Romans 3:4 (Amplified Bible)
By no means! Let God be found true though every human being is false and a liar, as it is written, That You may be justified and shown to be upright in what You say, and prevail when You are judged [by sinful men].

Romans 3:4 (New King James Version)
 Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written:
“ That You may be justified in Your words,
And may overcome when You are judged.”

Are you stubborn? Did you know that God commands you to change it?

Deuteronomy 10:16 (NLT)
Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn.

stub·born
1. unreasonably obstinate; obstinately unmoving: a stubborn child.
2. fixed or set in purpose or opinion; resolute: a stubborn opponent of foreign aid.
3. obstinately maintained, as a course of action: a stubborn resistance.
4. difficult to manage or suppress: a stubborn horse; a stubborn pain.
5. hard, tough, or stiff, as stone or wood; difficult to shape or

For those of you that know me, you know I am very stubborn! I was reading this morning this Scripture and felt a tug to study it. God really doesn't like us to be stubborn. He wants to be able to teach us His ways and then He wants us to DO IT! Easier said then done, right? I have always been an opinionated and outspoken person. I can be very set in my ways and very hard to deal with at times. I believe God is with me and leading me to this. So sit back and enjoy the ride as we see how serious God is about this subject.

Deuteronomy 9:6You must recognize that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land because you are good, for you are not—you are a stubborn people.

Deuteronomy 9:13-14
“The Lord also said to me, ‘I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are.¹⁴ Leave me alone so I may destroy them and erase their name from under heaven. Then I will make a mighty nation of your descendants, a nation larger and more powerful than they are.’

He wanted to destroy them? That's what I am reading...God help us not to be stubborn!

1.) God was mad because the children of Israel made an idol and worshipped it.

You might not think you have idols....human nature is to worship something and if you haven't completely surrendered to God then you probably have one. It can creep up on you if you aren't careful. It is a daily surrender, not a one time deal.

money
cars
friends
husband
keeping house clean
losing weight
exercise
career
education
family
video games
food
parties
drinking
weed
kids
getting a husband
having a baby

Anything that consumes your thoughts or anything you put first....is an idol. It could be something good for you, like exercise...however, if it consumes you and that's all you think about or if you put it first in your life...guess what? Its your idol. If  God has commanded you to do something or to stop doing something, and you don't....its your idol.
I am sure their are some of you out there ... I didn't list your idol but check this Scripture out:

1 Samuel 15:23 (NLT)
Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.

Stubbornness is as bad as idolatry!

Is 48:4-5 For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are.
      Your necks are as unbending as iron.
      Your heads are as hard as bronze.
 ⁵ That is why I told you what would happen;
      I told you beforehand what I was going to do.   Then you could never say, ‘My idols did it.
      My wooden image and metal god commanded it to happen!’

Jeremiah 11:8 (New Living Translation) but your ancestors did not listen or even pay attention. Instead, they stubbornly followed their own evil desires. And because they refused to obey, I brought upon them all the curses described in this covenant.’”

CURSED? BECAUSE OF STUBBORNNESS? That's correct!

People say things like, its hard, I don't think I can do it....but God has never commanded us to do something that is impossible. We refuse to obey....that is the bottom line.
We need obey God and when we step out to obey, His grace will sustain us. His strength will enable us to be able to do the impossible. We must take the first step!
God has warned us on so many occasions...we need to slow down and think about what He is asking from us. Our stubbornness can make us go through SUFFERINGS! We could have been refined differently but because we wont let things go; He refines us with suffering. It isn't the devils fault! Its our fault.....because of stubbornness!
Is 48:10 I have refined you, but not as silver is refined.
      Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.

We must return our hearts back to God....not just our words but our actions.

Jeremiah 4 (the message)
 ^1-2 "If you want to come back, O Israel, you must really come back to me.
You must get rid of your stinking sin paraphernalia
   and not wander away from me anymore.
Then you can say words like, 'As God lives...'
   and have them mean something true and just and right.
And the godless nations will get caught up in the blessing
   and find something in Israel to write home about."

3-4 Here's another Message from God
to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:
"Plow your unplowed fields,
but then don't plant weeds in the soil!
Yes, circumcise your lives for God's sake.
Plow your unplowed hearts,
all you people of Judah and Jerusalem.
Prevent fire—the fire of my anger—
for once it starts it can't be put out.
Your wicked ways are fuel for the fire.

Zechariah 7:11-12 (New Living Translation)
11 “Your ancestors refused to listen to this message. They stubbornly turned away and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing. 12 They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the instructions or the messages that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had sent them by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. That is why the Lord of Heaven’s Armies was so angry with them.

