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Daily Devotions Archive
December, 2000
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 1, 2000
But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Luke 21:12-13 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
When we practice Christianity, we might well find ourselves brought before religious and political leaders for presecution, torture, and even death. When Jesus proclaimed us to be salt of the earth and light to the world, He well knew that those who love darkness--wickedness, unrighteousness--would be opposed so much so that they would kill the bearers of light.
Matthew 24:9 "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake."
John 16:2-3 "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me."
John 3:19-21 "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."
Peter said that we are not to think persecution strange.
1 Peter 4:12-14 "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified."
After all, Jesus commanded us to take up our own instruments of execution, as did He.
Matthew 16:24-26 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
We must always remember that our goal is to see our souls, and the souls of others, saved--even if they are our enemies.
Luke 9:54-56 "And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village."
Matthew 5:43-45 "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."
We may lose our lives as we take our stand against spiritual wickedness in high places, but our souls will be saved if we continue in the spirit and the will of Almighty God.
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
For more scriptures, go here: http://www.christianuniverse.com/biblinks/scripans2.htm
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 5, 2000
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Luke 14:28 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
Many preachers and religious people gush on about "being saved" in a nonchalant manner, insisting that all that is required is a simple statement. I have known many of these "saved" people. Many of them make no effort to learn of God, nor do they change their worldly ways. There is a cost to becoming a Christian, often overlooked by the mainstream religious organizations, especially those of the Calvinist persuasion.
Luke 14:26-35 "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
"Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
"So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
There are those who profess Christianity in other parts of the world who are being murdered because of it. Muslims have murdered professed Christians by the hundreds of thousands in Indonesia, and other countries, over the past several months. In Sudan, they are isolating and starving those who profess Christianity. Hindus persecuted and murdered professed Christians in India a few months ago. This same murderous act is taking place in various other countries around the globe.
John 15:12-13 "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
Romans 8:35-36 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
Are you just playing church? Are you a pretend-Christian? What if you knew that you would be executed for wearing the name of Christ? Have you counted the cost? Are you willing to pay the price?
Luke 9:23 "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 6, 2000
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
Many religious groups--"churches"--tell you how easy it is to be saved, that Jesus did it all, and that there is nothing left for you to do but enjoy. They might also provide you with entertainment, meals, ball teams, or other social interaction. They tend to have large attendance. Is this the church for which Jesus died?
Luke 14:26-27 "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."
Jesus said that we cannot be His disciples--students, followers--unless we first give up everything selfish about ourselves. We are required to forsake everything that will stand in the way of our serving the Lord. This does not mean that we are to leave our spouses, abandon our children, or disrespect our parents. In fact, in serving God, we are told to meet all these obligations. What Jesus is telling us is that we are not to let anything stand between us and the God we serve. We may be asked to give up our very lives as Christians. Notice that Jesus said that anyone who will not bear his or her own cross, cannot be a disciple of His--that's a pretty tall order. But the rewards are beyond imagination and the punishment beyond description.
1 Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;"
Matthew 25:34 "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:"
Matthew 25:41 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:"
With the eternal destination of our very souls at stake, it is of the utmost importance that we serve God with all diligence and dedication. He asks nothing less than our entire being and existence. After all, we owe it all to Him.
Matthew 16:24-27 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 7, 2000
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
I am not sure how many people in America and other "Western" countries can ever achieve true Christianity. Jesus said, that in order to follow Him, we must deny ourselves. This runs counter to the culture in America which emphasizes independence and self-confidence. The teachings of Jesus and His Apostles emphasize dependence upon, and confidence in, God and reliance upon, and support of, one another. These two approaches to life are diametrically opposed.
A common question I hear is, "What's in it for me?" Advertisements and commercials urge us to do what we want to do, be what we want to be. A common refrain throughout public education is, "You can be anything that you want to be." Jesus teaches that we are to place the needs of others above our own needs. He speaks of the church as family, community, and nation. He describes the oneness of His followers with Him and His Father. The Apostle Paul describes Christians as being members of one body, and of sharing one mind. To liberal Western thinkers, this is horrifying. They equate such beliefs with ignorance, superstition, and narrow-mindedness. The opposite is true, as being one with God and each other requires knowing what God is like.
Colossians 1:9-10 "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;"
John 17:20-23 "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."
Romans 15:5-6 "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Philippians 2:1-4 "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."
Can you deny yourself? Can you yield completely to God's will?
Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 7, 2000
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, Ephesians 3:14-15 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
In Christ we are united into one family.
Ephesians 3:14-21 "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
In Christ, the Holy Spirit of God lives within each of us. That one Spirit binds us together in one body, the body of Christ, or the church of Christ.
