When is Jesus coming back?
In: The Bible, Pentecostal, Jesus Christ [Edit categories]
A:
One opinion:
read all the way through its true and will answer your question
Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?
This is one I can honestly say I have never seen circulating in
the e-mails so; I'll start it, if it touches you and you want to
forward it.
Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?
I never noticed this....
The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was
placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like
the grave clothes.
The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was
neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.
Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene
came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled
away from the entrance.
She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one
whom Jesus loved. She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body
out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!'
Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other
disciple out ran Peter and got there first. He stopped and
looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go
in.
Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the
linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered
Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.
Was that important? Absolutely!
Is it really significant? Yes!
In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin,
you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of
that day.
The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and
every
Jewish boy knew this tradition.
When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made
sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it.
The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would
wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and
the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master
was finished..
Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the
table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and
would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.
The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those
days, the wadded napkin meant, "I'm finished.."
But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin,
and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch
the table, because..........
The folded napkin meant,
"I'm coming back!"
so you see we don't know when he's coming back but He
does so we'll just have to wait because he is coming back!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
A Reason Men Don’t Get Much Accomplished
A British survey released this year found that the average guy
stares at around 10 different women every day for a total of 43
minutes. That adds up to 259 hours – almost 11 days — each
year, making a total of 11 months and 11 days between the ages of
18 and 50.
That’s a lot of work. And it does cause some problems. More than
half of those surveyed admitted they have also been left red-faced
after being caught looking at women. A third of the guys have
argued with their partner over their roving eye, and one in 10
confessed to splitting up with a partner because of it.
But are they going to stop? Absolutely not. About 61 percent of
those surveyed said they were worried about their eyesight
fading, which means they wouldn’t be able to get in their daily
ogling.
A British survey released this year found that the average guy
stares at around 10 different women every day for a total of 43
minutes. That adds up to 259 hours – almost 11 days — each
year, making a total of 11 months and 11 days between the ages of
18 and 50.
That’s a lot of work. And it does cause some problems. More than
half of those surveyed admitted they have also been left red-faced
after being caught looking at women. A third of the guys have
argued with their partner over their roving eye, and one in 10
confessed to splitting up with a partner because of it.
But are they going to stop? Absolutely not. About 61 percent of
those surveyed said they were worried about their eyesight
fading, which means they wouldn’t be able to get in their daily
ogling.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Fear, Worry, and Happiness
Take a few minutes before we go any further to write down a list of things that you worry about. Go ahead, do it right now.
No really write down things you worry about.
Several years ago a goofy little song came out called "Don't worry, Be happy" I thought it was a dumb song but now I look back on the song and realize it is a good motto for the Christian. It's a motto we all too often forget.
For a few months now, I have worried about not getting to preach in a while. Last Sunday I was invited to speak tonight. Well I immediately began to worry about if I could work out my schedule, if I could get time to study, if I could prepare adequately, and a myriad of other things. I talked it over with Dana and prayed about it but still worried. Monday morning as I prayed about it Paul's words to another young preacher Timothy came to mind, "Preach the word. Be instant in season and out of season." I knew then that I needed to preach anytime I could so I quit worrying about whether to or not. But I began to fret about what I'd preach on. I looked through some of the ideas I had written down and narrowed it down to about 10 and then carefully looked them all over and narrowed the field further. I decided upon one topic and studied and studied an idea that was put on my heart. All week I studied Judges 13-16 and planned to speak on Samson and the price of sin. As I studied I worried about whether it was the right topic or not. I worried over getting too deep into word studies and not keeping it relevant and all the things a good speaker should worry about. Wednesday rolled around I shared some thoughts with the youth from my studies and got a little practice in. Later that night I searched high and low for my notes to no avail. Thursday I left home early to go by the church and get them but they weren't there. I called my wife to check one more place. They were in my bible all along. If I had been in God's word I wouldn't have needed to worry. So now I want to stand up here and preach as much to myself as to you about fear, worry, and happiness.
