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Keith posted:

You are in your rights to not accept my explanation. I am in my rights to  correct the false and misleading comments due to your lack of understand of the Bible. Stick to the matter you know best which is the Quran but then I doubt you understand that convoluted book.

Nothing is false or misleading about my comments because I post exact passages from the Bible. You should be more concerned about yourself since you try to employ apologetic methods to skirt around the written words. The reason I don't buy your explanations is because they are weak and silly.

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Keith posted:
ksazma posted:
Keith posted:
ksazma posted:

Miracles mean nothing. Even Jesus said that some would perform miracles which would fool even the very elect. Anyone remember those evangelicals and their miracles? Billy Graham used to heal lots of people but he couldn't heal himself. He had to pass the baton to his extremist son Franklin because he was too weak to keep up his schedule. Believers of Jesus are supposed to have faith and trust in Jesus but even Jesus had moments when he lost faith and trust in God. Pie in sky preaching.

You speak of things as though you have an understanding of the Bible and even when one of knowledge clarify that what you failed to understand you resist which is not surprising at all because it's your motto to reject others opinion because you are right in your own eye.

I don't have an obligation to accept the silly explanations you give for the written words. I can competently understand what I read and because I don't foolishly follow others I have zero chance of accepting your explanations. Notice I don't even ask you anything directly? I may comment on what you post but have already determined that you are inadequate to represent what you post here.

You are in your rights to not accept my explanation. I am in my rights to  correct the false and misleading comments due to your lack of understand of the Bible. Stick to the matter you know best which is the Quran but then I doubt you understand that convoluted book.

What makes you think the Quran is a convoluted book? And who are you to label the Quran a convoluted book? Many have been killed in the Muslim world for insulting the Quran. Are you telling us that you read the Quran? Be serious Brother Keith!!!!!

FM
Keith posted:
ksazma posted:
Keith posted:
ksazma posted:

Miracles mean nothing. Even Jesus said that some would perform miracles which would fool even the very elect. Anyone remember those evangelicals and their miracles? Billy Graham used to heal lots of people but he couldn't heal himself. He had to pass the baton to his extremist son Franklin because he was too weak to keep up his schedule. Believers of Jesus are supposed to have faith and trust in Jesus but even Jesus had moments when he lost faith and trust in God. Pie in sky preaching.

You speak of things as though you have an understanding of the Bible and even when one of knowledge clarify that what you failed to understand you resist which is not surprising at all because it's your motto to reject others opinion because you are right in your own eye.

I don't have an obligation to accept the silly explanations you give for the written words. I can competently understand what I read and because I don't foolishly follow others I have zero chance of accepting your explanations. Notice I don't even ask you anything directly? I may comment on what you post but have already determined that you are inadequate to represent what you post here.

You are in your rights to not accept my explanation. I am in my rights to  correct the false and misleading comments due to your lack of understand of the Bible. Stick to the matter you know best which is the Quran but then I doubt you understand that convoluted book.

Why you making these fellas sinning their souls.

Be content knowing ur beliefs are true and real.

The views of these chaps are representative of the world we live in. We know what the scriptures foretold of this generation. Just like days of Noah.

Guyana is in a mess. A sample of the citizens are on this BB. Read the many comments they make. Does it not speak for itself?

S

Building for Eternal Rewards

1 Corinthians 3:10-15

Today’s passage contains a sobering message about heavenly rewards and how they are acquired. Paul is comparing kingdom work to the efforts of a master builder. He says Christ is the only foundation on which to build, but each of us is responsible for the materials we use on that foundation. We can build with wood, hay, and stubble or with gold and costly stones. Each man’s work will be tested with fire in the judgment in order to determine the quality of the materials used. Paul then tells us that if our works survive the trial by fire, we will receive a reward (1 Cor. 3:14).

For our works to survive, we must learn to build with nonflammable materials. God deplores shoddy effort. We will be judged not just by our “church work” but also by the way we handled other responsibilities, such as our vocation. This means that we are to go about our daily jobs with the same diligence that we would show when serving the heavenly Father in spiritual matters.

In order to accomplish this, we must avoid practices like criticizing the boss, manipulating circumstances to our own advantage, checking in late, leaving work early, and using company materials for personal projects. This is a test of genuine Christianity.

Ask yourself if you’re being real with the Lord. Remember, He knows the truth of every situation—and He abhors laziness and poor workmanship. Our Father expects us to do our very best, and He has given us His Spirit to sanctify our efforts and provide the quality of work that He desires.

