"Psalms 118:4 Let them now thatfear the LORD say, that his mercyendureth for ever. 5 I called uponthe LORD in distress: the LORDanswered me, and set me in alarge place. 6 The LORD is on myside; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
Proverbs 11:8 The righteous isdelivered out of trouble, and thewicked cometh in his stead.
Romans 8:31 What shall we thensay to these things? If God be forus, who can be against us?"To stand strong in this spiritual battle is ours to do.
It is God's power that provides the victory through them who stand. God bless your heart Marc. Your brother and servant in Christ, Pastor Rick
The above was sent to me on my myspace account. At times in this world we all need our spiritual brothers and sisters to help us realize were the ones that ultimately get the victory. Though at times in this world it definately can appear bleak at times. Remember, it is the victory we have through Christ that will get us through our most challenging moments. Without Christ and our Father in heaven we would all be lost. In Phillipians 4: the word tells us to cast all our cares on him and to be anxious for nothing. God has our back. Thanks to Pastor Rick from Texas for the much needed reminder. I was praying about the course of this world last night, and these words were exactly what I needed. One might even ask if he was inspired.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
In my profession I constantly find others reading the bible and on occasion praying. I'm always delighted to see others looking for a spiritual connection to our father. I look for opportunities to talk with others about Gods word, and the other day was no exception.
What I found was a gentleman discussing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. He had his own belief on what this subjects interpretation means, as many do. He even asked me to look it up and research it myself because he felt my understanding was off. Always looking to make sure I have my own head on straight I went for it. Plus, to be honest I don't argue with others. Most people I've ever met are stuck in their ways of thinking, and some have accused me of heinous things in the past. However, I do listen, check my own understanding, and am very willing to change my thinking if I find I'm off the word. So I looked.
Mark 3:22-30
-And the scribes that came down from Jerusalem said, "He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils." And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided he cannot stand, but hath an end. No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shallblaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme agasint the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:" Because they said he hath an unclean "spirit."-
For me the real question comes in "why?" They blasphemed against the Holy Spirit by accusations against our Lord that he was casting out devils by the power of Satan. But why? If they didn't believe in God they would have been happy for the healings and went about their business. If they were truly working for the one true God they would have rejoiced that God worked through this man even if they didn't believe he was the Son of God. So the real question is WHY. Why were they so quick to dismiss it?
John 8:42-44
Jesus said unto them, "If God were your father ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand My speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. YE ARE OF YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (emphasis mine)
John 8:48-49
Then answered the Jews, and said unto Him, "Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?" Jesus answered, "I have not a devil; but I honor my father, and ye do dishonour me.
So from this will can conclude that the Jews in John A) sold out to the devil, and B) accused jesus of being possessed with a devil, which is exactly what was happening in Mark. So blasphemy against the Holy Spirit may very well have been accusing Jesus of casting out devils by the power of Satan. However, what came before that? What causes a man to accuse our saviour of being possessed? It would make sense that such a man had already given his life to Satan. I don't know if the Jewish leaders of that time knew they had sold out to the Devil. Many people in the old testament sold out to devils in Ashtaroth, Molech and other pagan gods. I'm not saying that people can't have a change of heart and turn from Budda to Christ. I am saying that many of the hard core leaders in any movement have already sold out to their God. The followers of such leaders do many times find Christ. However, the guys in the seats of power (the gurus if you will) have sold out to their god. Unfortunately, they just don't realize yet that they've sold out to the wrong one.
In the end I hope this was beneficial to you. Please do the research yourself. I have found many many interpretations of this passage, but mostly find that people theorize that because it's never mentioned again it must mean: X,Y,and Z. I know what I believe to be the truth through prayer and study. But who's to say I'm right? Please do your own reseach on this subject.
Below is a opinion slightly different from my own that I got off the web (with the site listed). My objective here isn't to get you to believe me but to do your own research and believe the truth.
