Thought for the day

[2ndAmendment]

Matthew 7
13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Finding the "small gate and narrow path" is easy for those with faith and impossible for those without faith. I pray that all who read these passages find the pathway to life.

 

[2ndAmendment]

Matthew 18
1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Christians are to believe like little childen. Remember when your kids were very young? They believed anything you said. That is why it is important not to tell them any lies (Santa Claus, Easter Rabbit; don't they just take away from the real meaning?). It is that child like faith that we must have. We must believe God and His word. May I have child like faith.

 

[2ndAmendment]

"If you would have told someone just 50 years ago, that there would no longer be prayer in our schools, they would have called you crazy. If you would have told someone 50 years ago, that crosses and manger scenes would be banned from public buildings, they would have called you crazy. If you would have told someone 50 years ago, that it would be illegal to display the 10 commandments in a courthouse, they would have called you crazy. If you would have told someone 50 years ago, that there would be major efforts to take "under God " out of the Pledge of Allegiance and "In God We Trust" off of our money, they would have called you crazy. However, 50 years later, these are all a reality!" (from the July 25, 2003 Devotional by Bill Keller "When They Padlock The Doors of the Churches in the United States")

Christians are in a war with satan and the world. We are assured of the final outcome - God wins, but we have been losing these battles. It is a fulfillment of prophesy that this time of world enmity against God's people would come.

Wake up! Hold on to the gift of salvation. Work to preserve and to get back our rights as Christians.

 

[2ndAmendment]

1 Corinthians 2
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Christians should not be surprised that many find the Bible to be complete nonsense. Those not of the Spirit cannot understand the things of the Spirit.

 

[Kain99]

Thanks 2A........ These passages mean so much to me everyday. Thank you.

Psalm 26:3
for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.

 

[TripleJ]

 

[2ndAmendment]

John 3
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

People quote John 3:16 often; they leave out the rest. Christians are called to live by the Truth because we believe.

 

[2ndAmendment]

Hebrews 4
12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-_edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Nothing, no thought, action, attitude is hidden from the sight of God. Christians should live like He is always present -- because He is.

 

[2ndAmendment]

There is not one person reading this today that doesn't want God's blessings in their life. Even those who don't believe there is a God, still want His blessings. The reality is, GOD WANTS TO BLESS YOU! Jesus said, "it is your Father's pleasure to give you the Kingdom." But just like there are natural laws that govern the earth, there are spiritual laws that govern the Kingdom of God. Let me give you the key to God's blessings. GOD CANNOT AND WILL NOT BLESS DISOBEDIENCE. Let me say that one more time. GOD CANNOT AND WILL NOT BLESS DISOBEDIENCE. If you want God's blessings, the first thing that you must do is live in accordance with His Word. The Bible tells us that "to obey is better than sacrifice." God said, "Oh that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever." GOD'S BLESSINGS FLOW FROM OUR OBEDIENCE!!! -- excerpt from the Daily Devotional, Bill Keller http://www.liveprayer.com

 

[2ndAmendment]

1 Corinthians 3
16Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 17If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
18Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness ; 20and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."

 

[2ndAmendment]

"You are special!!!! This is a very short and simple word for YOU today,
but powerful in its truth! Many days we get so consumed with our lives
that we lose sight of just how special we are. Life is filled with many
problems, and because of those problems, we sometimes get down and blame
ourselves. Not a day goes by that we don't fail in some way, and so many
people tend to live in self-condemnation. Let me encourage you today that
God created you in His own image and made each person uniquely different.
No matter what you are going through, what you may have done, God still
loves you and in His eyes, YOU ARE SPECIAL!!!!!

Forgiving others can be very difficult, especially when they have hurt us in
some way. However, just as difficult, even more so, is forgiving ourselves!
The Bible tell us that we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory.
There are no perfect people. But our God is ready to forgive us and cleanse
us from all our sin if we will simply confess our sins to Him and repent.
My friend, you cannot change what has already been done, but you have total
control over what you will do from this point forward." - excerpt from Bill Keller Devotional -
http://www.liveprayer.com

 

[2ndAmendment]

Ephesians 6
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Hebrews 10
24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

We are in a spiritual war. This is nonsense to those that do not believe, but it is true. We need the full armor of God to fight this war and there is only one way to have it. We need to keep meeting and praying together as brothers and sisters in Christ. If we don't, we become weaker and weaker until we are overcome by the world and its ruler, satan.

