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Tuesday, 29 July 2008

  • "Never" Part II

    Let's be reminded of the definition of this word never. It means not at any time, not at any place and not by any person; not to any degree; not now or hereafter or not ever.

    I Corinthians 13:8 "Charity never faileth:..." This is a blessed "never". Charity will never fail. The world does not care how much we know until they know how much we care. We'll get more out of someone by loving them.

    Hebrews 10:1 & 11 "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:" This is a blood "never". Things in the Old Testament were a type and foreshadowing. The sacrifices that were made could never take away sin. Anything outside of the Blood of Jesus Christ cannot take away sin.

    II Timothy 3:7 "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." This is a blinding "never". This generation is more biblically ignorant than ever before. More people than ever are living wicked lifestyles. They are wasting their minds. There are many more learned people than ever yet they don't have the knowledge of the Truth...the only knowledge that matters for eternity.

    Mark 3:29 "But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:" This is a blaspheming "never". This is serious business. Giving credit to the devil for something God did is blaspheming the Holy Ghost. (verse 30) "Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit." They said Jesus had an unclean spirit because He performed a miracle. They gave credit to the devil for what Christ did. Those who blaspheme seal their own doom. His deity was attacked. This is committed every day in our nation. A blood bought born-again believer cannot commit this sin. Even at a person's most backslidden state he still has the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit won't let them blaspheme.

    Mark 9:43 & 45 "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:" This is the burning "never". The fire of Hell will never be quenched. Some can endure things that cause pain because it will pass. Eventually the pain will reduce and eventually cease. But this fire burns forever. It will never end. This never is final!!

    John 11:26 "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" This is the believing "never".

    II Peter 1:5-10 "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:" This is the building "never". If we build on these things we are told we will never fall.

    These messages preached by Bro. Joe Arthur were very good reminders. I had never given thought to these things in this way. I'm so thankful for a Man of God who is willing to study and share with God's people what God shows him.

Monday, 28 July 2008

  • "Never" Part I

    There is no word in the Word of God that is there by mistake. There are also no contradictions in the Bible.

    The word "never" is used 37 times in the New Testament. It is a small and simple word...yet it is a strong word. It means not at any time, not at any place, not by any person; not to any degree; not now or hereafter or not ever. We have all heard the statement "Never say never." It is true. We do not have the authority to say that word...but God does have the authority to say it.

    John 7:46 "The officers answered, Never man spake like this man." This is a special "never". Man said this word here but he said it about Jesus.

    John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 6:35 "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." John 11:26 "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" These are satisfying nevers concerning the person of Christ. They speak of our provision by God. He saves and He satisfies. If your soul is not satisfied you are not saved. What God does He does forever!!

    John 10:28 "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." This is a securing never concerning protection. Once we are saved we are eternally secure in our salvation. Nothing and no one can take it from us.

    Hebrews 13:5c "...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." This is a sure never concerning a presence of Christ. No matter how badly we have failed the Lord...He has never left us.

    Matthew 7:23 "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." This is a solemn never concerning the punishment of Christ. Some will hear Christ's words and do them and there are also those who hear them and do them not. Those who do them put off good fruity. Those who don't do them put off corrupt fruit. Many are professing Christ but do not possess Him. Those who die without Christ will hear this "never". He not at any time...or in any place...or to any degree...did He know them. Our greatest mission field in the world is not in a foreign field but in the walls of our churches. Many have the head knowledge but do not have in their heart what it takes to get to Heaven. There has to be a place and a time when we realize we are a sinner. If you can't remember a day where you realized you are a sinner...then you are lost. You might have all the head knowledge of what Jesus did for you...but one who accepts what He did and believes it with their heart is saved and assured of Heaven.

    This "never" is a final never. The person who hears this "never" goes to a place where the worm dieth not and where the fire is NEVER quenched. God says it will be better if you had never been born. I thank God I will never hear this "never".

    There are more verses that use the word "never" that I will list in my next post. Be sure to check back for those. These are messages that our pastor preached on Sunday recently that I found very good and worthy of sharing with you all.

