24 Jan 2018 Admin
Holy Life
Can a person really be expected to live a holy life in this world? When God said, “Be ye holy, for I am holy,” did He really mean for us to take Him literally? Surely, He knows it is possible! I mean, consider what the average Joe has to face each day: television and advertising assault him with sensuality and materialism; contemporary music glorifies lifestyles that are anything but holy; the people he works with urge him to loosen up and go with the flow. On and on it goes. And it isn’t any better for the average Mary—she faces all the above and more. So, in the midst of all this, we’re supposed to act like angels? Now I’m not saying we don’t want to, after all, we are Christians and we certainly do want to make Heaven when this life ends. But we get kind of concerned when we read in the twelfth chapter of Hebrews that without holiness, “no man shall see the Lord”. So, what’s the answer? And just what is holiness? Let’s settle one issue right away. God means exactly what He says. Now before you throw your hands in the air and walk off in hopeless frustration, listen to this: God is not a tyrant; He is not commanding something that He knows is impossible for us to do, nor is He unaware of what you and I face in this wicked world. Yet He still requires the true Christian to be holy. So how do we reconcile our struggles with His requirements? First, let’s nail down the meaning of the word holy. The Webster’s Dictionary tells us that it means “… spiritually perfect or pure; untainted by evil or sin; sinless; saintly”. Whew! Sounds like a pretty tall order, doesn’t it? But let’s look at the Bible definition. We read in 2 Timothy 2:22 that we are to “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart”. Notice the last two words—“pure heart”. Throughout Scripture, we find the theme of God desiring a pure heart repeated over and over. Remember when David’s brothers were paraded before the prophet Samuel? One fine specimen of manhood after another, yet God rejected them. Why? God told Samuel that “man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart”. Paul tells us that God sees all the thoughts and intents of our hearts. And we read in 2 Chronicles 16:9 that God is looking for that one who has a heart that is perfect toward Him. Do you see where we’re heading? God is more concerned with the condition of our hearts than He is with our outward actions. So does that mean we can do anything we want and it’s all right with God? No, it means that if we prayerfully and carefully maintain the pure heart that God gives us when He sanctifies us, our actions will be pure in God’s eyes. He looks for pure motives and an earnest sincere desire to please Him. So even when our actions seem to fall short of our ideals for holiness, remember that God is looking on the heart. If we have a desire to be holy planted in our hearts, we’ll avoid situations that might defile our hearts. How? For one thing, we need to say with the psalmist, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes”. Be extremely selective in what you look at and what you read. Then do the same thing with your ears. Don’t purposely listen to the things that could lead you downward. And make sure you keep your thoughts in line with Philippians 4:8! Granted, there will always be things paraded before our eyes and forced into our ears that we have no control over. And Satan can flash thoughts across our minds. But we aren’t responsible for what we involuntarily face in life, only for how we respond to what we face. The Lord will give us strength if we are willing to turn to Him when we are in need. Did you catch the phrase if we are willing? Never underestimate the danger of a misdirected will. If we wilfully begin to lean towards something that is antagonistic to heart-holiness, we will frustrate God’s attempts to help us. Yes, God demands holiness, but rejoice—it’s attainable for all who desire it and are willing to diligently seek it!