Keith
seignet posted:
Keith posted:
ksazma posted:
Keith posted:
ksazma posted:

Miracles mean nothing. Even Jesus said that some would perform miracles which would fool even the very elect. Anyone remember those evangelicals and their miracles? Billy Graham used to heal lots of people but he couldn't heal himself. He had to pass the baton to his extremist son Franklin because he was too weak to keep up his schedule. Believers of Jesus are supposed to have faith and trust in Jesus but even Jesus had moments when he lost faith and trust in God. Pie in sky preaching.

You speak of things as though you have an understanding of the Bible and even when one of knowledge clarify that what you failed to understand you resist which is not surprising at all because it's your motto to reject others opinion because you are right in your own eye.

I don't have an obligation to accept the silly explanations you give for the written words. I can competently understand what I read and because I don't foolishly follow others I have zero chance of accepting your explanations. Notice I don't even ask you anything directly? I may comment on what you post but have already determined that you are inadequate to represent what you post here.

You are in your rights to not accept my explanation. I am in my rights to  correct the false and misleading comments due to your lack of understand of the Bible. Stick to the matter you know best which is the Quran but then I doubt you understand that convoluted book.

Why you making these fellas sinning their souls.

Be content knowing ur beliefs are true and real.

The views of these chaps are representative of the world we live in. We know what the scriptures foretold of this generation. Just like days of Noah.

Guyana is in a mess. A sample of the citizens are on this BB. Read the many comments they make. Does it not speak for itself?

Thanks for the mnemonic brother.

Keith

Our Rewards in Heaven

Matthew 6:16-20

Have you ever thought about what type of rewards you are going to receive when you get to heaven? The Bible explains the criteria God will use to determine these rewards and what kind of conduct will deserve them. When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, we will be judged on the basis of the light we have received—that is, the truth God has made available to us—and what we have done with the opportunities we were given.

Furthermore, we find that some specific actions and attitudes will result in certain rewards. For instance, we are told in the book of Matthew that there is a great reward stored up in heaven for those who are insulted and persecuted for Jesus’ sake (Matt. 5:11-12). Elsewhere, the Lord tells us that acts of kindness done for His followers will be noted and rewarded (Matt. 25:40). Even a cup of water given to a thirsty disciple will not be overlooked on judgment day (Matt. 10:42).

Included among the rewarded are those whom God calls to leave family and personal possessions for the sake of the gospel. Another action that draws the Father’s special attention is love directed toward our enemies. For this behavior, there will be a great reward, and we will be called “sons of the Most High” (Luke 6:35).

Sometimes others seem to prosper and reap a great harvest without even noticing how we prepared the soil. Yet God assures us that neither the one who plants nor the one who waters will be overlooked (1 Cor. 3:8). The Lord sees each detail, and everything done for His sake will be rewarded.

Keith

As a father I always knew what rewards I had planned for my kids but this omnipotent dude seems clueless in what his plans are. I hope it ain't money because those gowns dont seem to have pockets nor that Milk and Honey...not everyone can tolerate milk and man cannot live on honey alone. 

That is only a thought.

cain
Last edited by cain

Interesting that the father pays special attention to love that people direct to their enemies. Yet we see that the son didn't grasp this concept since he was extremely bitter to those he deemed to be his enemies such as the Pharisees and money changers.

FM

For someone who is supposed to know the ways of the father, Jesus seemed quite clueless. But then again, on many occasions it seemed that the father was also clueless of his own ways.

FM

Guyanese old people does sey, "fly tink he smart but it duz get lack up in cow azz."

There, at any time, 100 odd visitors on this site.  Dem reading these jokers who think they are so smart like fly. Wan swat and dem splatter to smitherins.

I can understand the muslim way of thinking, it is their life long objective to disprove God has a Son. Not knowing the God who says He has a Son and assuming to be an authority on this God must be an assinine attempt. They willing to kill those believe in such a thought. The Putagee must be a recent convert. 

S
Last edited by seignet
seignet posted:

Guyanese old people does sey, "fly tink he smart but it duz get lack up in cow azz."

There, at any time, 100 odd visitors on this site.  Dem reading these jokers who think they are so smart like fly. Wan swat and dem splatter to smitherins.