Fear
Have no fear. "No fear" was a popular saying. I think my little brother may still have one of those stickers on his window. Then there was the redneck one "ain't skeered" That should be us we should have no fear and be able to say we ain't skeered.
Isaiah 43:1-3
1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Whatever your fears, trust Him and He will guide you through it. Notice the word through - He does not promise to carry us over them or deliver us out of the difficult times. What he does promise is two things. He promises: His presence (I will be with thee) and His protection (they shall not over flow thee - they won't burn thee) He is able to because of His power - he is the Lord thy God, the holy One, the Savior. No matter the situation you may face, he came to earth and faced similar circumstances. He is not a God who sits on high but one that is down in the trenches of life with us. He has been there, done that, got the t-shirt and is still here to guide us.
Did you know "fear not" is in the bible in various forms at least 365 times? That should be one reminder a day. We should not fear the past because we can't change it only thing we can do is learn from it. And we should not fear tomorrow because God is already there ahead of us. There is nothing, nothing at all, to be afraid of - nothing to fear and nothing to worry over! Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
Mark 4:40 records, "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Do you get that? Jesus says here that faith and fear are opposites. Jesus says fear means no faith so faith means no fear also. When fear comes knocking at the door of your life let faith answer and suddenly no one will be there.
Until next time...
No really write down things you worry about.
Several years ago a goofy little song came out called "Don't worry, Be happy" I thought it was a dumb song but now I look back on the song and realize it is a good motto for the Christian. It's a motto we all too often forget.
For a few months now, I have worried about not getting to preach in a while. Last Sunday I was invited to speak tonight. Well I immediately began to worry about if I could work out my schedule, if I could get time to study, if I could prepare adequately, and a myriad of other things. I talked it over with Dana and prayed about it but still worried. Monday morning as I prayed about it Paul's words to another young preacher Timothy came to mind, "Preach the word. Be instant in season and out of season." I knew then that I needed to preach anytime I could so I quit worrying about whether to or not. But I began to fret about what I'd preach on. I looked through some of the ideas I had written down and narrowed it down to about 10 and then carefully looked them all over and narrowed the field further. I decided upon one topic and studied and studied an idea that was put on my heart. All week I studied Judges 13-16 and planned to speak on Samson and the price of sin. As I studied I worried about whether it was the right topic or not. I worried over getting too deep into word studies and not keeping it relevant and all the things a good speaker should worry about. Wednesday rolled around I shared some thoughts with the youth from my studies and got a little practice in. Later that night I searched high and low for my notes to no avail. Thursday I left home early to go by the church and get them but they weren't there. I called my wife to check one more place. They were in my bible all along. If I had been in God's word I wouldn't have needed to worry. So now I want to stand up here and preach as much to myself as to you about fear, worry, and happiness.
Fear
Have no fear. "No fear" was a popular saying. I think my little brother may still have one of those stickers on his window. Then there was the redneck one "ain't skeered" That should be us we should have no fear and be able to say we ain't skeered.
Isaiah 43:1-3
1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Whatever your fears, trust Him and He will guide you through it. Notice the word through - He does not promise to carry us over them or deliver us out of the difficult times. What he does promise is two things. He promises: His presence (I will be with thee) and His protection (they shall not over flow thee - they won't burn thee) He is able to because of His power - he is the Lord thy God, the holy One, the Savior. No matter the situation you may face, he came to earth and faced similar circumstances. He is not a God who sits on high but one that is down in the trenches of life with us. He has been there, done that, got the t-shirt and is still here to guide us.
Did you know "fear not" is in the bible in various forms at least 365 times? That should be one reminder a day. We should not fear the past because we can't change it only thing we can do is learn from it. And we should not fear tomorrow because God is already there ahead of us. There is nothing, nothing at all, to be afraid of - nothing to fear and nothing to worry over! Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
Mark 4:40 records, "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Do you get that? Jesus says here that faith and fear are opposites. Jesus says fear means no faith so faith means no fear also. When fear comes knocking at the door of your life let faith answer and suddenly no one will be there.
Until next time...