Go to below site for a differing opinion
http://www.gotquestions.org/blasphemy-Holy-Spirit.html
What I found was a gentleman discussing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. He had his own belief on what this subjects interpretation means, as many do. He even asked me to look it up and research it myself because he felt my understanding was off. Always looking to make sure I have my own head on straight I went for it. Plus, to be honest I don't argue with others. Most people I've ever met are stuck in their ways of thinking, and some have accused me of heinous things in the past. However, I do listen, check my own understanding, and am very willing to change my thinking if I find I'm off the word. So I looked.
Mark 3:22-30
-And the scribes that came down from Jerusalem said, "He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils." And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided he cannot stand, but hath an end. No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shallblaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme agasint the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:" Because they said he hath an unclean "spirit."-
For me the real question comes in "why?" They blasphemed against the Holy Spirit by accusations against our Lord that he was casting out devils by the power of Satan. But why? If they didn't believe in God they would have been happy for the healings and went about their business. If they were truly working for the one true God they would have rejoiced that God worked through this man even if they didn't believe he was the Son of God. So the real question is WHY. Why were they so quick to dismiss it?
John 8:42-44
Jesus said unto them, "If God were your father ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand My speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. YE ARE OF YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (emphasis mine)
John 8:48-49
Then answered the Jews, and said unto Him, "Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?" Jesus answered, "I have not a devil; but I honor my father, and ye do dishonour me.
So from this will can conclude that the Jews in John A) sold out to the devil, and B) accused jesus of being possessed with a devil, which is exactly what was happening in Mark. So blasphemy against the Holy Spirit may very well have been accusing Jesus of casting out devils by the power of Satan. However, what came before that? What causes a man to accuse our saviour of being possessed? It would make sense that such a man had already given his life to Satan. I don't know if the Jewish leaders of that time knew they had sold out to the Devil. Many people in the old testament sold out to devils in Ashtaroth, Molech and other pagan gods. I'm not saying that people can't have a change of heart and turn from Budda to Christ. I am saying that many of the hard core leaders in any movement have already sold out to their God. The followers of such leaders do many times find Christ. However, the guys in the seats of power (the gurus if you will) have sold out to their god. Unfortunately, they just don't realize yet that they've sold out to the wrong one.
In the end I hope this was beneficial to you. Please do the research yourself. I have found many many interpretations of this passage, but mostly find that people theorize that because it's never mentioned again it must mean: X,Y,and Z. I know what I believe to be the truth through prayer and study. But who's to say I'm right? Please do your own reseach on this subject.
Below is a opinion slightly different from my own that I got off the web (with the site listed). My objective here isn't to get you to believe me but to do your own research and believe the truth.
Go to below site for a differing opinion
http://www.gotquestions.org/blasphemy-Holy-Spirit.html
Friday, May 15, 2009
pray and be humble
2 Kings 20:1-ff
In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prphet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, "Thus says the Lord, "Set your house in order, for you shal die and not live." Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to hm saying, Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, "this says the Lord, the God of your father David, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you.
God goes on to tell Hezekiah what to do to be healed (and you better bet if he didn't do it the healing wouldn't have happened). The point here is that Hezekiah was told by revelation through Isaiah that he would die. Hezekiah humbled himself and the revelation changed. So things arn't set in stone!
Deutoronomy 34: 4-5
Then the Lord said to him, "This is the land I swore to which I swore to Abraham, Isaac and jacob saying, 'I will give it to your descendents'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there." So Moses the sevant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.
It's important to remember that Moses was told by God earlier that he wouldn't go into the promised land. Moses asked God to reconsider so God let him see it. Look up the record. However, God did not just ignore Moses request. Why Moses was not to go into the promised land will become evident when you read the entire record earlier in the book of moses with prayer on your part of course.
1 Samuel 3:11-14
The Lord said to samuel, "Behold I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. In that day I will carry out against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to judge his house foreverfor the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them. Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever."
What did these sons of Eli do?
