Happy Sunday!
Genesis 3: 9 says, "The Lord God called to the man and said, “Where are you?”(Easy-to-Read Version).
We already know that God was not asking Adam this question for information, but for revelation. God knew exactly where Adam was, but Adam needed to know where he was. And so do we? It's the last Sunday in January 2019. Where are you? How are your goals, resolutions, and plans going? Did you make that call? Did you send that Thank You card? How's the exercise plan coming along? Did you organize the shoe closet?
"Hearing the Voice of God" is still echoing across the airwaves. Ministry after ministry is stressing the importance of knowing the voice, and obeying it. Hearing and obeying the Voice of God is a matter of Life or Death. Jesus said, "You will hear of wars, and you will hear rumors of wars, but you should not panic. It is inevitable, this violent breaking apart of the sinful world, but remember, the wars are not the end. The end is still unfolding."(Matthew 24:6, Voice). Don't miss this! Jesus said that these things are "inevitable", but we are not to be afraid.
The Psalmist said, "I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies."(Psalm 18:3, KJV). Prayer, Praise, and Trust...God can be trusted.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Scripture & Power
Happy Sunday!
Mark 12:24 says, "You can’t see the truth because you don’t know the Scriptures well and because you don’t really believe that God is powerful."(Voice). Ouch!
Mark 12:20-29 is good reading. Jesus was being asked a complicated question by the religious leaders. They weren't really looking for answers, they just wanted to try to catch Jesus slipping. BUT you know that will never happen. Jesus not only taught, and preached the Word...He is the Word! John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."(KJV).
The question that they asked was a convoluted question about the marriage practices of the day, and how these relationships would translate in Heaven. Before we start judging them, don't forget that we ask crazy questions too. Will there be cars in heaven? Will we have to work in heaven? Will all dogs really go to heaven, or just the West Highland White Terriers? We may be curious, but these specifics won't really matter. In the grand scheme of things we will be busy in worship..."And then I heard EVERYONE in heaven and earth, and from the dead beneath the earth and in the sea, exclaiming, “The blessing and the honor and the glory and the power belong to the one sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever."(Revelation 5:12, Living Bible).
Now, before you accuse me of asking you to check your brain at the door...I do believe intelligence, intellect, and the pursuit of knowledge are very important to our Christianity. The Apostle Paul encouraged his son in the Ministry, Timothy, by saying..."Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."(2 Timothy 2:15, KJV). ALSO don't miss Jesus' rebuke to the Pharisees, "But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over Judgment and the Love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."(Luke 11:42, KJV).
Learn the scriptures, and don't forget the power of God! 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action), so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work."(Amplified).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Mark 12:24 says, "You can’t see the truth because you don’t know the Scriptures well and because you don’t really believe that God is powerful."(Voice). Ouch!
Mark 12:20-29 is good reading. Jesus was being asked a complicated question by the religious leaders. They weren't really looking for answers, they just wanted to try to catch Jesus slipping. BUT you know that will never happen. Jesus not only taught, and preached the Word...He is the Word! John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."(KJV).
The question that they asked was a convoluted question about the marriage practices of the day, and how these relationships would translate in Heaven. Before we start judging them, don't forget that we ask crazy questions too. Will there be cars in heaven? Will we have to work in heaven? Will all dogs really go to heaven, or just the West Highland White Terriers? We may be curious, but these specifics won't really matter. In the grand scheme of things we will be busy in worship..."And then I heard EVERYONE in heaven and earth, and from the dead beneath the earth and in the sea, exclaiming, “The blessing and the honor and the glory and the power belong to the one sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever."(Revelation 5:12, Living Bible).
Now, before you accuse me of asking you to check your brain at the door...I do believe intelligence, intellect, and the pursuit of knowledge are very important to our Christianity. The Apostle Paul encouraged his son in the Ministry, Timothy, by saying..."Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."(2 Timothy 2:15, KJV). ALSO don't miss Jesus' rebuke to the Pharisees, "But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over Judgment and the Love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."(Luke 11:42, KJV).
