Sharp Thoughts

Sharp Thoughts...
THE PROBLEM: ROMANS 3:23 FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. Our world is in a big mess. Why? Because of one thing. We are all sinners. The word sinned means to miss the mark as if we were shooting at a bullseye target. Whether we have missed it by a little or by a lot we have all missed it.
THE PENALTY:
ROMANS 6:23 FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH; BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. Wages is something that we have earned. We have earned the penalty of death because we are all sinners. We have no way of escaping that , but God offered us a gift, someone to pay that debt for us. A gift is not a gift if it has conditions you have to work for.
THE PROVISION:
ROMANS 5:8 BUT GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.
God provided a way out of our penalty. God loves us and God's love means he wants the best for you even if it means giving his own son to die in your place for your sins. He doesn't wait for you to clean yourself up. He died for you while you were yet a sinner.
THE PLAN:
ROMANS 10:9 THAT IF THOU SHALT CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS AND SHALT BELIEVE IN THINE HEART THAT GOD HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, THOU SHALT BE SAVED
God made it so easy. All we have to do is confess that we are sinners and ask for forgiveness and confess that Jesus provided that forgiveness. We need to recognize that Jesus won victory over death providing me also victory over death.
THE PROMISE
ROMANS 10:13 - FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.
Whosoever means anyone. God who cannot lie gives us this promise in His word.
THE PROOF:
ROMANS 5:1 - THEREFORE BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
We are a stubborn people. We have to have things proved to us. The proof of our salvation is do you have peace in your heart when it comes to God.
Sharp Thoughts…
June, 2017 Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
The Bible teaches us that we should pray to God fist for all things in our lives. I knew a couple that prayed to God for everything. If a toaster broke or coffee maker or anything, they prayed for God to repair it. I asked them how often that worked. Their answer was every time it didn't start working again, they had the money to go get a new one, and the few times it did start working again they didn't have the money to
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger.
At baseball umpire school they teach that when you get in an argument with a ball player, talk in a low soft voice and many times his tone will come down to yours. IIf we could just slow down and think before we speak, ask ourselves if what we are going to say is necessary, ask ourselves if what we are going to say is kind, we might find that we are much better off.

August 17, 2016

EZEKIEL 9:8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them and I was left, that I fell upon my face and cried, and said, Ah Lord God! Wilt Thou destroy all the residue of Israel in Thy pouring out of Thy fury upon Jerusalem?
Ezekiel has been given a vision by God of the destruction and death of the people before the third deportation to Babylon. The only priest left falls on his face and cries and pleads to God for the people. Notice that true prophets of God never seek revenge for how they have been treated. They would like to see everyone saved. Something to think about.

July 11, 2016

John 19:9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, "Whence art thou?" But Jesus gave him no answer. VERSE 10 Then saith Pilate unto him, "Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?" VERSE11 Jesus answered, "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore, he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

Pilate asks the question, Whence art thou or where are you from? What is his origin? A question that has been asked by many since his birth. Jesus gives no answer. It had all been answered already. Jesus is in charge of the interrogation.

Pilate says he has the power to crucify or release. VERSE 11 tells us he has no power to do either. Jesus is in charge. He is in charge of the last supper, the arrest in the garden, the six trials, the whipping, the crown of thorns, the mocking, the cross, his death and resurrection. He is in charge of it all.

With that kind of power why don't we let him be in charge of our lives? Something to think about.

July 1, 2016

DEUT. 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down and when thou risest up.

Talking about teaching children God’s ways. School will be out in a few weeks, to some relief, to some grief. Many kids will be busy with camps, ball teams, vacations, jobs, etc. Many will have nothing to do with the exception of VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (emphasis on Bible teaching).

We congratulate ourselves with planning, success, a job well done and when it’s over, relief. But what will they do the rest of the summer? Grief. Why can’t we find volunteers to work out something for a full summer program?

I know a church that runs a bus route picking up kids five days a week during the summer. They teach them the Bible, crafts, play games and feed a lunch. For some, it’s the only meal they have during the day. They return home after lunch.
Now not every church can do this, but it’s something to think about for all churches. God is not a part time program.

June 1, 2016

EPHESIANS 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

As Christians we are taught to love others as we love ourselves. But love and like are two different words. As humans we have likes and dislikes. There are some people we like being around and some not so much. This is only natural since we are an emotional people. To be kind to each other is showing our love for each other, and it doesn't cost anything. It means you are concerned for their needs and trials, and you are going to pray for them. In other words you place others ahead of yourself.

I use to visit a lady in the nursing home who had gotten to the point of being bedridden and not able to do much for herself. When I would visit, all she wanted to know was how I was doing and how other people in the church were doing. She never talked about herself unless I forced her even on days when I knew she wasn't feeling well. One day after visiting I went across town to eat lunch. A group of about eight people came into the restaurant. They were loud and cursing and making fun of the waitresses and disturbing others in the place. As I sat there, I couldn't help but think that about a mile across town was a bedridden lady who thought only about others while here were eight healthy people who seemed to think of no one but themselves. Just something to think about.

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