Tuesday, 12 February 2008

  • And We Think We're Hurting

    Joshua 23:6 "Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;"

    The Word of God tells us how to live. It also shows us how to love. God's love for us NEVER changes. If anything changes...it is our love for Him.

    We should NEVER deviate from the Lord...His Word...or His ways. We have a tendency to walk away from God. This happens when our love for Him grows cold. If we would always keep fresh in our hearts and minds the sacrifice Christ made for us...our love would not grow cold. When our love grows cold and we find ourselves getting away from Him...it hurts Him terribly.

    There is a price to be paid for walking away from the Lord...His Word...and His ways. Some don't care and they walk away anyway. People need to realize there are consequences to walking away.

    (vs. 8) "But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day." In this verse cleave means to stay obedient to God. Obedience is key to staying close to God.

    (vs. 10) "One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you." God will fight for us if we'll stay close to Him and live for Him. Sometimes it takes resigning from all others to love and serve God. That includes family at times too.

    The Lord showed me two things out of the message my husband preached. They are nothing profound or new...just things I needed to be reminded of.

    First of all...the situation our family is dealing with has been the most difficult and most hurtful thing that I think I have ever experienced. My problem has been that I've focused on MY hurt. What I saw through this message was that my hurt is bad...but the Lord hurts so much more by what is going on. He hurts whenever one of His children are disobedient and going contrary to His will for their life. All I've been able to focus on is the sacrifice my husband and I have made for this person and all the love we have shown them...only to be treated the way we are being by them. But I realized while my husband was preaching that Jesus sacrificed a whole lot more for them than we have. I've been focusing on me and I needed to be focusing on the fact that He is hurting more than I am.

    Second...I also realized that the Lord is fighting for me. I need to quit focusing on looking for signs of progress or ways to help the situation and let Him fight for me. He loves that person so much more than I do.

    (vs. 10b) "...for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you." He promises to fight for us. We just need to stay right in our relationship with Him and do what we need to be doing and let Him take care of the rest.

    I thank God for reminding me of these things. I had let the problem become so big that I had forgotten them. Thank God He knows our frame and our hearts and knows what we need!!

Monday, 11 February 2008

  • Purging Is Necessary

    John 15:5 "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

    God has ordained each believer to be fruitful. But some things need to take place in our lives for us to produce fruit.

    There needs to be a cleansing. We need to get cleansing from our sins. We also need to abide in Him...and we need to obey Him. Those who are not fruitful are either not clean...close to the Lord...or obedient. Fruitfulness is an outward manifestation of our heart's condition. That includes our attitudes toward others.

    God brings forth this truth of bringing forth fruit by using a vineyard to get His point across. And He says that God the Father is the caretaker of the vineyard.
    (vs. 1) "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman."

    (vs. 2) "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."
    God is speaking to the saved about this truth. (vs. 5) "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him," We know He is speaking of saved people here simply because the lost or unsaved are not "in him". He will take those branches away that don't bear fruit. The dead branches will hinder the other branches from producing fruit like they should. The same is true of the saved person who isn't bearing fruit. That person will affect other saved people from producing fruit like they should.

    The branch that does bear fruit will be purged. It gets purged in order to bring forth more fruit. When the gardener purges his bushes...flowers and trees...the branches are still alive but they are purged so they will come back fuller and healthier the following spring. God removes all those things that hinder us from producing more fruit. He purges us through trials and tribulations.

    I mentioned that in order to produce fruit that we must be clean.
    (vs. 3) "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." We stay clean through the Word of God. It acts as a detergent in our lives. If we don't stay in the Word of God we will become dirty and are more likely to get involved in things that will make us dirty spiritually speaking.

    (vs. 6) "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." The branches have to be connected to the vine. The vine is Jesus Christ. I think we all know this. The branches cannot survive without the vine. They cannot produce fruit without the vine. We must abide in Christ and let His Word abide in us.