The king james will refer to them as being the sons of belial, The new american standard as worthless men. Men in the old testament at times would commit themselves to another God Baal. It could be that these men made themselves the sons of Baal (aka the devil). In any case we know they didn't know the Lord and that they slept with the women that worked there. Read the early chapters of 1st Samuel, you'll get the idea.
So Samuel tell Eli what God told him at Eli's request.
1 Samuel 3:18
So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he (Eli) said, "It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to Him."
Eli didn't humble himself like Hezekiah did. besides in 1 Sam 3:11-14 we learn that Eli was told this before by God and he did NOTHING. Obviously God gave the guy more than one chance to humble himself, and God might have changed his mind if Eli would have gotten a clue. Eli was apathetic. Slumber, and lazy would describe him well. He put his two devilish sons above God. God gave Eli a chance.
1 Samuel 4:11 And the ark of God was taken and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Such is whats promised to all those who work for the devil.
1 Samuel 4:18 is where Eli dies (read the first four chapters I can't do it justice)
The major points here are as follows:
1.Revelation can change. If one humbles themselves God will have mercy on them. However, that individual will need to follow through on what God tells them to do. God doesn't repeat himself much in the bible. If God ever talks to you and tells you to do something it might not be a bad idea to write it down.
2. Think of Eli. He put his sons above God. He allowed Gods people to be abused (even sexually) to protect his sons. God spoke to Eli about this and he did nothing. God finally told Samuel about this, and Samuel told Eli what was going to happen to him. Eli wasn't humble he was indifferent. How can God work with someone who doesn't care?
3. 1 Samuel 3:1 states that the word of the Lord was infrequent in those days. And that, visions were infrequent." Thats because the spiritual leaders were out to lunch. God doesn't waste his time talking to people who are to stubborn and arrogant to listen. Even in Hezekiahs case the word had to come through Isaiah. The point is you have to be in prayer, close to God, paying attention. Doesn't mean God is going to be pounding you with revelation (he probably wont, most of what we need we can find in his word). However, you will be able to feel him gently lead you in certain situations if you allow him. Remember, 1 Kings 19 (read it if unfamilar).
God Bless you,
Marc
In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prphet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, "Thus says the Lord, "Set your house in order, for you shal die and not live." Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to hm saying, Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, "this says the Lord, the God of your father David, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you.
God goes on to tell Hezekiah what to do to be healed (and you better bet if he didn't do it the healing wouldn't have happened). The point here is that Hezekiah was told by revelation through Isaiah that he would die. Hezekiah humbled himself and the revelation changed. So things arn't set in stone!
Deutoronomy 34: 4-5
Then the Lord said to him, "This is the land I swore to which I swore to Abraham, Isaac and jacob saying, 'I will give it to your descendents'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there." So Moses the sevant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.
It's important to remember that Moses was told by God earlier that he wouldn't go into the promised land. Moses asked God to reconsider so God let him see it. Look up the record. However, God did not just ignore Moses request. Why Moses was not to go into the promised land will become evident when you read the entire record earlier in the book of moses with prayer on your part of course.
1 Samuel 3:11-14
The Lord said to samuel, "Behold I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. In that day I will carry out against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to judge his house foreverfor the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them. Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever."
What did these sons of Eli do?
The king james will refer to them as being the sons of belial, The new american standard as worthless men. Men in the old testament at times would commit themselves to another God Baal. It could be that these men made themselves the sons of Baal (aka the devil). In any case we know they didn't know the Lord and that they slept with the women that worked there. Read the early chapters of 1st Samuel, you'll get the idea.
So Samuel tell Eli what God told him at Eli's request.
1 Samuel 3:18
So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he (Eli) said, "It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to Him."
Eli didn't humble himself like Hezekiah did. besides in 1 Sam 3:11-14 we learn that Eli was told this before by God and he did NOTHING. Obviously God gave the guy more than one chance to humble himself, and God might have changed his mind if Eli would have gotten a clue. Eli was apathetic. Slumber, and lazy would describe him well. He put his two devilish sons above God. God gave Eli a chance.