Ephesians 4:3-6 "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
Mark 3:33-35 "And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."
Romans 8:14-17 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."
Galatians 4:4-6 "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."
Hebrews 2:12 "Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me."
Since the church of Christ is His family, we should love and serve one another, as occurs in a big, happy family. This oneness of family known to large, loving families in the flesh is easily transferred to a large, loving spiritual family. If you have never experienced that love before, you will have to adjust to it!
"Love the brotherhood." as Peter stated in 1 Peter 2:17.
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 11, 2000
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
Being one family in Christ, Christians are spiritual siblings, as it were. A brotherhood is formed among the believers, bound by the blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit of God.
Mark 10:29-30 "And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."
Romans 12:10 "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;"
Being of the same spiritual family produces a love that leads us to support, encourage, and assist one another. This love causes us, just as in natural families, to look after each other. When our brothers or sisters are in trouble--whether financial, spiritual, physical, or emotional--we rally round the ailiing "sibling" to make things better.
Philippians 2:2-4 "Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."
2 Peter 1:5-7 "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity."
Colossians 3:14-15 "And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."
Love bonds us as nothing else does. It unites the body of Christ in a way that nothing else can. It calls us to peace with one another.
1 John 2:10 "He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him."
Hebrews 13:1 "Let brotherly love continue."
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 12, 2000
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? James 2:16 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
Christians are spiritual siblings in the family of God. As such, we are bound together in the love of God, through the Holy Spirit, and by the blood of Jesus. As brothers and sisters, the welfare of each member of the church, or body, of Christ is of utmost importance to each, and all, of us.
James 2:13-16 "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?"
Reading through the Old Testament writings it is obvious that God has always expected His people to look after their own needy, as well as strangers in need.
Leviticus 23:22 "And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field to its very border, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God."
Leviticus 25:35 "And if your brother becomes poor, and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall maintain him; as a stranger and a sojourner he shall live with you."
This same sharing comes across in the story of the manna from heaven.
Exodus 16:16-18 "This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating."
The Apostle Paul used the manna as an example of how Christians are to help one another.
2 Corinthians 8:13-15 "For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack."
2 Corinthians 9:12-13 "For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;"
It is not enough to wish someone well--or even to say, "I will remember you in my prayers." We must, as James wrote, show our faith by our works. Instead of just saying, "God bless you!", let us share with them the blessings that God has given us.
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 13, 2000
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Galatians 5:13 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
As brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, we have deep, abiding love for our spiritual family. Filled with the Holy Spirit and full of the love of God, we wish our spiritual siblings well. We are taught of God, just as He expressed His great love for us through Jesus, that we are to love one another. Although this is a commandment of God, a thorough study of the Bible shows us that this unearned and undeserved charity is something that we want to do as Christians, not something that we do out of necessity.
Galatians 5:13-14 "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Love is expressed in actions, not merely words. Our liberty in Jesus allows us to voluntarily serve one another. In other words, the will of God is not that we serve one another as though forced to do so, but rather because we want to.
Romans 14:19 "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."
Deuteronomy 15:11 "For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land."
1 John 4:7-8 "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
1 John 3:16-19 "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him."
In Christ, we don't just talk about the love we have for one another, we actually express that love in the way we treat our brothers and sisters in the church of Christ.
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 14, 2000
And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? Genesis 4:9 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
In our current culture it is easy to stay so busy that we feel burdened if our spiritual brothers or sisters need our help. There is too much going on in our lives, and it is easy to excuse ourselves from assisting our spiritual family. As Cain asked the Lord, "Am I my brother's keeper?" The answer, of course, is a resounding, "Yes!"
Genesis 4:8-11 "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;"
1 John 3:15-18 "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."
John equates a lack of compassion with murder--and well might it be, since the failure to feed, clothe, or shelter a brother in need might well result in that brother's death. A failure to be our brother's keeper by providing the necessities of life puts us in the same category with Cain, who killed his brother.
Hebrews 10:24 "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:"
We must take time to stop and consider: what can I do to provoke my brothers and sisters to love and good works? As Christians, we must give time to this thought-provoking question. We must raise the awareness of the plight of our fellow Christians in this country and around the world, many of whom starve, are diseased, are persecuted, and--executed. We must stir one another up to do the things that we know we Christians must do.
If the Lord were to ask us, "Where is thy brother?", what would our answer be?
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 15, 2000
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained
angels unawares.
Hebrews 13:2 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
Besides looking after our spiritual family members, God wants us to help others who need our assistance, even strangers. This has been so from the beginning, and there is proof of it from both Old and New Testament writings.