Fear, Worry, and Happiness
Take a few minutes before we go any further to write down a list of things that you worry about. Go ahead, do it right now.
No really write down things you worry about.
Several years ago a goofy little song came out called "Don't worry, Be happy" I thought it was a dumb song but now I look back on the song and realize it is a good motto for the Christian. It's a motto we all too often forget.
For a few months now, I have worried about not getting to preach in a while. Last Sunday I was invited to speak tonight. Well I immediately began to worry about if I could work out my schedule, if I could get time to study, if I could prepare adequately, and a myriad of other things. I talked it over with Dana and prayed about it but still worried. Monday morning as I prayed about it Paul's words to another young preacher Timothy came to mind, "Preach the word. Be instant in season and out of season." I knew then that I needed to preach anytime I could so I quit worrying about whether to or not. But I began to fret about what I'd preach on. I looked through some of the ideas I had written down and narrowed it down to about 10 and then carefully looked them all over and narrowed the field further. I decided upon one topic and studied and studied an idea that was put on my heart. All week I studied Judges 13-16 and planned to speak on Samson and the price of sin. As I studied I worried about whether it was the right topic or not. I worried over getting too deep into word studies and not keeping it relevant and all the things a good speaker should worry about. Wednesday rolled around I shared some thoughts with the youth from my studies and got a little practice in. Later that night I searched high and low for my notes to no avail. Thursday I left home early to go by the church and get them but they weren't there. I called my wife to check one more place. They were in my bible all along. If I had been in God's word I wouldn't have needed to worry. So now I want to stand up here and preach as much to myself as to you about fear, worry, and happiness.
Fear
Have no fear. "No fear" was a popular saying. I think my little brother may still have one of those stickers on his window. Then there was the redneck one "ain't skeered" That should be us we should have no fear and be able to say we ain't skeered.
Isaiah 43:1-3
1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Whatever your fears, trust Him and He will guide you through it. Notice the word through - He does not promise to carry us over them or deliver us out of the difficult times. What he does promise is two things. He promises: His presence (I will be with thee) and His protection (they shall not over flow thee - they won't burn thee) He is able to because of His power - he is the Lord thy God, the holy One, the Savior. No matter the situation you may face, he came to earth and faced similar circumstances. He is not a God who sits on high but one that is down in the trenches of life with us. He has been there, done that, got the t-shirt and is still here to guide us.
Did you know "fear not" is in the bible in various forms at least 365 times? That should be one reminder a day. We should not fear the past because we can't change it only thing we can do is learn from it. And we should not fear tomorrow because God is already there ahead of us. There is nothing, nothing at all, to be afraid of - nothing to fear and nothing to worry over! Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
Mark 4:40 records, "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Do you get that? Jesus says here that faith and fear are opposites. Jesus says fear means no faith so faith means no fear also. When fear comes knocking at the door of your life let faith answer and suddenly no one will be there.
Until next time...
No really write down things you worry about.
Several years ago a goofy little song came out called "Don't worry, Be happy" I thought it was a dumb song but now I look back on the song and realize it is a good motto for the Christian. It's a motto we all too often forget.
For a few months now, I have worried about not getting to preach in a while. Last Sunday I was invited to speak tonight. Well I immediately began to worry about if I could work out my schedule, if I could get time to study, if I could prepare adequately, and a myriad of other things. I talked it over with Dana and prayed about it but still worried. Monday morning as I prayed about it Paul's words to another young preacher Timothy came to mind, "Preach the word. Be instant in season and out of season." I knew then that I needed to preach anytime I could so I quit worrying about whether to or not. But I began to fret about what I'd preach on. I looked through some of the ideas I had written down and narrowed it down to about 10 and then carefully looked them all over and narrowed the field further. I decided upon one topic and studied and studied an idea that was put on my heart. All week I studied Judges 13-16 and planned to speak on Samson and the price of sin. As I studied I worried about whether it was the right topic or not. I worried over getting too deep into word studies and not keeping it relevant and all the things a good speaker should worry about. Wednesday rolled around I shared some thoughts with the youth from my studies and got a little practice in. Later that night I searched high and low for my notes to no avail. Thursday I left home early to go by the church and get them but they weren't there. I called my wife to check one more place. They were in my bible all along. If I had been in God's word I wouldn't have needed to worry. So now I want to stand up here and preach as much to myself as to you about fear, worry, and happiness.
