Unspotted

 Happy Sunday!

"You might think you are a very religious person. But if your tongue is out of control, you are fooling yourself. Your careless talk makes your offerings to God worthless. The worship that God wants is THIS: caring for orphans or widows who need help and keeping yourself free from the world’s EVIL influence. This is the kind of worship that God accepts as pure and good."(James 1:26-27 Easy-to-Read Version).

The King James Version of this verse says, "and to keep himself unspotted from the world."(James 1:27).  You know me, I always see interesting things when I read the Word.  I immediately thought of the old Dishwasher Detergent commercials that showed two women comparing the glasses that came out of their dishwashers. Do you remember those commercials? They wanted to get you to buy a specific detergent so that your dishes would be "spotless".  God wants us to surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit so that we can make it through this life unspotted, untainted, and undefiled. 

It also made me think about the 12 spies Moses sent to spy out the Promised Land.  The King James Version says 10 of the spies brought back an "EVIL" report.  Numbers 13:30-33 says, "But Caleb reassured the people as they stood before Moses. “Let us go up at once and possess it,” he said, “for we are well able to conquer it!” “Not against people as strong as they are!” the other spies said. “They would crush us!”  So the majority report of the spies was NEGATIVE: “The land is full of warriors, the people are powerfully built, and we saw some of the Anakim there, descendants of the ancient race of giants. We felt like grasshoppers before them, they were so tall!”(Living Bible).  Until they got into their feelings, they were reporting the facts.  But they failed to acknowledge the TRUTH.  God promised the land to them and no matter how big the people were or how little they saw themselves it was theirs to take.

Throughout the Bible there are comparisons.  Psalm 1 compares the righteous man and the ungodly man. Numerous scriptures in Proverbs compare the wise and the foolish.  Malachi 3:18 says, "Once more you’ll see the difference it makes between being a person who does the right thing and one who doesn’t, between serving God and not serving him.”(Message).

Unspotted means different!  Are you different?  Or are you just like everyone else?  When you hear about inflation do you cry like the 10 spies?  Or do you remember Psalm 23:1, "The Lord is my shepherd; I have ALL that I need."(NLT)?  When you hear about random acts of wickedness do you immediately fear that it could happen to you?  Or do you proclaim, "You, Lord, are the light that keeps me safe. I am not afraid of anyone. You protect me, and I have no fears. Brutal people may attack and try to kill me, but they will STUMBLE. Fierce enemies may attack, but they will FALL."(Psalm 27:1-3 CEV).  When a pain hits you, do you say, "I thought I was healed"?  Or do you declare, "The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives within ME and he will, by that same Spirit, bring to MY whole being new strength and vitality."(Romans 8:11 Phillips)?

There was a cute meme that said, "This is John".  Some were positive and others were negative.  Some said "be like him" and others said, "don't be like him".  We can make one for the the 2 spies that came back with a positive report. This is Caleb and Joshua. They believed God. Be like Caleb and Joshua.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

No Doubt, No Unbelief

 Happy Sunday!

"I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me. Everything you do is marvelous! Of this I have no DOUBT."(Psalm 139:14 CEV).

What's the difference between doubt and unbelief?  Great question!  I'm so glad you asked.  Doubt is when you just don't know.  If you don't know about a certain thing you will have doubt about it.  I could tell you that the elements Sodium and Chloride by themselves are both poisonous. But when you put them together you get table salt. You may doubt that I am telling you the truth. You may doubt that I know anything about science.  But if after careful investigation you find that this is actually true, and you still don't believe me that's Unbelief.  Unbelief is when you do know about something but have made a conscious decision not to believe it.

Jesus said, "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not DOUBT in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."(Mark 11:23 KJV).  I enjoy seeing mountains, and I enjoyed hiking them when I lived in Arizona.  So I'm more interested in moving the "mountains" in my life not physical mountains.  Situations, and circumstances that are obstacles need to be moved.  If I am ignorant of the Word of God it will be easier to doubt.  But as I saturate myself in the Word I find more and more promises, and blessings that I can enjoy. 

Once I learned how Wonderful, and Trustworthy God is, then it became much easier to believe.  When I am tempted to not believe or get into Unbelief I go back to the Word.  The Word says, "He personally carried the load of our sins in his own body when he died on the cross so that we can be finished with sin and live a good life from now on. For his wounds have HEALED ours!"(2 Peter 2:24 Living Bible).  The Word says, "God can BLESS you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others."(2 Corinthians 9:8 CEV).  The Word says, "I’ll reward him with many GOOD years on this earth and let him witness My salvation.”(Psalm 91:16 Voice).

