Are you Ignorant?

 Happy Sunday!

"Since he himself is weak in many ways, he is able to be gentle with those who are ignorant and make mistakes."(Hebrews 5:2 Good News Translation).

Are you ignorant?  Don't rush to answer!  None of us want to be called "ignorant"!  The definition of Ignorant from the Webster's Dictionary of 1828 is "Destitute of knowledge; uninstructed or uninformed; untaught; unenlightened. A man may be ignorant of the law, or of any art or science. He may be ignorant of his own rights, or of the rights of others."  Based on this definition, we are all ignorant in some area, or various areas.  In the Bible, the Apostles consistently urged Christians to resist ignorance!  God does not want us to be ignorant about anything!  God definitely doesn't want us to be ignorant of the Word of God and all the benefits we are eligible for.

Hebrews 4:15 says, "Jesus, our high priest, is able to understand our weaknesses. When Jesus lived on earth, he was tempted in every way. He was tempted in the same ways we are tempted, but he NEVER sinned."(Easy-to-Read Version).  Jesus is our Ultimate Example!  He proved it is possible for a human being empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a holy, victorious, and abundant life.  Hebrews 6:12 says, "We don’t want you to be lazy. We want you to be like those who, because of their faith and patience, will GET what God has promised."(Easy-to-Read Version).

Don't miss this!  Don't be lazy!  Fighting ignorance requires effort.  The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, "Work hard so God can say to you, “Well done.” Be a good workman, one who does not need to be ashamed when God examines your work. Know what his Word says and means."(2 Timothy 2:15 Living Bible).  Take time to study the Word of God.  Be willing to allow the Word to change you from the inside out.  Be willing to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God.(1 Peter 5:6 KJV).  He guarantees us that He will exalt us, and lift us up in the right time!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Meanwhile

Happy Sunday!

"Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!"(Hebrews 12:1-3 Message).

The phrase, "go over that story again", stuck out to me in the passage above!  I had the privilege of seeing some family members this weekend that I haven't seen in years.  We talked about the past and laughed about things we've been through!  Of course, when we were living through those hard times we didn't laugh!  Thank God for bringing us through!  It made me think of the song, "Through It All" by Andrae Crouch.

I also thought of comic books!  I know what you are thinking!  Comic books?  Right!  Haven't you seen a text bubble in a comic book that says, "Meanwhile"?  To let you know that while your hero was busy saving one group or city something else was going on in the background!  The Bible does that too!  There are scriptures that let us know that things are going on behind the scenes!  This physical world is not all there is!  There is a spiritual world!  The Apostle Paul wrote, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places."(Ephesians 6:12 Amplified).

Don't miss this!  While the saints of old and the Bible characters we read about in Sunday School are in Heaven cheering us on, the enemy and his crew are doing all they can to steal, kill, and destroy us!(John 10:10).  Thankfully, we have the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and great preachers and teachers to remind us and encourage us to stay on the straight and narrow path!  Jesus said, “Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way."(Matthew 7:14 Living Bible).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Humility

 Happy Sunday!

"When Ahab heard these prophecies, he tore his clothing, put on rags, fasted, slept in sackcloth, and went about in deep humility. Then another message came to Elijah: “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has done this, I will not do what I promised during his lifetime; it will happen to his sons; I will destroy his descendants.”(1 Kings 21:27-29 Living Bible).

Ahab was a BAD dude!  Not like Michael Jackson "Bad", but really bad.  He encouraged the people to worship idols and even had a man falsely convicted and killed, all in order to get the man's vineyard.  If you are not familiar with him you've probably heard about his wife, Jezebel!  God used the Prophet Elijah repeatedly to rebuke and warn Ahab.  So much so that Ahab hated Elijah and would have killed him too, if he could have. 

“Yes,” Elijah answered, “I have come to place God’s curse upon you because you have sold yourself to the devil. The Lord is going to bring great harm to you and sweep you away; he will not let a single one of your male descendants survive!  He is going to destroy your family as he did the family of King Jeroboam and the family of King Baasha, for you have made him very angry and have led all of Israel into SIN. The Lord has also told me that the dogs of Jezreel shall tear apart the body of your wife, Jezebel.  The members of your family who die in the city shall be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the country shall be eaten by vultures.”(1 Kings 21:20-24 Living Bible).

After hearing this Ahab did something totally out of character, he repented and humbled himself.  Before Elijah could get home, God told him to turn around and tell Ahab that all the bad stuff wouldn't happen in his lifetime because he humbled himself.  Jesus said, "If you walk around all high and mighty, you’re going to end up flat on your face. But if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become MORE than yourself.”(Luke 14:11 Message).  God was merciful to Ahab.  He gave Ahab much better treatment than he deserved.  He does the SAME for us.   When asked how she was doing a co-worker of mine said, "Better than I deserve!"  I said, "Isn't it wonderful that we don't get what we deserve?  We get what Jesus paid for!"  The Prophet Jeremiah echoes this, "The reason I can still find HOPE is that I keep this one thing in mind: the Lord’s MERCY.  We were not completely wiped out.  His compassion is never limited.  It is NEW every morning. His faithfulness is great."(Lamentations 3:21-23 GW).

Jesus said, "The thief comes ONLY in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may HAVE and ENJOY life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)."(John 10:10 Amplified).  The Apostle Peter preached, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about DOING GOOD, and HEALING all that were Oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."(Acts 10:38 KJV).  The devil is behind all sickness, destruction, and poverty!  Jesus came to rescue us, and set us free from the enemy's strategies.  Will we humble ourselves, admit we need help, and let Jesus free us?  Selah.

Love and prayers, Cynthia