Fear
Have no fear. "No fear" was a popular saying. I think my little brother may still have one of those stickers on his window. Then there was the redneck one "ain't skeered" That should be us we should have no fear and be able to say we ain't skeered.
Isaiah 43:1-3
1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Whatever your fears, trust Him and He will guide you through it. Notice the word through - He does not promise to carry us over them or deliver us out of the difficult times. What he does promise is two things. He promises: His presence (I will be with thee) and His protection (they shall not over flow thee - they won't burn thee) He is able to because of His power - he is the Lord thy God, the holy One, the Savior. No matter the situation you may face, he came to earth and faced similar circumstances. He is not a God who sits on high but one that is down in the trenches of life with us. He has been there, done that, got the t-shirt and is still here to guide us.
Did you know "fear not" is in the bible in various forms at least 365 times? That should be one reminder a day. We should not fear the past because we can't change it only thing we can do is learn from it. And we should not fear tomorrow because God is already there ahead of us. There is nothing, nothing at all, to be afraid of - nothing to fear and nothing to worry over! Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
Mark 4:40 records, "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Do you get that? Jesus says here that faith and fear are opposites. Jesus says fear means no faith so faith means no fear also. When fear comes knocking at the door of your life let faith answer and suddenly no one will be there.
Until next time...
Fear, Worry, and Happiness
Take a few minutes before we go any further to write down a list of things that you worry about. Go ahead, do it right now.
No really write down things you worry about.
Several years ago a goofy little song came out called "Don't worry, Be happy" I thought it was a dumb song but now I look back on the song and realize it is a good motto for the Christian. It's a motto we all too often forget.
For a few months now, I have worried about not getting to preach in a while. Last Sunday I was invited to speak tonight. Well I immediately began to worry about if I could work out my schedule, if I could get time to study, if I could prepare adequately, and a myriad of other things. I talked it over with Dana and prayed about it but still worried. Monday morning as I prayed about it Paul's words to another young preacher Timothy came to mind, "Preach the word. Be instant in season and out of season." I knew then that I needed to preach anytime I could so I quit worrying about whether to or not. But I began to fret about what I'd preach on. I looked through some of the ideas I had written down and narrowed it down to about 10 and then carefully looked them all over and narrowed the field further. I decided upon one topic and studied and studied an idea that was put on my heart. All week I studied Judges 13-16 and planned to speak on Samson and the price of sin. As I studied I worried about whether it was the right topic or not. I worried over getting too deep into word studies and not keeping it relevant and all the things a good speaker should worry about. Wednesday rolled around I shared some thoughts with the youth from my studies and got a little practice in. Later that night I searched high and low for my notes to no avail. Thursday I left home early to go by the church and get them but they weren't there. I called my wife to check one more place. They were in my bible all along. If I had been in God's word I wouldn't have needed to worry. So now I want to stand up here and preach as much to myself as to you about fear, worry, and happiness.
Fear
Have no fear. "No fear" was a popular saying. I think my little brother may still have one of those stickers on his window. Then there was the redneck one "ain't skeered" That should be us we should have no fear and be able to say we ain't skeered.
Isaiah 43:1-3
1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Whatever your fears, trust Him and He will guide you through it. Notice the word through - He does not promise to carry us over them or deliver us out of the difficult times. What he does promise is two things. He promises: His presence (I will be with thee) and His protection (they shall not over flow thee - they won't burn thee) He is able to because of His power - he is the Lord thy God, the holy One, the Savior. No matter the situation you may face, he came to earth and faced similar circumstances. He is not a God who sits on high but one that is down in the trenches of life with us. He has been there, done that, got the t-shirt and is still here to guide us.