    (vs. 10) "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." We also have to obey God's Word. His Word is law!! God expects us to obey it even when we don't understand or agree. God's Word is our final authority.

    My husband preached this message yesterday morning and God convicted me about where I was with Him. I pray this has spoken to your heart and shown you whether you are producing fruit or not and if not then why you aren't. I also pray for those of you who are producing fruit....that it is vital that we produce more fruit.

Saturday, 09 February 2008

  • Do You Need To Make Restitution?

    Luke 19:8 "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold."

    Restitution is making right a wrong that has been committed. If we want to see revival in our lives and in our churches then we need to make right some wrongs that we have committed.

    When a criminal is convicted and sentenced for the wrong he has committed the judge will order him to pay or make restitution. It is designed to teach that criminal responsibility for his or her actions. God expects the same of us when we do someone else wrong. He expects us to go back and make it right what we've done to hurt someone else either in word or in deed. Go and read Exodus chapter 22. You will find in that chapter that God speaks of restitution.

    When we do wrong to someone who should feel bad about it...God will make us feel uncomfortable about doing it. But once we go back and make it right...God will give us that peace that passes all understanding. I have experienced this in my own life.

    Is your conscience bothering you about something you've done? It might be you went shopping and something didn't get rung up for. If you didn't pay for it...you stole it. When this happens you should go back to the store and pay for it. The store or the cashier may not know you stole it...but God knows. What a testimony you would be showing for Christ when you go back and make that right.

    Maybe you have anger in your heart toward someone. God make it right. They may not be aware you are angry with them...but again...God knows.

    It is not worth living without God's peace because we need to pay restitution to someone. Go make it right and experience His peace in your life for doing the right thing.

Thursday, 07 February 2008

  • It Is Flu Season....

    And I've got it!! I came down with a sore throat the other night and woke up with it yesterday. Then as the day progressed I developed body aches then a headache and fever by yesterday at 4:30pm. Today I have the body aches and so far no fever but I feel very fatigued. I will try to be posting but not sure if I'll be able to for a few days.

    Thank you for praying for our family. I would like to say that I see evidence of God working...but I can't say that yet. God knows what He is doing...and although there is no evidence on the surface that I can see I have to believe that He is working where I cannot see. God tells us to pray believing...and that is what I'm doing.

    Matthew 21:22 "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

    Please continue to pray with me and for me. God is still on His throne and He is fully capable of taking care of our situations. His grace is also sufficient for every need!!

Wednesday, 06 February 2008

  • Satan Has A Plan

    I Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"

    Peter is giving a warning to be wary of the devil. He desires to devour the ones who God created in the likeness of Himself. He has several ways he is trying to get to us and to devour us. I'm going to list a few...but of course there are many more ways than those.

    ***He desired to keep us so busy that we don't have time for God and we're too tired to pray or read our Bible or serve Him. Every time we go through our day without reading and/or praying...we are his victim.

    ***He will try to get us to see the bad things in church or to focus on those who aren't faithful or don't do anything for God.

    ***He tries to get us and keep us discouraged so we will think it's not worth it to serve God. (He has tried to get me with this one lately).

    ***He tries to keep us so entertained that we don't see our want or our need for the Lord. He succeeds with this one in a lot of people's lives.

    We know the devil hates us. And he wants to destroy us. We need to remember what the Lord did for us and how much He loves us. If we will just let ourselves be reminded of this then it should make us determined to resist the devil and his evil...sneaky ways.

    James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

    Are you letting the devil have his way with you? Maybe you aren't in the ways I mentioned. Maybe he is finding another way to have his way and to see his plan fulfilled in your life. He can't have his way if we'll just submit ourselves to God and resist him!!!
  • Satan Has A Plan

     I Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"

    Peter is giving a warning to be wary of the devil. He desires to devour the ones who God created in the likeness of Himself. He has several ways he is trying to get to us and to devour us. I'm going to list a few...but of course there are many more ways than those.