I can understand the muslim way of thinking, it is their life long objective to disprove God has a Son. Not knowing the God who says He has a Son and assuming to be an authority on this God must be an assinine attempt. They willing to kill those believe in such a thought. The Putagee must be a recent convert. 

You are a madman. God is not Jesus' father. The parents of Jesus according to Luke are Mary and the Holy Ghost. No Christian will say that the Holy Ghost is God, the father. Wonder if the Holy Ghost had any orgasms when it impregnated Mary? Suppose the Holy Ghost was female, does that make Mary and the Holy Ghost lesbians?

 

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. - Luke 1:26-35

FM

When reasonable people posit that Jesus could have been created in the womb similar to how God create other beings, some Bible followers argue that it is not the same because Jesus is begotten, not made. When seeking clarification on this argument, it is explained that God SIRED Mary to conceive Jesus. Sire is a sexual act. However, we learn in Luke that it was the Holy Ghost who sired Mary. Therefore Jesus was not correct when he called God the father, his father.

UNLESS HE WAS USING THE WORD 'FATHER' IN A RESPECTFUL WAY SIMILAR TO HOW OTHERS USED IT IN THE DAYS OF OLE.

No one before Jesus or after him was ever said to be the sexual child of God as Jesus was made to be. It took some great imagination from Paul to conjure up such fantasy.

By the way, in Luke 1:31 above, Gabriel is said to tell Mary that she will call her child JESUS. Even Jesus didn't know the word Jesus. There are no 'J' in the Hebrew or Aramaic languages which Jesus spoke. Mary also never called her child Jesus because she named him Esau instead and he continued to use Esau as his name throughout his life.

FM
cain posted:

That Holy Ghost banna seems like a knockman.

Explains why women duz scream "oh god!, oh god!, oh god!" during sex.

And when things really get intense, they duz scream "oh f'ing god!!"

FM
ksazma posted:
seignet posted:

Guyanese old people does sey, "fly tink he smart but it duz get lack up in cow azz."

There, at any time, 100 odd visitors on this site.  Dem reading these jokers who think they are so smart like fly. Wan swat and dem splatter to smitherins.

I can understand the muslim way of thinking, it is their life long objective to disprove God has a Son. Not knowing the God who says He has a Son and assuming to be an authority on this God must be an assinine attempt. They willing to kill those believe in such a thought. The Putagee must be a recent convert. 

You are a madman. God is not Jesus' father. The parents of Jesus according to Luke are Mary and the Holy Ghost. No Christian will say that the Holy Ghost is God, the father. Wonder if the Holy Ghost had any orgasms when it impregnated Mary? Suppose the Holy Ghost was female, does that make Mary and the Holy Ghost lesbians?

 

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. - Luke 1:26-35

God is Jesus Father. Who are you to tell Christians different. 

S

The Desires of Your Heart

Psalm 37:4-7

God wants to be the greatest passion of every believer’s life. If we claim to love the Lord, our connection with Him should have priority over possessions, vocation, and even other relationships. Yet we often miss the true message of Psalm 37:4 by assuming the verse means we can get what we want. It’s not uncommon for someone to tell me about a prayer request and then add, “God promised to give me the desires of my heart.” In fact, believers at times are so fixed on an outcome that they take matters into their own hands to “help God out.”

But in context, that scripture reveals the Lord’s principle for purifying our desires and issues a call for devotion to Him. To delight in the Lord means to take pleasure in discovering more about Him and following His will. This leads to the Holy Spirit aligning our heart’s desires with His, which always puts us in position to experience His blessings.

When we commit our way to God, we allow our thoughts, goals, and lifestyle to be shaped by His will and the things He loves. In other words, we acknowledge His right to determine whether our longing fits His plan. If we rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him, then we will rely on Him to work out circumstances, even when the desire He’s given us seems impossible. When He is our first love, our hearts become focused on making His glory known in our life.

When we are aligned with His will, our Father wants to give us our heart’s desires—in His time. As we learn to enjoy Him for who He is, our self-focused wants are replaced by His perfect will and purpose for us.

Keith
seignet posted:
ksazma posted:
seignet posted:

Guyanese old people does sey, "fly tink he smart but it duz get lack up in cow azz."

There, at any time, 100 odd visitors on this site.  Dem reading these jokers who think they are so smart like fly. Wan swat and dem splatter to smitherins.