If People Can't See What God Is Doing, they run the risk of being destroyed.

Proverbs 29:1 (The Message)
For people who hate discipline and only get more stubborn,
There'll come a day when life tumbles in and they break,
but by then it'll be too late to help them.

Psalm 32:9 (Amplified Bible)
Be not like the horse or the mule, which lack understanding, which must have their mouths held firm with bit and bridle, or else they will not come with you.
No one can force us to stop being stubborn...we need to submit to the Spirit. We can bring much destruction and suffering to our lives if we don't. We can curse ourselves and our kids.
How many people do you know that are stubborn and as a result their kids are stubborn?

Stubbornness.....is it really worth it?



Once we lose our strength, it is easy to take our vision.

Dieing spiritually is a process. Nothing can die unless it was once alive.


 James 1:15 Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death.

Sin in its infancy doesn't bring death but mature sin brings forth death. This gives hope where there seems to be no hope.

To prevent dieing spiritually we must deal with our sin when it starts and not let it grow bigger. We must deal radically with it, whether it is personal sin in our body or whether it is sin in the body of Christ (the church). Both have to be dealt with radically!

Matthew 5:29-30 (New King James Version)
If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
If we don't deal with sin radically the original text warns us; that when sin is full grown, it WILL bring forth death. What is funny is that people don't realize when they have died spiritually. They still carry a reputation of being alive.

Revelation 3:1
[ To the Church in Sardis ] “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

Judges 16:20-21 (Amplified Bible)
She said, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! And he awoke out of his sleep and said, I will go out as I have time after time and shake myself free. For Samson did not know that the Lord had departed from him.
21But the Philistines laid hold of him, bored out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with [two] bronze fetters; and he ground at the mill in the prison.

Notice that after the Lord had departed from Samson, Samson didn't even realize it....notice the first thing that was taken was his strength. Second, was his vision and third he was bound up.

Once we lose our strength it is easy to take our vision.... Vision can be your dream and it also is seeing spiritually. Once we cant see...we are easily ensnared by our sin again. Shackled by it. Slave to it.

God has given the dead church a warning:

Revelation 3:2-6 (New King James Version)
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

Pretty sobering if you ask me.

1. WATCH

1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

2. STRENGTHEN

1 Corinthians 14:3
But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.
3. HOLD FAST

2 Thessalonians 2:15
So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter

4. REPENT
Matthew (The Message)
7-10When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It's your life that must change, not your skin! And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire.

I am just Renee....

 

 

Mark 6

Just a Carpenter

   ^{1 -2} He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?"
   ³But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "He's just a carpenter—Mary's boy. We've known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?" They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further.
   ^{4 -6}Jesus told them, "A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child." Jesus wasn't able to do much of anything there—he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that's all. He couldn't get over their stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages, teaching.

The Twelve

   
   ^{7 -8}Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition. He sent them off with these instructions:
   ^{8 -9}"Don't think you need a lot of extra equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for funds. Keep it simple.
   ¹⁰"And no luxury inns. Get a modest place and be content there until you leave.
   ¹¹"If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way."
   ^{12 -13}Then they were on the road. They preached with joyful urgency that life can be radically different; right and left they sent the demons packing; they brought wellness to the sick, anointing their bodies, healing their spirits.

I do not think its a coincidence that the story of Jesus just being a carpenter and then how to deal with people that don't listen to you are next to each other. If it happened to Him, it will happen to us! The bible promises this.

I was reading and I realized that I have experienced this same thing. People that have come to know me well, like family(even in the church): at first are really shocked about what I have to say and get really excited with me. Then in the very same breath they become offended at my words. At first they are teachable and then end up saying things like "who does she think she is".... I may not be a prophetess, but I do believe  I hear from God and I believe God leads me to say things. It has taken me awhile to realize, no matter how careful I am; people get offended; unless their heart is right with God. It doesn't matter how careful I am. I have even seen the most gentle people offend them.

In verse 11, it says,  "If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way."!

This is a sad thing to me. I love my peeps and never want to just quietly withdraw; I want to fight for their soul with everything in me! God help me to learn how to do this. I truly want to do all God has commanded me, just not the stuff I agree with.

I have seen so many people love God and be about His business and then all of a sudden they are done and want nothing to do with God or Gods people.

These 2 stories have really helped me today. Jesus couldn't get over how stubborn they were. He was God in the flesh and dealt with the same stuff.