24 Jan 2018 Admin
Agent Of Change
During my last semester of Graduate School, I met a gentleman who was very unusual. He had it deep knowledge of the water cold what would made steam well usual is my estimation- And I think in the lights of the world of God also- was that he was covered with the truth honey comes. I do not want to judge him, so I told myself he probably got those before he knew the Lord. If it were me, I would have done the best I could to cover them up, but he seems to pride himself in showing them off. What caused me to speak up was that one day he came to class wearing across in is right here. We had a break and, as usual, he came to me looking for a deep conversation in the Bible. So I asked him, “what's with the cross on the tattoo? Will you please explain this to me? The last I checked, my Bible says I should not mark my body and I should not bore over in my ear.” He responded by powerful St Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9: 20-23, Say, “with did you I became a Jew I went to Gentiles I became a Gentile , all to gain them for Christ.” When I tried to explain this passage to him, I noticed that he got agitated. He told me that i did not know how to gain souls for the Lord, but I asked, “who gained whom here? you are supposed to change a Sinner to believe a comma but you put on the tattoo to identify with him, so who gained whom?” Christians are supposed to be different. You want to change the world around us, not have the world change us who stop in Romans 12 : 2 we read, “and be not conformed to the world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. That Jeannie may prove what is that's good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” We are supposed to be agents of change, and to do that, we must first have experienced the change only God can nip through salvage on foster as we continue walking by faith and projecting resource in our daily living , those around those will be changed. In life, there are discussions that you have to make. There are costs for your decision, and also an end result will stop in Genesis 39, The Bible says Joseph made a decision for stop Joseph was far away from his father and the people who knew him, and he had the Liberty to do whatever he wanted to do, but he dared to be different . When pursued by his master's wife, Joseph rejected her and said, “How then can I do this great wickedness and sing against God?” That's what they should have made, and it cost him who stopped he spent years in jail because he refused to act against the will of God. However, the end result was that one day Pharaoh had a dream, and Joseph miraculously interpreted his dream. Then Pharaoh said “Where can we find a man as wise as this one? Whatever problem the people have, they will pick it's to Joseph post op only in my throne will I be greater than him.” being different was not easy, both by standing for God, Joseph was the Victor in the end. Shadrach Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel Are the other examples of those who stood for God. They were taken into captivity in Babylon football common sense tells us that Nebuchadnezzar did not invade Isreal, risking the lives of many soldier, just to bring back for young people. No, there where tens of thousands who will be brought back captive. We have never heard of the name of the other captives, but we know the names of David and the three Hebrew boys. That is because from the very first thing they stepped into Babylon, they made the decision to repeat the Lord. These Hebrew boys were told to eat food that was not allowed by God , and even do everyone else was eating the food, these for debt to be different for store I can almost hear Danny's saying to his friends, “listen we're different. we're not like them. window the Lord our God, and we are going to propose in our heart not to defile ourselves with the food of the King.” They wanted to make a difference for Thor they wanted to impact the world for stop they wanted to be agents of change for the glory and honor of their God. Those April boys opposed in their heart not to defile themselves, and it cost them. because of the excellent spirit that was in Daniel, it was promoted, and then there with some who envy team. This thought everywhere to get rid of him, and because of his right justness he was forced to sleep among wild beast. But the Bible says that the Angel of the Lord stepped into the den and locked the Lions jaws. they did not have supper that night, please God! He went hungry. The end result was that the next day when King Darius walked to the entrance of that then and called, Daniel's voice was heard from the mist of the lion's: “my code at since is Angel , and at shut the Lions mouth, that they have not hot me” (Daniel 6: 22). Daniel was little promoted, and his accusers were cast into the Lion’s den. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego Also paid a prize for their stand. When it degree was made that everyone was in Washington Kings image coma the told the King, “we are not going to bow down to this image. It is not our way. We are different.” The King said he would cast him into the fiery furnace, it defiled their God to deliver them. They told the King that decision: “if it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of dying hand , looking for stop but if not, be it known unto thee , booking , that we will not save the gods, nor worship the Golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:17-18). They dared to be different! King Nebuchadnezzar chew them into the furnace, but when he looked, there were forming inside, and the 4th looked like the son of God. Then he called them out of the furnace, and before all is princes, governors, captains, and counselors declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who hath sent his angel and Delivered his servants that trusted him ... There is no other God that can deliver from these sort” (Daniel 3:28-29). the did to challenge the Kings edicts. They dared