I can understand the muslim way of thinking, it is their life long objective to disprove God has a Son. Not knowing the God who says He has a Son and assuming to be an authority on this God must be an assinine attempt. They willing to kill those believe in such a thought. The Putagee must be a recent convert. 

You are a madman. God is not Jesus' father. The parents of Jesus according to Luke are Mary and the Holy Ghost. No Christian will say that the Holy Ghost is God, the father. Wonder if the Holy Ghost had any orgasms when it impregnated Mary? Suppose the Holy Ghost was female, does that make Mary and the Holy Ghost lesbians?

 

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. - Luke 1:26-35

God is Jesus Father. Who are you to tell Christians different. 

Read the highlighted part above dude. It stated that it was actually the Holy Ghost who cum in Mary.

FM
Last edited by Former Member

By the way, know how folks like to say that the Gospels are inspired by God? Check out Luke's very first sentence in "his" gospel. He stated that other folks have been talking about Jesus and since he is more educated, it SEEMS more reasonable for him to offer HIS opinion of Jesus. He did not say that God inspired him to write about Jesus. Likewise, in academia, we learn that Matthew did not write Matthew. The account of what is in Matthew was copied from the account in Mark who was just a child when Jesus was around. Wholesale plagiarism taking place.

FM
ksazma posted:
seignet posted:
ksazma posted:
seignet posted:

Guyanese old people does sey, "fly tink he smart but it duz get lack up in cow azz."

There, at any time, 100 odd visitors on this site.  Dem reading these jokers who think they are so smart like fly. Wan swat and dem splatter to smitherins.

I can understand the muslim way of thinking, it is their life long objective to disprove God has a Son. Not knowing the God who says He has a Son and assuming to be an authority on this God must be an assinine attempt. They willing to kill those believe in such a thought. The Putagee must be a recent convert. 

You are a madman. God is not Jesus' father. The parents of Jesus according to Luke are Mary and the Holy Ghost. No Christian will say that the Holy Ghost is God, the father. Wonder if the Holy Ghost had any orgasms when it impregnated Mary? Suppose the Holy Ghost was female, does that make Mary and the Holy Ghost lesbians?

 

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. - Luke 1:26-35

God is Jesus Father. Who are you to tell Christians different. 

Read the highlighted part above dude. It stated that it was actually the Holy Ghost who cum in Mary.

U r a ghost just all by urself. Maybe, that is how you know wah dem adah ghosts were/are doing.

U sure u read the Quran? U definitely nat wan dem peace loving muslims or the tolerant ones who rub shoulders with christains.  

S
ksazma posted:

By the way, know how folks like to say that the Gospels are inspired by God? Check out Luke's very first sentence in "his" gospel. He stated that other folks have been talking about Jesus and since he is more educated, it SEEMS more reasonable for him to offer HIS opinion of Jesus. He did not say that God inspired him to write about Jesus. Likewise, in academia, we learn that Matthew did not write Matthew. The account of what is in Matthew was copied from the account in Mark who was just a child when Jesus was around. Wholesale plagiarism taking place.

I can understand why u stuck on the gospel, it confuses you. Christianity is a practical belief, very different from ur theoretical beliefs.

S
seignet posted:
ksazma posted:
seignet posted:
ksazma posted:
 

 

 

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. - Luke 1:35

God is Jesus Father. Who are you to tell Christians different. 

Read the highlighted part above dude. It stated that it was actually the Holy Ghost who cum in Mary.

U r a ghost just all by urself. Maybe, that is how you know wah dem adah ghosts were/are doing.

U sure u read the Quran? U definitely nat wan dem peace loving muslims or the tolerant ones who rub shoulders with christains.  

Don't need to be a ghost to know what the passage said the Holy Ghost did dude. The passage stated that the Holy Ghost shall come upon Mary. That explains why people call that position the missionary position.

FM
seignet posted:
ksazma posted:

By the way, know how folks like to say that the Gospels are inspired by God? Check out Luke's very first sentence in "his" gospel. He stated that other folks have been talking about Jesus and since he is more educated, it SEEMS more reasonable for him to offer HIS opinion of Jesus. He did not say that God inspired him to write about Jesus. Likewise, in academia, we learn that Matthew did not write Matthew. The account of what is in Matthew was copied from the account in Mark who was just a child when Jesus was around. Wholesale plagiarism taking place.

I can understand why u stuck on the gospel, it confuses you. Christianity is a practical belief, very different from ur theoretical beliefs.