Learn the scriptures, and don't forget the power of God! 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action), so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work."(Amplified).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, January 13, 2019
Vehicles for Revelation
Happy Sunday!
Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard it because from a sincere and pure heart come the good and noble things of life."(Voice). Another translation of this same scripture says it like this, "Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life."(Easy-to-Read Version).
Dr. Matthew L. Stevenson III continued the series entitled, "The Voice". He said, "Dreams are vehicles for Revelation". God uses dreams to get past our intellect, and reasoning. In order to hear the voice of God sometimes everything else must be silenced. This means many times God has to speak to us in our dreams. All throughout the Word, there are examples of dreams, and also promises that God will use dreams. The Prophet Joel prophesied, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall DREAM dreams, your young men shall see visions:"(Joel 2:28, KJV).
Fantasies, Imaginations, Fears, and Judgments are all things that can affect our dreams. That's why it's so important to "guard our hearts". Have you ever watched a movie and later dreamed about the content? Sure you have! That's why I stay away from Horror Movies. We love Cinderella around our house. One version has a song that says, "a dream is a wish your heart makes when you're fast asleep". Think about it. What if God has a business idea, an invention, or the answer to a problem at work for you. He's tried to impress the answer upon your heart, but traffic, noise, and responsibilities kept you from hearing Him. He decides to speak to you in a dream. Just before bed, you finish the most recent episode of The Housewives of Kankakee. Shirleendia left her husband for the mail man, Boo Boo stole money from the Jack In the Box restaurant, and Charmeshia spoke negatively about the things of God because of a mean church lady. God tries to give you the answer you desperately need in your dream, but it's mingled in the emotions of the day, and every thing that touched your heart. Why not make it easier on yourself, and God?
The Apostle Paul give us some insight on how to guard our hearts, "The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity."(2 Corinthians 10:3-6, Message).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard it because from a sincere and pure heart come the good and noble things of life."(Voice). Another translation of this same scripture says it like this, "Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life."(Easy-to-Read Version).
Dr. Matthew L. Stevenson III continued the series entitled, "The Voice". He said, "Dreams are vehicles for Revelation". God uses dreams to get past our intellect, and reasoning. In order to hear the voice of God sometimes everything else must be silenced. This means many times God has to speak to us in our dreams. All throughout the Word, there are examples of dreams, and also promises that God will use dreams. The Prophet Joel prophesied, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall DREAM dreams, your young men shall see visions:"(Joel 2:28, KJV).
Fantasies, Imaginations, Fears, and Judgments are all things that can affect our dreams. That's why it's so important to "guard our hearts". Have you ever watched a movie and later dreamed about the content? Sure you have! That's why I stay away from Horror Movies. We love Cinderella around our house. One version has a song that says, "a dream is a wish your heart makes when you're fast asleep". Think about it. What if God has a business idea, an invention, or the answer to a problem at work for you. He's tried to impress the answer upon your heart, but traffic, noise, and responsibilities kept you from hearing Him. He decides to speak to you in a dream. Just before bed, you finish the most recent episode of The Housewives of Kankakee. Shirleendia left her husband for the mail man, Boo Boo stole money from the Jack In the Box restaurant, and Charmeshia spoke negatively about the things of God because of a mean church lady. God tries to give you the answer you desperately need in your dream, but it's mingled in the emotions of the day, and every thing that touched your heart. Why not make it easier on yourself, and God?
The Apostle Paul give us some insight on how to guard our hearts, "The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity."(2 Corinthians 10:3-6, Message).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, January 6, 2019
Voice Lesson
Happy Sunday!