Did you know "fear not" is in the bible in various forms at least 365 times? That should be one reminder a day. We should not fear the past because we can't change it only thing we can do is learn from it. And we should not fear tomorrow because God is already there ahead of us. There is nothing, nothing at all, to be afraid of - nothing to fear and nothing to worry over! Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
Mark 4:40 records, "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Do you get that? Jesus says here that faith and fear are opposites. Jesus says fear means no faith so faith means no fear also. When fear comes knocking at the door of your life let faith answer and suddenly no one will be there.
Until next time...
No really write down things you worry about.
Several years ago a goofy little song came out called "Don't worry, Be happy" I thought it was a dumb song but now I look back on the song and realize it is a good motto for the Christian. It's a motto we all too often forget.
For a few months now, I have worried about not getting to preach in a while. Last Sunday I was invited to speak tonight. Well I immediately began to worry about if I could work out my schedule, if I could get time to study, if I could prepare adequately, and a myriad of other things. I talked it over with Dana and prayed about it but still worried. Monday morning as I prayed about it Paul's words to another young preacher Timothy came to mind, "Preach the word. Be instant in season and out of season." I knew then that I needed to preach anytime I could so I quit worrying about whether to or not. But I began to fret about what I'd preach on. I looked through some of the ideas I had written down and narrowed it down to about 10 and then carefully looked them all over and narrowed the field further. I decided upon one topic and studied and studied an idea that was put on my heart. All week I studied Judges 13-16 and planned to speak on Samson and the price of sin. As I studied I worried about whether it was the right topic or not. I worried over getting too deep into word studies and not keeping it relevant and all the things a good speaker should worry about. Wednesday rolled around I shared some thoughts with the youth from my studies and got a little practice in. Later that night I searched high and low for my notes to no avail. Thursday I left home early to go by the church and get them but they weren't there. I called my wife to check one more place. They were in my bible all along. If I had been in God's word I wouldn't have needed to worry. So now I want to stand up here and preach as much to myself as to you about fear, worry, and happiness.
Fear
Have no fear. "No fear" was a popular saying. I think my little brother may still have one of those stickers on his window. Then there was the redneck one "ain't skeered" That should be us we should have no fear and be able to say we ain't skeered.
Isaiah 43:1-3
1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Whatever your fears, trust Him and He will guide you through it. Notice the word through - He does not promise to carry us over them or deliver us out of the difficult times. What he does promise is two things. He promises: His presence (I will be with thee) and His protection (they shall not over flow thee - they won't burn thee) He is able to because of His power - he is the Lord thy God, the holy One, the Savior. No matter the situation you may face, he came to earth and faced similar circumstances. He is not a God who sits on high but one that is down in the trenches of life with us. He has been there, done that, got the t-shirt and is still here to guide us.
Did you know "fear not" is in the bible in various forms at least 365 times? That should be one reminder a day. We should not fear the past because we can't change it only thing we can do is learn from it. And we should not fear tomorrow because God is already there ahead of us. There is nothing, nothing at all, to be afraid of - nothing to fear and nothing to worry over! Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
Mark 4:40 records, "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Do you get that? Jesus says here that faith and fear are opposites. Jesus says fear means no faith so faith means no fear also. When fear comes knocking at the door of your life let faith answer and suddenly no one will be there.
Until next time...
Fear, Worry, and Happiness
Take a few minutes before we go any further to write down a list of things that you worry about. Go ahead, do it right now.
No really write down things you worry about.
Several years ago a goofy little song came out called "Don't worry, Be happy" I thought it was a dumb song but now I look back on the song and realize it is a good motto for the Christian. It's a motto we all too often forget.