When was the last time you were in church? Go get stronger. Go put on God's armor. Stand up as a soldier of God. If you don't have a body of believers to worship with, PM me.

 

[2ndAmendment]

Matthew 5
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Sure is different from what this world teaches.

 

[2ndAmendment]

Romans 8
18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that[9] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

 

[2ndAmendment]

Matthew 7

21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

 

[2ndAmendment]

- Bill Keller's Daily Devotional http://www.liverprayer.com
Fasting. Fasting has been one of the most misunderstood and misused practices in the Bible. The basic premise of fasting is giving up a normal daily activity, as a sacrifice, to spend that time in prayer and seeking the Lord. It is NOT supposed to be a physical endurance contest to see how long you can go without eating. It is an act of sacrifice. It can be as little as skipping one meal, or not eating for 24 hours, or even three days. Fasting does not always have to be food. You can "fast" by not watching television for a period of time, or giving up any number of others things that you may do during the day. There is no magic formula. ...

Fasting does not make you more spiritual than someone who does not fast. It is not a way to prove how spiritual you are. Again, it is a simple act of sacrifice to spend that time in prayer with the Lord. It allows you to hear God more clear. It is a time to really get serious about praying over a certain situation or circumstance. It is a sacrifice on your part to get closer to God.

 

[Kain99]

Originally posted by 2ndAmendment
Matthew 7

21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

The scariest verse in the Bible..... It always makes me wonder if I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do.

 

[2ndAmendment]

Take encouragement or guidance from the verses that immediately preceded those.

Matthew 7
16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Examine how you treat others and what you do when no one is looking? Absolutely no one will find out about something; a little overcharge, keeping too much change, giving someone the finger, cussing, fudging the taxes "just a little bit", and all the other "little" things, or even major things for some. What do you do? If Jesus was standing next to you, would you do the same thing? How does your "fruit" stand the test; is it sweet or sour? You know in your heart if you treat someone right. We judge ourselves, but eventually we all, whether we believe or not, will be judged or exonerated by the final Judge.

But good works are not enough by themselves; only the gracious gift of God's salvation through His own sacrifice keeps us from the penalty of sin. Our obedience is our way of loving God and thanking Him for His most wonderful Gift, Jesus Christ.

 

[2ndAmendment]

" But you, man of God. . .
pursue gentleness. . ."
~ I Timothy 6:11 ~

Somehow gentleness has become a trait most men are
not interested in. Perhaps the ides of "Self made man"
seems incompatible with gentleness. If that be the case,
the definition of gentleness needs revisiting. Among the
synonyms for gentleness, the word "broken" is found: as
in a broken horse. In this sense, "broken" means strength
under control.
"The Horse Whisperers", a good book and movie, tells
about a cowboy who tames wild horses with firmness, soft
words, and patience. Initially, his horses are strong and
powerful, but out of control. When the cowboy is finished,
his horses are still strong and powerful, but they are also control-
lable, and useful.
The righteous man understands that gentleness is not
a sign of weakness. A gentle spirit is a sign of strength under
control. Paul writes that gentleness is a part of the makeup of
a righteous man filled with God's Spirit. ( Galatians 5:22 ). Followers
of Christ are both strong and gentle. The righteous man controls
himself and focuses his energies on the work of God's Kingdom.
and when he does. . .God smiles.

" We can always gauge where we are by the
teachings of Jesus Christ."
~ Oswald Chambers ~

"It is the duty of every Christian to be
like Christ to his neighbor."
~ Martin Luther ~

 

[2ndAmendment]

Job 1
13 One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart. [3]
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

All too often we ask God why He did something to us rather than praising Him even in the bad times. We need to be like Job and make a sincere choice to praise God even when we are hurting and feel we have lost everything. I would prefer that no one is tested like Job but that we all would praise like Job.