1 Samuel 4:11 And the ark of God was taken and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Such is whats promised to all those who work for the devil.
1 Samuel 4:18 is where Eli dies (read the first four chapters I can't do it justice)
The major points here are as follows:
1.Revelation can change. If one humbles themselves God will have mercy on them. However, that individual will need to follow through on what God tells them to do. God doesn't repeat himself much in the bible. If God ever talks to you and tells you to do something it might not be a bad idea to write it down.
2. Think of Eli. He put his sons above God. He allowed Gods people to be abused (even sexually) to protect his sons. God spoke to Eli about this and he did nothing. God finally told Samuel about this, and Samuel told Eli what was going to happen to him. Eli wasn't humble he was indifferent. How can God work with someone who doesn't care?
3. 1 Samuel 3:1 states that the word of the Lord was infrequent in those days. And that, visions were infrequent." Thats because the spiritual leaders were out to lunch. God doesn't waste his time talking to people who are to stubborn and arrogant to listen. Even in Hezekiahs case the word had to come through Isaiah. The point is you have to be in prayer, close to God, paying attention. Doesn't mean God is going to be pounding you with revelation (he probably wont, most of what we need we can find in his word). However, you will be able to feel him gently lead you in certain situations if you allow him. Remember, 1 Kings 19 (read it if unfamilar).
God Bless you,
Marc
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Trials of life.
Well to say the least I've had a larger period of time between my first post and now. Since the last time I was on here I've read the books of Moses. This post will be a little different since I'm not going to quote any verses. I'm just going to think out loud what these books meant. In the words of a Mr. Torrey, "Think!" Or, such was his response when asked what the one thing every student needed to do if they wanted to understand the bible. So here's me thinking about the books of Moses.
I noticed over and over again how men who believed God would do one thing and yet God didn't always tell them to do it. Perfect example is when Abraham took Hagar in to give him a son. He didn't wait for the promise of God to come true. He was going to make it happen himself. God didn't tell him to have a child with Hagar; though God did help Abraham deal with the situation after the fact.
When I first read through Exodus through Deut. I often wondered why the children of Israel didn't believe Gods promises. I somehow thought in my heart that I was automatically "better" than them. God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and across the Red Sea by parting it. The children of Israel then went and built themselves a Golden Calf because Moses took too long on the mountain. Over and over again they wanted to go back to Egypt. Back to men who ENSLAVED THEM!!!! Are we that different?
If one if honest with themselves they will see some of the same charecteristics in themselves that we read about concerning the children of Israel. Think you haven't made for yourself a graven image? Have you ever put anything above God. I know I did when I was in a band. Music was number one and God was number two. I didn't realize I had made a golden calf of my own. God promised them a land of milk and honey. Yet the generation that came out of Israel never did get to take possession of the land. It was their children that got to finally take of their inheritance. Why? The children of Israel wouldn't walk out on Gods promises, and as such they didn't get to go in to the land of milk and honey. God wouldn't go beyond what they were willing to do. He is a free will God after all. So how are you limiting God? I have recently limited God by worrying about things I can't control instead of letting God do his business. If I could do everything, and knew everything I would be perfect. I'm not perfect and I need to believe God and his promises. Read through the records you'll find more of yourself than you realized if your willing to look.