For a few months now, I have worried about not getting to preach in a while. Last Sunday I was invited to speak tonight. Well I immediately began to worry about if I could work out my schedule, if I could get time to study, if I could prepare adequately, and a myriad of other things. I talked it over with Dana and prayed about it but still worried. Monday morning as I prayed about it Paul's words to another young preacher Timothy came to mind, "Preach the word. Be instant in season and out of season." I knew then that I needed to preach anytime I could so I quit worrying about whether to or not. But I began to fret about what I'd preach on. I looked through some of the ideas I had written down and narrowed it down to about 10 and then carefully looked them all over and narrowed the field further. I decided upon one topic and studied and studied an idea that was put on my heart. All week I studied Judges 13-16 and planned to speak on Samson and the price of sin. As I studied I worried about whether it was the right topic or not. I worried over getting too deep into word studies and not keeping it relevant and all the things a good speaker should worry about. Wednesday rolled around I shared some thoughts with the youth from my studies and got a little practice in. Later that night I searched high and low for my notes to no avail. Thursday I left home early to go by the church and get them but they weren't there. I called my wife to check one more place. They were in my bible all along. If I had been in God's word I wouldn't have needed to worry. So now I want to stand up here and preach as much to myself as to you about fear, worry, and happiness.
Fear
Have no fear. "No fear" was a popular saying. I think my little brother may still have one of those stickers on his window. Then there was the redneck one "ain't skeered" That should be us we should have no fear and be able to say we ain't skeered.
Isaiah 43:1-3
1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Whatever your fears, trust Him and He will guide you through it. Notice the word through - He does not promise to carry us over them or deliver us out of the difficult times. What he does promise is two things. He promises: His presence (I will be with thee) and His protection (they shall not over flow thee - they won't burn thee) He is able to because of His power - he is the Lord thy God, the holy One, the Savior. No matter the situation you may face, he came to earth and faced similar circumstances. He is not a God who sits on high but one that is down in the trenches of life with us. He has been there, done that, got the t-shirt and is still here to guide us.
Did you know "fear not" is in the bible in various forms at least 365 times? That should be one reminder a day. We should not fear the past because we can't change it only thing we can do is learn from it. And we should not fear tomorrow because God is already there ahead of us. There is nothing, nothing at all, to be afraid of - nothing to fear and nothing to worry over! Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
Mark 4:40 records, "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Do you get that? Jesus says here that faith and fear are opposites. Jesus says fear means no faith so faith means no fear also. When fear comes knocking at the door of your life let faith answer and suddenly no one will be there.
Until next time...
No really write down things you worry about.
Several years ago a goofy little song came out called "Don't worry, Be happy" I thought it was a dumb song but now I look back on the song and realize it is a good motto for the Christian. It's a motto we all too often forget.
For a few months now, I have worried about not getting to preach in a while. Last Sunday I was invited to speak tonight. Well I immediately began to worry about if I could work out my schedule, if I could get time to study, if I could prepare adequately, and a myriad of other things. I talked it over with Dana and prayed about it but still worried. Monday morning as I prayed about it Paul's words to another young preacher Timothy came to mind, "Preach the word. Be instant in season and out of season." I knew then that I needed to preach anytime I could so I quit worrying about whether to or not. But I began to fret about what I'd preach on. I looked through some of the ideas I had written down and narrowed it down to about 10 and then carefully looked them all over and narrowed the field further. I decided upon one topic and studied and studied an idea that was put on my heart. All week I studied Judges 13-16 and planned to speak on Samson and the price of sin. As I studied I worried about whether it was the right topic or not. I worried over getting too deep into word studies and not keeping it relevant and all the things a good speaker should worry about. Wednesday rolled around I shared some thoughts with the youth from my studies and got a little practice in. Later that night I searched high and low for my notes to no avail. Thursday I left home early to go by the church and get them but they weren't there. I called my wife to check one more place. They were in my bible all along. If I had been in God's word I wouldn't have needed to worry. So now I want to stand up here and preach as much to myself as to you about fear, worry, and happiness.
Fear
Have no fear. "No fear" was a popular saying. I think my little brother may still have one of those stickers on his window. Then there was the redneck one "ain't skeered" That should be us we should have no fear and be able to say we ain't skeered.
