Not Like Everyone Else

Not Like Everyone Else

2 Timothy 3: ¹⁴ But as for you, continue in the truths that you were taught and firmly believe. You know who your teachers were, ¹⁵ and you remember that ever since you were a child, you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, ¹⁷ so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed.

 

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Hearing the lie said in the smooth delivery made me mad. I watched people fall for the lie and was amazed! I got up and told the truth and was met with criticism. “You are just jealous” is what someone, who was brave enough, said to me. “I wonder if I should start lying” was my thought.

 

• I was tired of bad people getting ahead.
• I was tired of being nice and finishing “last.”
• I was tired of being ignored because I was trying to be “good.”

 

Paul finishes his warning to Timothy regarding conduct. He had mentioned that there would be some people who would persecute, derive evil and be deceitful. “But as for you” he says to Timothy. He tells Timothy there is another path.

 

My Observations

• When other people are acting deceitful or imposing persecution or manipulative, GOD wants me to “continue in the truth.”
• When it seems like everyone else is going one way that does not include JESUS as GOD and LORD of all, HE wants me to stand firm in the scriptures that HE inspired.
• When I need to make a decision to be popular with a lie or be unpopular with the truth in scripture, GOD wants me to choose the unpopular route.

 

Believing in JESUS does not make people popular. In fact it seems quite the opposite. People run in the other direction at the mention of scripture or JESUS. BUT GOD wants everyone to understand HIS love and HE inspires many writers to speak about JESUS.

 

GOD’s revelation of HIS SON equips me for life’s traps and trials. When times were difficult, I can look back and see that HE was with me and that following the scriptures was all I had during times of deep trouble. I am so glad GOD has given us the scripture to help me live a life pleasing to HIM.

 

Challenge

• What truths is the writer talking about?
• Does “relative truth” scare you?
• Will you continue in the truth of JESUS, our LORD and Savior, by studying HIS word and gaining useful wisdom that leads you to salvation and becoming fully qualified and equipped today?

Rating Sermons

Rating Sermons

1 Thessalonians 5: ¹⁹ Do not restrain the Holy Spirit; ²⁰ do not despise inspired messages. ²¹ Put all things to the test: keep what is good ²² and avoid every kind of evil.

 

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It had been years since I set foot into a church. Something pulled me back. I don’t know if it was loneliness or regret for where I was in life, I just knew I had to go to church. I went to one and did not like the message or the way it was delivered. I tried others and ran into similar thoughts. “What good is church!?” I said in frustration.

 

• I felt all preachers were scammers trying to protect their salaries.
• I listened intently to messages to see if it was “wrong.”
• I noticed more flaws in the delivery person than the message.

 

Paul. Silas and Timothy provided a few urgent warnings to help the people grow. “Put all things to test” was said to probably provide the people with a filter versus a way to combat. They knew some people would say “things” that were inspired by GOD, yet their delivery may be too coarse or too soft or somewhere in between. Despite imperfect people, the message could be sound.

 

My Observations

• GOD provides the HOLY SPIRIT to live inside me and others who believe in JESUS so I can hear HIM trying to reach me with HIS love.
• GOD inspires men and women to speak about HIM and wants me to embrace HIS loving message, while avoiding evil from men, or women or myself.
• GOD wants me to hear from others and plant what is good in my heart.

 

Hearing the message that “GOD loves” is difficult to hear from imperfect humans. I mean, when I look at what he or she did or is doing, it is hard to hear the love GOD is intently trying to convey. Somehow, HE uses imperfect people to speak about HIS perfection.

 

HE desires that my heart become a malleable place that can be stretched to house the HOLY SPIRIT. When my heart is ready to be filled with HIS love, I can hear messages that are truly inspired by GOD. I can also discern and avoid all kinds of evil. I appreciate and welcome others to speak about GOD the way HE inspired him or her to do.

 

Challenge

• What is the warning of the writers?
• Have you ever heard a sermon or read a message from someone who seems inconsistent with GOD or from a hypocrite?
• Will you overlook the sin of hypocrisy and listen to the HOLY SPIRIT so your heart can be softened to hear HIS message of love today?

Perfect Love

 

Perfect Love

1 Corinthians 13: ⁸ Love is eternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass. ⁹ For our gifts of knowledge and of inspired messages are only partial; ¹⁰ but when what is perfect comes, then what is partial will disappear.

 

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“You can do it” were the words of inspiration I told someone. When the person accomplished what was set out to do, I wondered if my words had any part in the success. I wonder this because I could not do what the person was attempting.