to only serve their God. And the King believed because three young men dared to be different. what a testimony! You might think that sinners do not look at you, but they are looking, believe me. They know that you are different. I remember when I was young and walked evening as a night janitor. Usually the kid from church would come hang out with me, and after I finished work, we won't stay and talk football there was another young man named Eddie who worked there as a bellhop. What I did not new was that 80 notice the way my friends on high talks in post op one day, after a few guys at come and gone, he said to me, “I envy you guys. I wish I could stop drinking.” He wanted to be like us but he was bound by sinful stop UC, you are to be a witness for God, and those who do not believe -even those who may laugh at you - sooner or later will have to understand that you a servant of the living God because of the testimony you keep for him. When I go saved at age fifteen, the apostrophe charge indeed Dominican Republic had very few young people. I was ridiculed in school, But i made open my mind that I was going to go on with the Lord, and He has beenwith me every day since I decided to serve him. I can look back and see how his hands shipped my life, leading me even through things I cannot understand. If you are going through adversity, God is not going to leave your side who stop where you make it is shuffle God, he will horn are you. Make up your mind that you are going to serve him and be true to him. Proposed that you want the world to be changed because of your living, not have your lifestyle change to please the world. Then God will be pleased with you. Christians are agent of change. Joseph, Daniel and the three Hebrew boys brought about change because they decided to stand on God side. They decided not to bow down, and you also must not bow to the things of this world. You are here to change this world for the glory and honor of God. You are not to be conformed to this world. You are not to be changed by the world, but God called you to change the world. We want to make an impact for God. If you ask God, he will give you the power to do just that. <b>Rey Richardson is pastor of the Apostolic faith church in Bronx, New York</b>
24 Jan 2018 Admin
Finding God's Will
Should I move my wife and family to Denver or Kansas City? Does God want my husband and me to have children? Who am I going to marry? Is college for me? Is this the time to talk to my wayward grandson about his soul? Which job does the Lord want me to take? What avenue of Christain service am I supposed to be following? On and on it goes as we travel through life. We need constant direction, and as Christians, we are taught that we need to look to God for guidance. We know that He alone can see tomorrow and that only He truly knows what is best for us. But our Bible concordances don’t even list Denver or Kansas City! So how are we supposed to know? One of the most important, and yet too often one of the most difficult aspects of the Christian walk, is finding the will of God. each of us could tell of several instances in our lives where we failed to get God’s will on a decision and suffered because of it. My first new car was that way. Did I pray about it before I bought it? Yes. Did I truly make sure I had God’s direction on the subject? No. It turned out to be the worst car I have ever owned and I ended up losing money getting rid of it. I was a young Christian and I learned an important lesson about what happens when you launch off on your own, thinking you’re in the will of God. Was it the last time?. I wish. Why is it so hard for us to find God’s will for our lives? The answer is simple. Our own will gets in the way. Yes, there are other possible hindrances, and we will discuss some of them here, but the will is the central problem. If we want to be certain we are following God’s plan and not our own, we must make sure our will is fully submitted to His. No, this is not an easy process. But it is not impossible either. We must realize, however, that it is most definitely a process, and that means it takes time. The human will is not easily subdued. And if we’re not careful, we can all too easily fool ourselves into thinking our wills are controlled by God when they really aren’t. How can you be sure your will isn’t getting in the way? Think in terms of becoming dead to the issue at hand. In other words, your goal is to pray until you reach the place where you are equally willing for the issue to go any way God wishes. Let the Lord know in prayer that you are dependent on Him and that you realize your life is not your own. You’re not coming to Him to help you make a decision. You are coming to Him asking Him to make the decision. Pray until you feel peace knowing that whatever God decides will be truly what you want. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you must get to the point where you are looking forward with relish to doing what you may have formerly drawn back from. This is an issue of will and of resignation to God’s right to decide for you, not a matter of changing your thoughts about the merits of a given choice. Realize that this process takes time. Depending on your particular circumstances, for some decisions, you may have to spend much time, perhaps many hours, in prayer. It works best if the pryer time is not broken up, as otherwise, you may have to continually go over the ground you had already covered. During these sessions, you may also reach a point where your will begins to realize that it is going to have to step out of the way and so it starts fighting back. It may say, “Well, now see here, you’re taking this much too seriously, of course, you’re willing to do whatever God wants. So stop praying and get up”. But you must press on until the moment arrives when you are fully dead to the issue. You will definitely know when this happens. There will be a special peace and rest that is an obvious indicator of your having to reach this crucial