    ***He desired to keep us so busy that we don't have time for God and we're too tired to pray or read our Bible or serve Him. Every time we go through our day without reading and/or praying...we are his victim.

    ***He will try to get us to see the bad things in church or to focus on those who aren't faithful or don't do anything for God.

    ***He tries to get us and keep us discouraged so we will think it's not worth it to serve God. (He has tried to get me with this one lately).

    ***He tries to keep us so entertained that we don't see our want or our need for the Lord. He succeeds with this one in a lot of people's lives.

    We know the devil hates us. And he wants to destroy us. We need to remember what the Lord did for us and how much He loves us. If we will just let ourselves be reminded of this then it should make us determined to resist the devil and his evil...sneaky ways.

    James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

    Are you letting the devil have his way with you? Maybe you aren't in the ways I mentioned. Maybe he is finding another way to have his way and to see his plan fulfilled in your life. He can't have his way if we'll just submit ourselves to God and resist him!!!

Monday, 04 February 2008

  • Luke 16:24 "And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame."

    We need to be shouting "FIRE!!" We need to be telling others of the fire that is awaiting them if they don't know Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. We need to tell them of a beautiful place in Heaven that awaits each one who accepts Christ as their Saviour...but they also need to know of the terrible place that awaits those who don't.

    There is a literal Lake of Fire that God is going to cast the devil....his angels...and each person who rejects the salvation that Christ is offering them. Revelation 19:20 "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone." Revelation 20:10 "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelation 20:15 "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

    If our neighbor's house was on fire and there was any way we could go in and rescue those still in the house we would do it. I don't think there is a person reading this right now that wouldn't do all they could to get to them and get them out of the fire.

    There are millions of people who are in that dangerous place in their own lives. There is a fire that is getting closer and closer each day that goes by. We need to yell "FIRE!!" and try to rescue them from that fire. We can't do the saving...only God can do that with the water of His Word. That fire can be extinguished for them in their lives and they won't burn forever if they will simply believe what Jesus did for them when He died on Calvary...repent of their sins and allow Him to come into their heart and lives. But how will they hear if we don't tell them?

    So get out there and yell "FIRE!!" and give the gospel so they too can escape that fire that awaits them if they don't get saved!! Someone yelled "FIRE!!" to you when they shared the gospel with you didn't they?


Monday, 28 January 2008

  • The Two Shall Become One

    Our son got married to his bride Saturday.  The ceremony was absolutely beautiful.  God was honored and glorified in the ceremony.  Ronnie and his bride earned the right to wear white and they both did.  I'm so proud of both of them.  In the day in which we live you don't find many couples who will commit and accomplish the blessing of staying pure till their wedding day.  Jessica was my son's first girlfriend.  She was the first girl he held hands with and the first girl he has ever kissed. 

    They made a beautiful couple on Saturday.  I'm not going to post pictures on here since it took me over an hour to post it on my other blog.  So if you'd like to see pictures...please go to my blog over at Julie's Jewels (Blogger) and take a look.  Be ready to sit for a minute.  There are several pictures to see.

    They are in Gatlinburg, TN on their honeymoon.  I'm sure they are having the time of their lives.  I will post more about the ceremony itself later.  I pray all is doing well and please forgive me for not visiting your sites.  I've been a bit busy as I'm sure you can well imagine.  I'll be getting back on track once I get some rest and catch up on things here.  In the meantime....keep your focus on Christ!


juliesjewels062694

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    • Name: Julie
    • Member Since: 6/19/2007

About Me

  • My name is Julie and I'm a missionary's wife. I've been married for 22+ years to the most wonderful man in the world. I have three children. God has been so good to me. I was saved by the grace of God on June 26, 1994. My marriage was in shambles until God saved me and then saved my husband and children. Now we all strive to serve the Lord the best way we can. I hope you enjoy your visit to my site. Feel free to leave a comment. My site is not a site for debate. If you don't agree with what you read that is fine. No profanity on my site will be tolerated. Thank you for stopping by.

Thank you for visiting!!

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