1 Corinthians 2:4 says, "The sermons I preached were not delivered with the kind of persuasive elegance some have come to expect, but they were effective because I relied on God’s Spirit to demonstrate God’s power."(Voice). Don't miss this! The Apostle Paul wants the readers of this letter to know that in everything he did, he had to rely on God's Spirit and Power. What a wonderful example, especially as we enter the New Year and everyone is looking for a fresh start. Some set goals, others make resolutions, and some even make promises to God. But Psalm 37:23 gives us even more insight on what really works, "The Lord shows us how we should live, and he is pleased when he sees people living that way."(Easy-to-Read Version).
Our lesson in Children's Church today was "Hearing God's Voice". It was no accident that several ministers I heard today were also talking about the same thing. Hearing, recognizing, and obeying the Voice of God is a life and death matter. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."(John 10:27, KJV). It's imperative that we know the Voice of God. It's also criminal to fail to teach our children how to hear the Voice of God. There are so many unknowns in life. But we have a secret weapon. The very Spirit of the All-Knowing, All-Seeing, and Always Present God lives in us. All we have to do is listen!
The Best way to recognize the Voice of God is to know and trust the Word of God. When we trust His faithfulness, and truth, we can be confident that he has our best interest at heart. 2 Peter 3:9 says, "Now the Lord is not slow about enacting His promise—slow is how some people want to characterize it—no, He is not slow but patient and merciful to you, not wanting anyone to be destroyed, but wanting everyone to turn away from following his own path and to turn toward God’s."(Voice). Did you see that? What is God wanting? What is he waiting for? He wants us to hear his voice, and follow his path. Sure, I know you're Grown! You can finally live the way you want and do what you please. But God doesn't have any grandchildren. You are his child and you will always be his child. In the grand scheme of things there will always be things he knows that you haven't got a clue about. Why not let your loving Daddy help you with it?
"Now pay attention; I am standing at the door and knocking. If any of you hear My VOICE and open the door, then I will come in to visit with you and to share a meal at your table, and you will be with Me."(Revelation 3:20, Voice).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
1 Corinthians 2:4 says, "The sermons I preached were not delivered with the kind of persuasive elegance some have come to expect, but they were effective because I relied on God’s Spirit to demonstrate God’s power."(Voice). Don't miss this! The Apostle Paul wants the readers of this letter to know that in everything he did, he had to rely on God's Spirit and Power. What a wonderful example, especially as we enter the New Year and everyone is looking for a fresh start. Some set goals, others make resolutions, and some even make promises to God. But Psalm 37:23 gives us even more insight on what really works, "The Lord shows us how we should live, and he is pleased when he sees people living that way."(Easy-to-Read Version).
Our lesson in Children's Church today was "Hearing God's Voice". It was no accident that several ministers I heard today were also talking about the same thing. Hearing, recognizing, and obeying the Voice of God is a life and death matter. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."(John 10:27, KJV). It's imperative that we know the Voice of God. It's also criminal to fail to teach our children how to hear the Voice of God. There are so many unknowns in life. But we have a secret weapon. The very Spirit of the All-Knowing, All-Seeing, and Always Present God lives in us. All we have to do is listen!
The Best way to recognize the Voice of God is to know and trust the Word of God. When we trust His faithfulness, and truth, we can be confident that he has our best interest at heart. 2 Peter 3:9 says, "Now the Lord is not slow about enacting His promise—slow is how some people want to characterize it—no, He is not slow but patient and merciful to you, not wanting anyone to be destroyed, but wanting everyone to turn away from following his own path and to turn toward God’s."(Voice). Did you see that? What is God wanting? What is he waiting for? He wants us to hear his voice, and follow his path. Sure, I know you're Grown! You can finally live the way you want and do what you please. But God doesn't have any grandchildren. You are his child and you will always be his child. In the grand scheme of things there will always be things he knows that you haven't got a clue about. Why not let your loving Daddy help you with it?
"Now pay attention; I am standing at the door and knocking. If any of you hear My VOICE and open the door, then I will come in to visit with you and to share a meal at your table, and you will be with Me."(Revelation 3:20, Voice).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
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