point. God will be pleased, and He will now be able to communicate with you knowing you will follow His leading. Once you have successfully gone through an experience like this, you will have taken an important step in your spiritual growth. You will have a clearer perspective of God as Master and yourself as His servant. And as you see that that the result of finding and following His perfect will is that the thing always works out for the best, you will desire to continue following the course of dying out to your own will that you might know His. Beyond the central issue of our wills, there are, as mentioned before, some other possible hindrances to our finding God’s will. First of all, have we failed to check and see what the Bible says about it?. Many people have gone to God for direction only to get silence from Him. Why?. Because the answer was in the Bible. Parent don’t appreciate their children asking to do things that they have already been told they cannot do. In the same way, God does not want to be asked whether we should follow what the Bible says. This brings up the issue of how we are to take a book that is thousands of years old and make it apply to our specific needs today. This is not nearly so difficult as some people think. When we approach the Word honestly with a determination to hear what God wants to say to us and are not careful not to bend the Scriptures to our desires, He can and will direct us. Some issues are spelled out clearly in the Word. for those that are not, we need to look for Biblical principles to give guidance. For instance, the Bible tells us in Matthew 6:33, “ Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” This is more than a mere statement, it is a principle that we can apply to many decisions we make in life, and in doing so, know in which directions God is pointing us. Another hindrance can be a lack of trust. We will never get a clear direction from God if we don’t really trust Him with our lives. Until we get to the point of being certain that He only means to do us good, we will not be able to lay our wills down and follow His. fear, doubt, and lack of faith can also make it impossible to hear from God’s message for us. Yet another hindrance is asking God to give us direction on which of two courses to follow when neither is His will for us. And obviously, if we have a spiritual problem related to disobedience, these issues must be reconciled before we can approach God for direction. Okay, so the hindrances are all removed, and you’ve prayed to the point where you know you are truly dead to your own will in the matter at hand. Now, how is God going to reveal His will?. Before we discuss how to let’s consider when. The answer may not come right away, so hang on. God takes notice when you have laid your earnest request for guidance before Him, and He will answer in his time. If there is a waiting period, you must be patient and avoid the temptation you feel you have to make a decision immediately. You asked fr leading, so don’t move until you get it. The exact manner that God will use to communicate His will to you will vary tremendously from one time and one person to another. But in the same way that you knew when you had pried to the point of dying to self, you will also know God’s answer when it comes, whatever eans He may employ to deliver it. So wait for it, and don’t be satisfied with any answer that isn’t clear from Him. Remember that in all this, Jesus is our example. He was God in the flesh, yet He lived to do the will of His Father. At the most difficult moment of His life, in great agony, He prayed, “Not my will, but thine, be done.” let us go and do likewise. <b>Dan Barker is on the ministerial staff of the Apostolic Faith Church in Portland, Oregon.</b>
24 Jan 2018 Admin
Standing True
Don’t just accept someone else’s idea! Exercise your own will! Be Independent and think for yourself! Have you ever heard that philosophy expressed? in Rd it's the fashion not to worry about doctrines and persuasions that been taught to us. If we have a religious belief, we may be told that we were bent that way by our upbringing. Standing for a believe rightly placed in God almighty is not a sign of being a weakling. It is a sign of strength to stick by your faith and to say, “I want to do what I ought to do.” If you have the position, stay with it. There is power in standing up for your convictions! In the book of Daniel, we read of foiled men who stood for what they knew was right. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, captives of the king of Babylon where called to be students in the school of Chaldeans. The young man choosing not to be “skip food in all wisdom unclean in knowledge” that they might be educated in the Chaldean language. The King wanted specimen who would look good in the company of Kings. In number who met the King specification may have been chosen, but Daniel and his friends are the ones who know about it. And the whole story hinges on conviction. The men selected for this schooling were to be fed with the Kings meet. But we read, “Daniel proposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings meat, nor with the wine which he drank: Therefore he requested for the Prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8) You can be sure there was some reason Daniel made such a request. he had knowledge of things about him, and he also had faith in God. He had been taught that Jews did not eat setting things: for instance, food that has been offered to idols. So he proposed to hold fast to his integrity and not compromise. Sprint determined that they would notify themselves with a portion of the Kings meat. In life, there are discussions that you have to make. There are costs for your decision, and also an end result will stop in Genesis 39, The Bible says Joseph made a decision for stop Joseph was far away from his father and the people who knew him, and he had the Liberty to do whatever he wanted to do, but he dared to be different . When pursued by his master's wife, Joseph rejected her and said, “How then can I do this great wickedness and sing against God?” That's what they should have made, and it cost him who stopped he spent years in jail because he refused to act against the will of God. However, the end result was that one day Pharaoh had a dream, and Joseph miraculously interpreted his dream. Then Pharaoh said “Where can we find a man as wise as this one? Whatever problem the people have, they will pick it's to Joseph post op only in my throne will I be greater than him.” being different was not easy, both by standing for God, Joseph was the Victor in the end. Throughout the history people have stood true to God despite fearful Opposition. Are we doing the same now? Shadrach Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel Are the other examples of those who stood for God. They were taken into captivity in Babylon football common sense tells us that Nebuchadnezzar did not invade Isreal, risking the lives of many soldier, just to bring back for young people. No, there where tens of thousands who will be brought back captive. We have never heard of the name of the other captives, but we know the names of David and the three Hebrew boys. That is because from the very first thing they stepped into Babylon, they made the decision to repeat the Lord. These Hebrew boys were told to eat food that was not allowed by God , and even do everyone else was eating the food, these for debt to be different for store I can almost hear Danny's saying to his friends, “listen we're different. we're not like them. window the Lord our God, and we are going to propose in our heart not to defile ourselves with the food of the King.” They wanted to make a difference for Thor they wanted to impact the world for stop they wanted to be agents of change for the glory and honor of their God. Those April boys opposed in their heart not to defile themselves, and it cost them. because of the excellent spirit that was in Daniel, it was promoted, and then there with some who envy team. This thought everywhere to get rid of him, and because of his right justness he was forced to sleep among wild beast. But the Bible says that the Angel of the Lord stepped into the den and locked the Lions jaws. they did not have supper that night, please God! He went hungry. The end result was that the next day when King Darius walked to the entrance of that then and called, Daniel's voice was heard from the mist of the lion's: “my code at since is Angel , and at shut the Lions mouth, that they have not hot me” (Daniel 6: 22). Daniel was little promoted, and his accusers were cast into the Lion’s den. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego Also paid a prize for their stand. When it degree was made that everyone was in Washington Kings image coma the told the King, “we are not going to bow down to this image. It is not our way. We are different.” The King said he would cast him into the fiery furnace, it defiled their God to deliver them. They told the King that decision: “if it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of dying hand , looking for stop but if not, be it known unto thee , booking , that we will not save the gods, nor worship the Golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:17-18). They dared to be different! King Nebuchadnezzar chew them into the furnace, but when he looked, there were forming inside, and the 4th looked like the son of God. Then he called them out of the furnace, and before all is princes, governors, captains, and counselors declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who hath sent his angel and Delivered his servants that trusted him ... There is no other God that can deliver from these sort” (Daniel 3:28-29). the did to challenge the Kings edicts. They dared to only serve their God. And the King believed because three young men dared to be different. what a testimony! You might think that sinners do not look at you, but they are looking, believe me. They know that you are different. I remember when I was young and walked evening as a night janitor. Usually the kid from church would come hang out with me, and after I finished work, we won't stay and talk football there was another young man named Eddie who worked there as a bellhop. What I did not new was that 80 notice the way my friends on high talks in post op one day, after a few guys at come and gone, he said to me, “I envy you guys. I wish I could stop drinking.” He wanted to be like us but he was bound by sinful stop UC, you are to be a witness for God, and those who do not believe -even those who may laugh at you - sooner or later will have to understand that you a servant of the living God because of the testimony you keep for him. When I go saved at age fifteen, the apostrophe charge indeed Dominican Republic had very few young people. I was ridiculed in school, But i made open my mind that I was going to go on with the Lord, and He has beenwith me every day since I decided to serve him. I can look back and see how his hands shipped my life, leading me even through things I cannot understand. If you are going through adversity, God is not going to leave your side who stop where you make it is shuffle God, he will horn are you. Make up your mind that you are going to serve him and be true to him. Proposed that you want the world to be changed because of your living, not have your lifestyle change to please the world. Then God will be pleased with you. Christians are agent of change. Joseph, Daniel and the three Hebrew boys brought about change because they decided to stand on God side. They decided not to bow down, and you also must not bow to the things of this world. You are here to change this world for the glory and honor of God. You are not to be conformed to this world. You are not to be changed by the world, but God called you to change the world. We want to make an impact for God. If you ask God, he will give you the power to do just that. <b>From a Sermon by Loyce Carver</b>