 

• My inspiration is a partial solution to someone’s circumstance.
• My speech is a partial solution to someone’s situation.
• My sharing of knowledge to help someone is flawed because I only have partial knowledge.

 

Paul says “Love is eternal.” This love he speaks about is JESUS. When HE returns, then there will be no need for humans to use their gifts to point to perfection.

 

My Observation

• JESUS is love and HE gives HIS perfect love to me.
• JESUS died for me and was raised from the dead to wipe away my sins.
• JESUS sent the HOLY SPIRIT to live inside me because sin is part of me.

 

Being born into sin is difficult. I mean, my thoughts are usually not on GOD, rather they are on myself. But every once in a while, I am prompted to use a gift GOD gave me to point people to JESUS. This is temporary. I fall into sin, repent, and seek to be better day by day.

 

JESUS knows I have this issue. HE knows that sin will be present in me until HE returns and I am with HIM eternally. Until then, HE wants me to know humans are not perfect, but HIS love is perfection. I am grateful for HIS love for anyone who can give their heart to HIM.

 

Challenge

• What messages or actions inspire you from a person who is not alive?
• Have you ever been inspired for a short period of time and discouraged during another?
• Will you ease up on your pursuit of temporary solutions and seek the perfect, eternal solution which is JESUS, who will guide you into all truth today?

Am I led by the SPIRIT?

1 Corinthians 2: ¹² What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

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When speaking about the HOLY SPIRIT I sometimes feel like a nut.  I mean can I really tell others that I actually hear something that tells me what to do without sounding crazy? Well, let me tell you, the HOLY SPIRIT tells me stuff to do all the time, sometimes I listen.

• When I’m tempted to sin the HOLY SPIRIT warns me against the sin.
• When I want to be mad at that person, the HOLY SPIRIT says forgive just like you were forgiven.
• When I want to treat myself to something nice, the HOLY SPIRIT says give that extra cash to someone in need.

The problem I have with the HOLY SPIRIT is I want to do what I want to do and most times I don’t want to listen to HIM. HE is always going to tell me to do something I don’t want to do, yet when I listen to HIM my heart is filled.

• When I listen to the HOLY SPIRIT, I never go wrong.
• When I listen to the HOLY SPIRIT, it’s scary at first then I realize later I’m on the best path.
• When I listen to the HOLY SPIRIT, I do things I normally would not do but it furthers the kingdom.

I have seen people burn down buildings or kill their families saying GOD told them to do it. Now to me that’s crazy. The HOLT SPIRIT says to me “Be compassionate to your enemy” or “Go serve when you don’t feel like serving” or “Give even when you feel nervous about giving.” None of these items are news worthy but I can tell you, each time I obey, I understand GOD a little more.

• Are you led by the HOLY SPIRIT or are you doing what you want to do?
• What are you doing to step out on GOD’s faith?
• What part of GOD’s kingdom is HE nagging you about?
• Is there someplace or someone GOD is telling you to serve and you are ignoring it?
• Won’t you listen to the HOLY SPIIT today and obey HIM?

SPIRIT led choices

Acts:  ²¹ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, ²² beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

 ²³ So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. ²⁴ Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen ²⁵ to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” ²⁶ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

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When I got my first job out of college I drove to the small town without directions (typical man). I didn’t know the area or where I worked but I needed to find an apartment.  A car cut me off as I drove around my new “strange” town. Stopping to catch my breath, I glanced over and there was a set of hidden apartments, under my price range.

A feeling came over me saying “this is the place” so I immediately put a down payment on the place then I went to check out where I worked. To my amazement my job was only four blocks from my apartment.

• I don’t have to see burning bushes to see GOD every day.
• I don’t have to see seas splitting open to see GOD working in my life.
• I don’t have to see fire rain down from heaven to see GOD steering me and guiding me.

Okay, there are times when I don’t feel comfortable speaking about the experiences I’ve had with GOD. I mean I feel like I will be looked at like I am a nut or people will brush off my situation as a coincidence or belittle it. BUT GOD says something different.

• GOD is just as concerned about my “little” choices as much as the large ones.
• GOD has a plan for me and has chosen me for that plan.
• GOD protects and guides me.

The disciples were very SPIRIT led when making a choice for a new apostle. They relied on GOD to make the choice for them. Please don’t get me wrong, planning is great, just don’t leave GOD out of the plans!

• Do you have a decision to make?
• Have you considered allowing GOD to guide your direction?
• Are you trying to control every aspect of your life?
• Which decisions have you left up to the SPIRIT to make?

IF (by Rudyard Kipling)

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!