Isaiah 43:1-3
1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Whatever your fears, trust Him and He will guide you through it. Notice the word through - He does not promise to carry us over them or deliver us out of the difficult times. What he does promise is two things. He promises: His presence (I will be with thee) and His protection (they shall not over flow thee - they won't burn thee) He is able to because of His power - he is the Lord thy God, the holy One, the Savior. No matter the situation you may face, he came to earth and faced similar circumstances. He is not a God who sits on high but one that is down in the trenches of life with us. He has been there, done that, got the t-shirt and is still here to guide us.
Did you know "fear not" is in the bible in various forms at least 365 times? That should be one reminder a day. We should not fear the past because we can't change it only thing we can do is learn from it. And we should not fear tomorrow because God is already there ahead of us. There is nothing, nothing at all, to be afraid of - nothing to fear and nothing to worry over! Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
Mark 4:40 records, "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Do you get that? Jesus says here that faith and fear are opposites. Jesus says fear means no faith so faith means no fear also. When fear comes knocking at the door of your life let faith answer and suddenly no one will be there.
Until next time...
The helmet of salvation
The helmet of salvation (v.17a)
To be saved you must understand His plan not just with your heart but also with your mind. That's where the age of accountability and ability to comprehend come from. Unless you can comprehend sin and mentally acknowledge sin in your own life you cannot progress to the point of repentance. Salvation begins with hearing and understanding in the head. Then it moves to the spiritual realm. Our spirit works through our brain to tell our body what to do. This entry and exit point needs protection. Just as righteousness is a heart protector, salvation is a head protector.
No matter what may happen, we have hope of salvation. We have knowledge that, one day, we will be with Jesus in heaven. Jesus said, "Behold I go to prepare a place for you that where I am there you may be also." We can know that we are going to heaven. The helmet of salvation not only provides knowledge but also it protects us from doubt. When a Christian loved one dies we do not have to doubt where they go, the helmet offers comfort. We don't lose them - we know where they are. I am thankful I will never lose my parents to cancer, a stroke, or anything else. I am grateful that I know I won't lose Dana to any of those things. We will never say good-bye - only "see ya later".
The sword of the Lord - the word of God (v.17b)
This piece of armor may be used in a defensive manner like all the other pieces to knock away the enemy's attacks. It is unique though in that it is the only offensive weapon with which to confront and attack an enemy. In order to effectively use it we must do two things.
First we must commit to it. We are to read it, study on it and meditate in it. This means we need to take it literal if possible. We need to look at it in proper context considering the audience, setting, surrounding verses and bible as a whole. We should go to the Scriptures to see what we get out of it not what we can read into it.
Next we need to commit it to our heart. Proverbs 7:3 says that it should be written on our heart. Psalm 119:11 says, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. God did not inspire the authors to write it and preserve it through the ages so that it could be picked up just on Sundays. It was never meant to serve as decoration on a table or to be used as a placeholder on a bench.
Now we can go around knowing one or two verses and never dig into the scripture. This is like toting around a letter opener rather than a sword. You might poke someone with your little John 3:16 knowing bad self. Or you can learn many verses, study them, learn about their meanings and fight with a 3- or 4-foot long sword. Or you can learn even more and fight with a sword as tall as you are. But you better know how to use it properly and effectively in the way it was designed. If you cannot handle the large sword properly it is as useless and maybe even more useless than the tiniest one.
Prayer (v.18)
Prayer is not a piece of armor. Prayer is the process by which we put on the armor. Prayer ought to consist of at least three things. We should begin all prayer with praise of God. We need to cry "Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty Hallowed be thy name". After singing his praise we can offer up our petitions for others and ourselves. The others to be prayed for include the sick and dying, the lost, your friends, family, and enemies. Then after all others pray for your own petitions. Tell him the desires of your heart. Share with him your dreams. Ask him for your daily bread. Lastly, make a request for protection from evil. Pray that he would lead us away from temptation. Ask him to direct your footsteps through the valleys and over the mountaintops as He sees fit.
Closing
Take two balloons one covered in duct tape and one not. The one covered with duct tape represents a person wearing the full armor of God. The other ballon represents a person who is not wearing that armor. Take one of Satan's fiery darts, a simple straight pin and puncture the armored ballon. It leaks but acting quickly we can repair it. We could even refill it. Now poke the other and it will explode. Not even all the king's horses an all the king's men could put this one back together again.