I really like that last one!  Many good years on this earth!  Not years of poverty, destruction, and sickness!  Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Eternal, “plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope—never forget that."(Voice).  Even though the Children of Israel were experiencing the opposite when this prophecy was given, God let them know that he had a better plan for them. He has a Good Plan for us as well.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

It Is What It Is

Happy Sunday!

"The Lord God is our protector and glorious king.  He blesses us with kindness and honor.  The Lord FREELY gives every good thing to those who do what is right.  Lord All-Powerful, great blessings belong to those who trust in you!"(Psalm 84:11-12 Easy-to-Read Version).

In one of my past positions, I had a Lead that would take escalated customer calls.  My cubicle was right across from his so I would hear everything he said to my customer after I transferred the call.  I would giggle and laugh as he would tell the customer, "It is what it is!"  Don't get me wrong, we were not mistreating any customers, but after explaining the situation to them over and over you get to the point where tough love is needed.  I feel like that about the Word of God!  It is what it is!  I take it literally and God has never let me down.

I believe that He loves me more than anyone else can or would. I believe He only wants the best for me.  I believe His Word is for me and my benefit.  No one knows me better than He does.  Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the Word that God speaks is alive and active; it cuts more keenly than any two-edged sword: it strikes through to the place where soul and spirit meet, to the innermost intimacies of a man’s being: it exposes the very thoughts and motives of a man’s heart. No creature has any cover from the sight of God; everything lies naked and exposed before the eyes of him with whom we have to do."(Phillips).

Do I always get it right?  No, I don't.  Do I use my shortcomings as an excuse to stop trying?  NO, of course not!  The Apostle Paul said it like this, "I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back."(Philippians 3:12-14 Message).

What happens when we follow after God with all we've got?  Psalm 84:11(b) says, "He doesn’t deny any good thing to those who live with integrity."(Voice).  I expect good things.  The Psalmist said, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."(Psalm 23:6 KJV).  The Voice translation of this same scripture says, "Certainly Your faithful PROTECTION and loving PROVISION will pursue me where I go, ALWAYS, everywhere."

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Could Have, Would Have, Should Have

 Happy Sunday!

"Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring the boy here.” He ordered the afflicting demon out—and it was out, gone. From that moment on the boy was well."(Matthew 17:17 Message).

This scripture always makes me think of parents. Yes, parents. Can't you just hear your parents or even yourself saying, "How many times do I have to go over these things?" Jesus spent three and a half years teaching and training the disciples. He even sent them out and told them, "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.  HEAL the sick, CLEANSE the lepers, RAISE the dead, CAST out devils: freely ye have received, freely give."(Matthew 10:7-8 KJV).  At one point the disciples were amazed and said, "Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name."(Luke 10:17 KJV).  But when a certain man brought his son for them to cast out the devil, they wouldn't do it.

You may think I should have said they "couldn't do it".  BUT Jesus said they could.  So why didn't they?  Great question.  I'm so glad you asked.  The KJV Version of Matthew 17:17 says, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me".  These are very strong words!  Jesus didn't coddle them. He didn't try to make them feel that they had done their best and it was OK.  He didn't make excuses and tell them, "you win some and you lose some"!  He told them they didn't have faith, and they were "unbelieving and difficult people"(Voice). OUCH!

Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."(KJV).  Don't miss this!  One thing is required in order to please God, Faith. "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.(Hebrews 11:1 Living Bible). Then Romans 10:17 says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."(KJV).

We know what He wants from us, and we know how to get it.  So let's just do it.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Come, Hear, and Do

 Happy Sunday!

“Let me show you what the man who COMES to me, HEARS what I have to say, and PUTS it into practice, is really like. He is like a man building a house, who dug down to rock-bottom and laid the foundation of his house upon it. Then when the flood came and flood-water swept down upon that house, it could not shift it because it was properly built. BUT the man who hears me and DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT is like a man who built his house with its foundation upon the soft earth. When the flood-water swept down upon it, it collapsed and the whole house crashed down in ruins.”(Luke 6:47-49 Phillips).

I often mention Brother Charles Capps sermon entitled, "How to Succeed When Others Fail".  He references these scriptures.  Many people think the two men in this comparison are polar opposites.  Some think one is saved and the other is lost.  BUT read it again! Brother Capps says, "Both men could have been Full Gospel, tongue talking, Bible Toting, Full Gospel Business Men. They both came to Jesus. They both heard what Jesus said. But only one of them did what Jesus said."

The Apostle James said, "Do what God’s teaching says; don’t just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves. Hearing God’s teaching and doing nothing is like looking at your face in the mirror and doing nothing about what you saw. You go away and immediately forget how bad you looked."(James 1:22-24 Easy-to-Read Version).  OUCH!  We don't want to be like that man, do we?

Jesus said, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."(John 14:21 KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia