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100% Pure?
Have you ever noticed items in your neighborhood grocery store proudly displaying a sticker or tag advertising something like this: “100% Pure”?
How can a person tell if the product is really 100%?
It’s fairly simple, actually. The product itself is the proof.
Take, for instance, orange juice. 100% orange juice will look, taste, and smell just like freshly squeezed oranges. The statement, 100% Pure, is confirmed or denied when someone opens the container, pours a glass full for themselves, and takes a sip.
If you saw a sign that read, 100% pure orange juice, yet when you tasted it, you could have sworn you were drinking orange flavored water; you just might want to demand your money back.
What about Christians? Pure, or defiled and unbelieving?
“To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” (Titus 1:15-16 ESV)
Apparently, merely advertising 100% pure isn’t good enough. What is it when it’s opened for people to taste and see?
Does your life back up your advertisement? Does your tag read, 100%, but nothing supports it once your lid comes off?
Or once you open your mouth?
Just the idea of tasting orange juice that has gone bad makes me halfway sick.
If you’re a professing Christian, like I am, do you agree we should do everything possible to ensure both the advertising and the actual product agree with each other? I do.
Yes, the Lord is good. And if he is our profession, the words “detestable”, “disobedient”, and “unfit for any good work” just don’t seem to match our tag.
What do you think?
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2 Keys For A Long, Enjoyable Marriage
Here are two keys for a long and enjoyable marriage: 1) remember marriage is a journey
2) remember you aren’t traveling aloneMy wife and I stop a lot when traveling a long distance. We need to stretch, relax, use the facilities, and grab a snack.
We have a habit of asking each other, as we approach a rest area, “Would you like to stop?”
You may feel everything’s fine on your marriage journey. You may not need to stop and stretch. But you aren’t traveling alone. Keep an eye on the needs of your spouse.
It makes for a much nicer trip.
Please visit: http://Facebook.com/hopeforyourmarriage
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In This Way They Will Know
There is coming a time when God will make himself known to every nation. No one will have to wonder who is God. There will be no guessing about what he can do, or even what he thinks about Israel, for that matter.
“In this way, I will show my greatness and holiness, and I will make myself known to all the nations of the world. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 38:23 NLT)
“In this way…” God will show his greatness and holiness through his dealings with the nations of the world; especially how the nations interact with Israel.
“Then they will know…”
When? After a number of armies attack the little nation of Israel. After they realize they bit off more than they can chew. After God makes the nations look utterly foolish.
Yes, the nations will know.
The nations will know, even if they were cheering loudly for Hamas. The nations will know, as they read the news, follow the tweets and blogs, and download the latest info onto their iPad. They will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God fights for Israel.
Israel will know that God is the Lord as they witness his mighty hand of deliverance.
It will be like in days of old. As Moses defeated the Amalekites, Joshua, the Amorites, and David, the Jebusites, God will supernaturally defeat Israel’s foes.
Gideon didn’t need 32,000 soldiers to whoop up on an army who was numbered as the sands of the sea.
The one who saves by many or a few is more than enough for any battle, any situation.
Jonathan showed that whoever will give God half a chance, He won’t need a majority to bring the enemy to its knees.
Mark it down. Declare it to the nations. And watch how they feverishly align themselves against, not only the Jewish nation, but God himself.
But isn’t it a shame? Every nation will know, yet still not repent and believe.
Please, please, please make certain you do not harden your heart.
For it’s one thing to know God is real. It’s another thing to repent, believe, and follow. God.
What would you do if you were President Obama, John Kerry, or Benjamin Netanyahu?
Who should America support? Why?
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Mrs. Grace’s Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Feeling Like A Failure
I must confess: at this moment I feel more like Gideon in the winepress, than David running out to meet Goliath.
What happened? Nothing in particular. Just life.
But though my flesh is tired, and I’m frustrated with my circumstances, I will not quit fighting the good fight of faith. Though I feel like a failure…
No, I will encourage myself, just as David did when it looked as though he would be killed by the Philistines.
“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!
I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” (Psalm 34:1 – 34:10 ESV)
I know I don’t look like a mighty man of faith and power. I realize I don’t have the muscles of a warrior. I haven’t noticed any ladder in my yard whereupon the angels of God are ascending and descending. I haven’t heard the voice like that of many waters call my name, or even clear his throat.
The voice I’ve been hearing for the last hour or two has sounded more like the serpent than the savior. The message that’s bombarded my spirit seems more like my accuser than my advocate. And the heaviness on my heart can’t be anything other than the cares of the world.
Regardless of what I feel, what I hear, or what life is trying to force me into believing;
I am God’s. He is mine.
I’m not required to run and meet Goliath.
All I need to do is run to my God.
He is all I need.
I am not a failure.
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What In Heaven’s Name Are You Saying?
What in Heaven’s name are you saying?
Are you saying the same thing John, Jesus, Peter, and Paul said?
“John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” (Mark 1:4 ESV)
“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15 ESV)
“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38 ESV)
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 ESV)
“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” (Acts 17:30 ESV)
“…correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil…” (2 Timothy 2:25-26 ESV)
Repent.
Not a popular word, but a necessary word.
Why?
Well, for one thing, it is impossible to believe the gospel without first changing your mind about yourself, God, Jesus, Heaven and Hell.
And for another, the gospel is good news. But good news is only good to those who realize how bad off they really are. People must understand they are hopelessly and eternally lost; that no amount of goodness, great deeds, social savvy, or political influence can ever change a nature in league with the devil.
That’s our predicament. Without Christ we are children of darkness; spiritually dead. Strangers to the genuine love and life of God. Outcasts. It’s why we need a savior. It’s why John, Jesus, Peter, and Paul used the word, “repent”.
It’s why I write so much about it.
All of Heaven’s resources are available to the soul who believes Heaven’s word.
Repent.
Please don’t change Heaven’s message. It’s the only hope we have.
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Hear, O Israel!
Hear, O Israel: the nations aligned against you are in for a rude awakening.
“Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”
“But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.”
“The king proclaims the Lord’s decree: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession. You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.” (Psalm 2:1-9 NLT)
Hear, O Israel: God will deliver you from every enemy. You will know and experience the saving strength of his right hand.
“Tell everyone about God’s power. His majesty shines down on Israel; his strength is mighty in the heavens…The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!” (Psalm 68:34-35 NLT)
“Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does such wonderful things.” (Psalm 72:18 NLT)
“O Israel, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.” (Psalm 115:9-10 NLT)
Hear, O Israel: quietly rest in the Lord’s favor, just as David once did.
“Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
“O Israel, put your hope in the Lord – now and always.” (Psalm 131:1-3 NLT)
“He subdues the nations before us, putting our enemies beneath our feet. He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance, the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom he loves.” (Psalm 47:3-4 NLT)
Hear, O Israel: your God comes!
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What’s next? Please think with me.
Something is stirring in my heart. I’m seeing something in the scriptures, yet I can’t quite see it. Do you understand what I mean?
I read this yesterday:
“So Solomon finished building the Temple.” (1 Kings 6:14 NLT)
Then, as I meditated on that passage, I remembered what happened after Solomon had finished building. As the priests brought the Ark of the Covenant and other items into the Temple (kind of like moving God’s furniture into his house), then:
“…At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of God.” (2 Chronicles 5:13-14 NLT)
In other words, God moved inside; he took up residence there.
Okay, with that thought I started looking at Moses’ ministry, and the building of the Tabernacle of Meeting.
“So at last Moses finished the work.” (Exodus 40:33 NLT)
Again, just like in Solomon’s example, when the place was finished and every part was in place…
“…So at last Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.” (Exodus 40:33-35 NLT)
Yes. God moved inside, and his glory became evident to all.
So now I read the passage in Ephesians.
“Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:20-22 NLT)
I know what I’m thinking and sensing; but I’m not certain I can articulate it.
God is in each individual. Right. But is there something the Church is missing?
So I ask you…what comes next?
If God established a pattern, first with Moses and then with Solomon, what can we expect when the Body of Christ finally grows up? What is on the horizon for the church?
What will it take for us to get “there”? Or, “are we there yet?”
I look forward to your thoughts…
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Revival Characteristics (Final)
Every spiritual awakening, revival, or whatever you’d like to call it, has certain visible characteristics. This is the third and final post in the series, “Revival Characteristics”.
Fences are repaired.
The boundaries of truth.
Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set. Proverbs 22:28 NKJV
Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by previous generations. (Proverbs 22:28 NLT)
I’ve noticed the idea of absolute truth is hard for some (most of us) to handle. Some use it as a way to control others. They hold “truth” over other lives like a club of sorts. They even blame God for the way they act, saying they’re just “defending truth”.
Others propound the idea that truth must be redefined for each generation. But as Proverbs talks about not moving the “ancient boundaries”, to change the meaning and substance of truth every twenty to thirty years is like moving someone’s property line every so often. Someone is going to be cheated.
Each generation struggles with the process of handing off the baton of truth. Because truth can be very uncomfortable and demand much change, it is easier to compromise a little to make it more acceptable and less divisive.
But someone gets cheated! Someone loses each time the fence is moved. I believe each generation has become “cheated” in a greater way than the previous one. As the world continues to spin, almost out of control, the church is allowing more and more “property lines” to be violated.
This is the hour to stand for truth. The Holy Spirit wants to show us where the old “fence posts” of truth really are. To give us revelation from the Word so we can regain the ground lost through compromise. Future generations are right now in our care, desperately needing to know the difference between truth and error.
Searching the Scriptures and the God of the Scriptures is like rebuilding a fence. The Lord will show us “the property lines” like He did for Abraham, Moses, and Joshua, when we seek him with all our heart.
The Lord recently gave me this word:
“This revival, this awakening will not come from above as much as it will be a peeling away of the old calloused ways. As in Noah’s day, when the heavens were opened, first the deep was broken. More water poured forth from the depth than from above.
“I have deposited more than is required. For generations I have poured forth, deposited revelation upon revelation; power and glory incrementally.
“I’m not requiring my church to learn new things, as some may teach. If my people will simply learn my ways, and follow the path I have set before them, the grace to win the lost and raise the dead will certainly accompany their steps.
“So now it’s time to rebuild the altars, reclaim the wells, and mend the fences. Prepare for glory.”
Rebuilding, reclaiming, and mending is not something to be taken lightly. The enemy, the “Seven Spirits” of the land, do not simply step aside to allow the Kingdom of God to dominate. The devil will do everything possible to keep you and I preoccupied, too busy, indifferent, or whatever; just as long as we don’t attempt to lay claim to the promises and power of God.
But we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.
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Up Ahead: The End
“”The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about – the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat… For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones… See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.” (Matthew 24:15-25 NLT)
At least four kinds of people will read this post.
1) People who don’t believe a word of the Bible.
2) People who believe this passage has already been fulfilled (in A.D. 70)
3) People who are convinced this scenario is soon to occur
4) Those who don’t know and, probably, don’t give a hoot.The message from God should be clear. Be ready…
–In your car
–On the job
–Asleep
–Awake
–If you’re tempted
–When you’re victorious
–Sitting in the pew
–Teaching the bible
–Eating your lunch
–Fasting with Daniel
–Watching Joel Osteen
–Listening to Talk Radio
–Visiting the sick and afflicted
–Even if you have been baptizedThe world is spinning out of control. It’s not getting better. It’s is getting worse, growing darker.
Even if Obama was impeached, our borders were secured, Israel and Hamas kissed and made up, every congressman and woman were republican (or whatever your fave is); even if “America’s Preacher” had a bad day…
It’s headed for the end.
I believe it will happen soon. Why? Because of the phrase, “For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again.”
Man’s love affair with the creature rather than the Creator has finally caught up with him. His separation from Truth and Wisdom has allowed deep, dark confusion to rule all levels of society. Good is called evil, and evil is known as good.
The peaceful life promised in Jesus is ignored.
A pathetic life filled with confusion, strife, fear, anxiety, and hopelessness prevails.
I pity those who won’t be ready.
How can a person be ready? Ask me, and I’ll tell you.
Jan Grace
adding God's Word into my world…