The Foolish Woman -vs- The Wise Woman

Job 2:8-10 (New Living Translation)
8 Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. 9 His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.” 10 But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

When things are falling apart around you; its easy to throw in the towel. People may look into your situation... but have no idea what its like to be in your shoes. Jobs wife, alot of times gets the bad rap. She says "curse God and die"....but if you look at her with a self righteous attitude, be careful, that might be you next month! I truly believe that this woman loved God but that she was being pressed like never before! Its always easy to judge when your on the outside of the boxing ring, but if you are in the fight, you get tired.

Notice: Job replied."you talk like a foolish woman", this is why I did this study. I have been where Jobs wife is. Tired of the trial, tired that my husband is being so strong... while I am pathetically crawling to survive. The trial Job went through, effected his whole family! His wife, kids, even his animals! I don't want to "talk or act like a foolish woman" when I am in these situations....and I don't want to act all righteous when I see others in thier trial either.

Proverbs 14:1 A wise woman builds her home,
but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.

How many times have we gotten so mad, we act like we don't care, we say forget it! no more! I am done! I quit! While things are hard we need to be very careful, and remember that our trials and decisions can effect our spouse and children. If we are foolish we will tear our house down.....the bible says that this is not wise. The question is: will our spouse and children be able to recover from it if we act foolish? Even in the face of adversity we must develop a home that we can build our families up! A peaceful invironment for our family. A sanctuary we can run to, feel safe from the world. It shouldn't be a place where our family dreads coming to, because of fighting and turmoil. Or because they never know what to expect from us.

Notice in the next scripture that wisdom is referred to as a woman!

Proverbs 9:1 (NLT)
Wisdom has built her house;
she has carved its seven columns.
The seven pillars: the number 7 represents completeness and pillars represent stability. She has carved them...she has labored and worked hard for the completeness and stability in her home. It doesn't come natural....it isn't easy, it was hard.

Proverbs 9:2 (NLT)
She has prepared a great banquet,
mixed the wines, and set the table.

The wise woman prepared a feast! The banquet included MEAT, WINE  and A LOVELY TABLE.
Meat was the mark of a feast in biblical times. Feasts are not thrown together, they are well thought out! A homemaker would add spices to the wine to make it smell good. She pays attention to the details. Similar to when we put a bouquet of flowers on the table for decoration, or season the food to make the flavor better. It would also bring a smell that would improve the taste to the meal. She is a good hostess! Wisdom was busy while the foolish woman sat at the entrance of her house with very little to do.

Proverbs 9:13-14 (New King James Version) A foolish woman is clamorous; She is simple, and knows nothing. For she sits at the door of her house, On a seat by the highest places of the city

This verse contrast the previous verse....a foolish woman is loud brash and lacks understanding. She doesn't prepare a banquet nor does she pay attention to details. She SITS with nothing to do, bored!

Its interesting if you continue to read the two different scriptures about the foolish and wise; both women call out to the people but the foolish woman calls out with a bit of a twist.

The Wise Woman:
Proverbs 9:4-6 (NKJV)
4 “ Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
5 “ Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.
The Foolish Woman:
Proverbs 9:15-17 (NKJV)
15 To call to those who pass by, Who go straight on their way:
16 “ Whoever is simple, let him turn in here”; And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
17 “ Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

Its amazing to me that both are reaching out! We will outreach for God or for hell, whether we think so or not. We are either foolish or wise.

I believe all of us have a desire to be good wives and mothers, but we need to be very aware of what we are doing. This will testify whether we are being foolish or wise. Even the godliest woman can fall. (Jobs wife) If we have strayed off that straight and narrow path, God is faithful to restore us. We need to repent, ask for forgiveness and press for the mark! Just like the seven pillars...we need to strive for completeness and stability! Our emotions (women) can be very unstable at times...I have been praying that God would stabilize my emotions and that He would make me complete! We can't do this in our own power....It has to be God! Trust in Him and do not lean on your own understanding!

Pray like it all depends on God, and act like it all depends on you. Be busy about your fathers business. It will keep you. I have noticed when I stop doing my Fathers business; church and stuff becomes boring....but when I am about His business it comes to life, fun, fullfilling, exciting and most of all it brings joy to my household!
The Joy of the Lord is our strength! The Joy comes from works!

Galatians 6:4 (AMP) But let every person carefully scrutinize and examine and test his own conduct and his own work. He can then have the personal satisfaction and joy of doing something commendable [^[in itself alone] without [resorting to] boastful comparison with his neighbor.

Matthew 25:3-4 (NKJV) Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Matthew 7:24-27 (NKJV)
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

PS: please leave a comment.