The gospels don't confuse me dude. That is because I don't have the burden of needing to pretend that they don't mean what they say. That is the burden that you folks carry every day.

Funny that you would claim that Christianity is a practical belief when the main element of that believe is extremely impractical. How can one God be three gods at the same time but they are not really three gods but actually one God? Only Paul could have conjure up such nonsense and now countless people are forced to pretend that it makes sense.

FM
Last edited by Former Member

Knowing the Heart of God

Deuteronomy 4:29

People long to be understood. We appear to have many acquaintances, but we all have a deep need to feel truly known by those we love most. This is because we were created in God’s image—He is a relational being who desires for His children to know and understand Him.

Just as you don’t want to be known for only the superficial details of who you appear to be, it’s not enough to simply know about the Lord. He wants us to learn how He thinks and feels, what’s important to Him, and what His purposes are. Of course, it’s impossible for man to completely know the mind of the Creator of the universe. Isaiah 55:9 tells us, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” The depth and breadth of His mind are far too great for us to grasp fully.

However, we can better understand God’s heart and character by seeking Him and learning daily from His Word. If we truly desire to walk in His ways, we must first genuinely know Him. We come to know our friends better by sharing more experiences together. Similarly, we will also understand God better the longer we walk with Him and meditate on what He has revealed about Himself in the Bible.

God wants you to seek Him with all your heart, and He promises that when you do, you will find Him (Jer. 29:13). So, the next time you’re feeling a need to be better understood, turn to the One who understands you perfectly. Even more importantly, ask the Lord to help you know Him better.

Keith

One cannot learn of someone if that person operates in mysterious ways. The only thing they are forced to do is accept that person irrespective of how senseless that person operates.

FM

Our Awesome God

Revelation 4:9-11

In our culture, God’s name is often mentioned with little reverence. In fact, many people actually use it as a curse. Even among those who love Him, it is far too common to use His name casually, without taking time to ponder who He is. When you say a blessing at mealtimes, for instance, do you realize that you are talking to the almighty God who created and rules over all things?

Our view of the Lord impacts three areas of life. First, it affects our prayers. As we come to know Him better and better, our desires will start to look like His goals for us, and our petitions will align more closely with His purposes. What’s more, as we recognize His greatness and power, we’ll become more confident that He can accomplish mighty things—and we will venture to “pray big” (Eph. 3:20; James 4:2).

Second, our understanding of His righteousness and goodness influences our behavior: If God has these attributes, surely it’s in our best interest to obey gladly. And as we, too, desire righteousness, we’ll be quick to repent of sin.

Third, our faith is impacted. Grasping that Jesus is holy, good, and powerful grows our trust in Him. Knowing our awesome God and remembering His great works will further build our confidence in Him.

Do you personally know our loving and holy heavenly Father? He invites you into an intimate relationship with Him. But as with any good friendship, time and intentionality are necessary to understand Him and learn His ways. Make these characteristics your priority, and watch how your prayers, behavior, and faith are impacted.

-Intouch Ministries-

Keith
seignet posted:

Guyanese old people does sey, "fly tink he smart but it duz get lack up in cow azz."

There, at any time, 100 odd visitors on this site.  Dem reading these jokers who think they are so smart like fly. Wan swat and dem splatter to smitherins.

I can understand the muslim way of thinking, it is their life long objective to disprove God has a Son. Not knowing the God who says He has a Son and assuming to be an authority on this God must be an assinine attempt. They willing to kill those believe in such a thought. The Putagee must be a recent convert. 

That Putagee is a rational thinker.

Chief

How to Handle Pride

1 Samuel 24

Pride causes us to think that we can manage life’s situations ourselves and make our own plans. The first two kings of Israel—Saul and David—illustrate different approaches to handling pride.

Saul’s high opinion of himself resulted in decisions that were contrary to the Lord’s commands. For example, having defeated the Philistines, the king reasoned that he should take some spoils of war, even though God had said otherwise. When confronted by Samuel, he replied that his plan was “to sacrifice [the animals] to the Lord” (1 Samuel 15:15). God saw through his words to a heart of pride. If self-centeredness controls our thinking, we’ll seek ways around divine commands in order to serve ourselves. When caught, we may try to justify our disobedience, as Saul did.