Maybe you are not daily putting on the armor of God. Start wearing it now. Pray and ask him to protect you and begin to apply the armor to your life. Or you may have never even gained the helmet of salvation. If you do not know where you will spend eternity, know this. You can know how to go to heaven. It can be explained with FAITH - Forsaking All I Trust Him!
To be saved you must understand His plan not just with your heart but also with your mind. That's where the age of accountability and ability to comprehend come from. Unless you can comprehend sin and mentally acknowledge sin in your own life you cannot progress to the point of repentance. Salvation begins with hearing and understanding in the head. Then it moves to the spiritual realm. Our spirit works through our brain to tell our body what to do. This entry and exit point needs protection. Just as righteousness is a heart protector, salvation is a head protector.
No matter what may happen, we have hope of salvation. We have knowledge that, one day, we will be with Jesus in heaven. Jesus said, "Behold I go to prepare a place for you that where I am there you may be also." We can know that we are going to heaven. The helmet of salvation not only provides knowledge but also it protects us from doubt. When a Christian loved one dies we do not have to doubt where they go, the helmet offers comfort. We don't lose them - we know where they are. I am thankful I will never lose my parents to cancer, a stroke, or anything else. I am grateful that I know I won't lose Dana to any of those things. We will never say good-bye - only "see ya later".
The sword of the Lord - the word of God (v.17b)
This piece of armor may be used in a defensive manner like all the other pieces to knock away the enemy's attacks. It is unique though in that it is the only offensive weapon with which to confront and attack an enemy. In order to effectively use it we must do two things.
First we must commit to it. We are to read it, study on it and meditate in it. This means we need to take it literal if possible. We need to look at it in proper context considering the audience, setting, surrounding verses and bible as a whole. We should go to the Scriptures to see what we get out of it not what we can read into it.
Next we need to commit it to our heart. Proverbs 7:3 says that it should be written on our heart. Psalm 119:11 says, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. God did not inspire the authors to write it and preserve it through the ages so that it could be picked up just on Sundays. It was never meant to serve as decoration on a table or to be used as a placeholder on a bench.
Now we can go around knowing one or two verses and never dig into the scripture. This is like toting around a letter opener rather than a sword. You might poke someone with your little John 3:16 knowing bad self. Or you can learn many verses, study them, learn about their meanings and fight with a 3- or 4-foot long sword. Or you can learn even more and fight with a sword as tall as you are. But you better know how to use it properly and effectively in the way it was designed. If you cannot handle the large sword properly it is as useless and maybe even more useless than the tiniest one.
Prayer (v.18)
Prayer is not a piece of armor. Prayer is the process by which we put on the armor. Prayer ought to consist of at least three things. We should begin all prayer with praise of God. We need to cry "Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty Hallowed be thy name". After singing his praise we can offer up our petitions for others and ourselves. The others to be prayed for include the sick and dying, the lost, your friends, family, and enemies. Then after all others pray for your own petitions. Tell him the desires of your heart. Share with him your dreams. Ask him for your daily bread. Lastly, make a request for protection from evil. Pray that he would lead us away from temptation. Ask him to direct your footsteps through the valleys and over the mountaintops as He sees fit.
Closing
Take two balloons one covered in duct tape and one not. The one covered with duct tape represents a person wearing the full armor of God. The other ballon represents a person who is not wearing that armor. Take one of Satan's fiery darts, a simple straight pin and puncture the armored ballon. It leaks but acting quickly we can repair it. We could even refill it. Now poke the other and it will explode. Not even all the king's horses an all the king's men could put this one back together again.
Maybe you are not daily putting on the armor of God. Start wearing it now. Pray and ask him to protect you and begin to apply the armor to your life. Or you may have never even gained the helmet of salvation. If you do not know where you will spend eternity, know this. You can know how to go to heaven. It can be explained with FAITH - Forsaking All I Trust Him!
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