I have often heard people accuse God of causing their pain. "God inflicted me," they'll say, "God must be testing my faith." They'll even say that God tempted them (there is a verse that states that God tempts no one). Remember the record of Joeseph? Ya his brothers sold him into slavery, and his dad was left to believe he was dead. You will notice that God didn't give Jacob revelation telling him his son was alive, and if you read the record you will see that Jacob was in deep emotional distress. I always find it funny that people think there will be no pain in this world. I'm not a doom and gloom guy, but lets face it we have an advesary, a devil in this world. He's not here to make our lives easy (just read Job). Needless to say Joeseph also got put in jail by Pharoah for not sleeping with his wife. Oh she lied and said Joeseph came onto her (he was actually running the other way). This brings me to another point. The bible says Pharoahs wife was drop dead gorgeous. Joseph was a very young guy and the bible doesn't record that was having sex with anyone at the time. This beautiful women came on to him. Yet he turned it down. He spent a long time in jail for doing the right thing. Think about that! Between Job, Joseph, and ultimately Jesus Christ they never blamed God for the woes of life. Jesus Christ didn't do anything wrong. If he had some trouble in this life I think you can make a safe bet that you'll have some troubled times too. Doesn't mean you get all bitter about it. After all in Phillipians God tells us to rejoice in all things. Never allow the devil to get you to turn your back on God. Remember, God isn't tempting you. The devil, other people, or your own decisions can be very hard to live with sometimes. God won't go against free will, but he can turn lemons into lemonade if you ask him for help.
God Bless You,
Marc
I noticed over and over again how men who believed God would do one thing and yet God didn't always tell them to do it. Perfect example is when Abraham took Hagar in to give him a son. He didn't wait for the promise of God to come true. He was going to make it happen himself. God didn't tell him to have a child with Hagar; though God did help Abraham deal with the situation after the fact.
When I first read through Exodus through Deut. I often wondered why the children of Israel didn't believe Gods promises. I somehow thought in my heart that I was automatically "better" than them. God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and across the Red Sea by parting it. The children of Israel then went and built themselves a Golden Calf because Moses took too long on the mountain. Over and over again they wanted to go back to Egypt. Back to men who ENSLAVED THEM!!!! Are we that different?
If one if honest with themselves they will see some of the same charecteristics in themselves that we read about concerning the children of Israel. Think you haven't made for yourself a graven image? Have you ever put anything above God. I know I did when I was in a band. Music was number one and God was number two. I didn't realize I had made a golden calf of my own. God promised them a land of milk and honey. Yet the generation that came out of Israel never did get to take possession of the land. It was their children that got to finally take of their inheritance. Why? The children of Israel wouldn't walk out on Gods promises, and as such they didn't get to go in to the land of milk and honey. God wouldn't go beyond what they were willing to do. He is a free will God after all. So how are you limiting God? I have recently limited God by worrying about things I can't control instead of letting God do his business. If I could do everything, and knew everything I would be perfect. I'm not perfect and I need to believe God and his promises. Read through the records you'll find more of yourself than you realized if your willing to look.
I have often heard people accuse God of causing their pain. "God inflicted me," they'll say, "God must be testing my faith." They'll even say that God tempted them (there is a verse that states that God tempts no one). Remember the record of Joeseph? Ya his brothers sold him into slavery, and his dad was left to believe he was dead. You will notice that God didn't give Jacob revelation telling him his son was alive, and if you read the record you will see that Jacob was in deep emotional distress. I always find it funny that people think there will be no pain in this world. I'm not a doom and gloom guy, but lets face it we have an advesary, a devil in this world. He's not here to make our lives easy (just read Job). Needless to say Joeseph also got put in jail by Pharoah for not sleeping with his wife. Oh she lied and said Joeseph came onto her (he was actually running the other way). This brings me to another point. The bible says Pharoahs wife was drop dead gorgeous. Joseph was a very young guy and the bible doesn't record that was having sex with anyone at the time. This beautiful women came on to him. Yet he turned it down. He spent a long time in jail for doing the right thing. Think about that! Between Job, Joseph, and ultimately Jesus Christ they never blamed God for the woes of life. Jesus Christ didn't do anything wrong. If he had some trouble in this life I think you can make a safe bet that you'll have some troubled times too. Doesn't mean you get all bitter about it. After all in Phillipians God tells us to rejoice in all things. Never allow the devil to get you to turn your back on God. Remember, God isn't tempting you. The devil, other people, or your own decisions can be very hard to live with sometimes. God won't go against free will, but he can turn lemons into lemonade if you ask him for help.
God Bless You,
Marc
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