David—Israel’s second king, chosen while Saul was still on the throne—didn’t try to initiate his own reign. Instead, he waited for God’s timing. That meant enduring Saul’s jealous rages and murder attempts, but still he wouldn’t retaliate. In fact, even when he had the opportunity, David refused to seize the throne; he didn’t allow pride to dominate his thinking. Later on, he coveted another man’s wife and committed adultery, but when he was challenged, his humble heart prompted repentance (2 Samuel 12:13).

To prevent prideful behavior, we must refuse to act independently of the Lord. Like David, we should handle self-centeredness by turning to God in confession. David’s sins were forgiven. Saul, on the other hand, never admitted he’d made any mistakes, and that led to his downfall.

Keith

Seek God Early

Psalm 63:1-8

You’ve probably heard people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A similar concept applies to our heart and mind. The fuel we give them each morning greatly affects the remainder of the day. Think of time in God’s Word, prayer, and meditation as spiritual nourishment for your relationship with the Father.

David began his day with the Lord. In Psalm 63, he described seeking God early (the literal translation of earnestly). He woke up ravenous for his Creator, and after filling his yearning soul with the fullness of the Lord, he broke out in thanksgiving and praise to Him. Even while lying on his bed at night, David was still thinking about his heavenly Father.

Just imagine having a day like that—filled with joy and gratitude to God. This is possible when we set apart the beginning of our day to spend with the Lord, listening to Him speak through His Word and talking to Him in prayer. Our blessing will be even richer when we stay mindful of God throughout the day and into the night, contemplating who He is and how He works. Seeking the Lord not only fills our empty soul; it also increases our hunger for more of Him.

Do you find it a struggle to set apart time with the Lord each morning? Realize that lifelong habits begin with baby steps, not overwhelming resolutions. Start today—set aside 15 minutes this morning. Then try doing so for a few days, and see if the Lord begins to satisfy your soul and increase your hunger for Him.

Keith

What If There Is No Resurrection?

1 Corinthians 15:12-19

On a very cold November afternoon, I sat under a green tent with my mother’s coffin in front of me. How many times had I stood in cemeteries, offering comfort and the Word of God to those who had lost a loved one? But this was my first experience being on the other side of the casket. As I sat there, a shocking thought popped into my head: Suppose there is no resurrection! This idea was quickly driven away by my faith and confidence in Christ. But it had lasted just long enough for me to feel the despair and hopelessness of such a belief.

To help us appreciate Christ’s victory over the grave, let’s consider what the outcome of life and death would be without the resurrection. First of all, Jesus would still be dead. That means our faith in Him would be worthless and our message to the world would be a lie. What’s more, Jesus Himself would be proved a liar since He claimed that He would rise from the dead.

There would be no forgiveness of our sins, no possibility of reconciliation with God, and no hope of heaven. All deceased believers throughout history would have perished. Without the resurrection, there would be nothing positive for anyone to look forward to. Everybody’s destiny after death would be hell.

Thank God, none of these scenarios are true. Our Savior lives, our sins are forgiven, death has been defeated, and believers in Christ have assurance of eternity in heaven with Him. After considering how hopeless we would be without a resurrection, let’s rejoice all the more in the greatness of our salvation.

Keith

Our Glorious Hope

1 Corinthians 15:20-58

When we hear the word resurrection, most of us instantly think about Jesus rising from the dead, but His victory over the grave shows what’s going to happen to us as well. One day every believer who has died will experience a bodily resurrection like His, and those who are alive when Christ returns will be changed from mortal to immortal in the twinkling of an eye.

One of the first questions that spring to mind is, What am I going to look like? I can’t answer that specifically, but all I know is, you’re going to look as good as the Creator can make you. And that’s pretty good! These humble earthly bodies will be transformed into glorious bodies like His—minus the divinity, of course. The apostle Paul provides some hints about their characteristics: They are imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual. As such, they will be fit for life in heaven. We’ll never again experience sin, sickness, pain, suffering, weakness, exhaustion, or death.

At times people ask me if we’ll be recognizable—that is, will we know our loved ones, and will they know us? Consider this: How could such powerful, glorious bodies be limited in this area if they are so much more advanced in every other way? I’m fully convinced that all our senses and mental abilities will be enhanced, not diminished.

A glorious future lies ahead of us, but the joy of a new body and a reunion with loved ones will be surpassed by the thrill of seeing Jesus face to face. He is the One who made all this possible. Out of gratitude, let’s faithfully love and serve Him while we remain on this earth.

Keith

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