Leviticus 19:33-34 "And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God."
Leviticus 23:22 "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God."
Deuteronomy 24:17-21 "Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge: But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow."
We find this same concept in the story that Jesus told of the "Good Samaritan".
Luke 10:29-37 "But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise."
As Christians, our charity goes beyond helping our spiritual siblings, extending to strangers, as well.
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 18, 2000
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:44 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
The Apostle Paul wrote that when that which is perfect has arrived, that which is partial is finished and put aside. The topic under discussion is charity, that love that God shows the world when He blesses us, although we are not deserving. We are to learn from our heavenly Father and have the same love.
1 Corinthians 13:10-13 "But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."
This motivates us to express love not only to our spiritual family, or even to strangers in need of our help, but also to our very enemies. Why, you might ask, should we help those who would destroy us? Because it is the will of God that every soul be save, and none should perish.
2 Peter 3:8-9 "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
John 3:17 "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
1 Timothy 2:3-4 "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."
Luke 9:53-56 "And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village."
Matthew 5:43-48 "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
We are of the spirit of love and salvation, not the spirit of destruction. We wish not the destruction of our enemies, but their repentance and turning to God.
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 19, 2000
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
As Christians, Jesus tells us to be wise as serpents, but harmless as doves. When dealing with our friends and our enemies we need to be aware of circumstances and outcomes. We are not to be naive and gullible, but are to be free from malice and deceit. As stated previously, we are to have a spirit of salvation, not destruction. Our purpose is to help, not harm, others.
Having said that, it is proper to be aware of what our enemies are planning. There is a time to stand and fight the spiritual fight, and there is a time to run. We must allow the Holy Spirit of God to lead us as we go about our heavenly Father's business. See the following examples of advice about fleeing rather than standing ground.
Luke 21:20-21 "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto."
Acts 8:1-4 "And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word."
Acts 9:23-25 "And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket."
On the other hand, there is a time to stand and fight the good fight, which may require our lives.
John 16:1-2 "These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service."
Acts 12:1-2 "Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword."
Trust God to lead you, and realize that He will do right by you. Be ready to face God in judgment at all times--the time is coming sooner or later. Be ready to go!
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 20, 2000
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:39 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
Some folks have trouble accepting the teachings of Christ. They want to live a life of hybrid- Christianity, modified to fit their own personal view of what righteousness should be. That causes them to reject the actual teachings of Jesus in favor of a self-righteous version. For instance, Jesus taught us not to fight physical battles. Our enemies, regardless of what we think, are not physical, but spiritual.
Matthew 5:38-45 "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."
You can't get much plainer than that, yet many reject our Lord's teachings while calling themselves His followers--Christians.
Matthew 26:51-53 "And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?"
John 18:36 "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."
Hebrews 11:8-10 "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."
Hebrews 11:14-16 "For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Hebrews 13:14 "For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come."
In our part of the country we have a familiar saying, "Home is where the heart is." Where is your heart?
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 21, 2000
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 2 Corinthians 10:4 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
As Christians, we often find ourselves embroiled in controversy. That is easy to understand, because Jesus said that those who live in darkness hate the light.
John 3:19 "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."
Liberal thinkers and doers often hate Christians because Christians remind them of the error of their ways. Those of other religions often hate--and kill--Christians because, again, they are reminded of the error of their ways. Is the Christian to retaliate in such instances? Many who claim to be Christians say, "Yes, we have the right to defend ourselves." What does the Bible teach?
Ephesians 6:10-12 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
Romans 12:17-21 "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
Matthew 10:28 "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Philippians 1:28-29 "And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;"
There is no way to reconcile a desire to kill our opponents with the scriptures--the inspired word of God Almighty. Our enemies consider this a sign of utter destruction, but Christians see it as a sign of salvation.
Philippians 1:21-23 "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:"
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 23, 2000
For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 1 Timothy 2:2 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
Our desire as Christians is to be able to live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. To this end, we pray for all those in authority, from the leaders of our nations to the leaders in our local communities. Not only are we to live in peace, we are to make peace whenever possible.
Matthew 5:9-12 "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
Romans 12:18 "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."
1 Peter 3:10-11 "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it."
James 3:17-18 "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."
Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
Luke 2:8-14 "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
Romans 15:33 "Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen."
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 26, 2000
To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:79 KJV
Hello, Church Family & Friends,
There is a way of peace, that if all humankind will follow, will bring complete peace to the whole earth. It is the way of Jesus, our Lord, the Christ. Before Jesus lived among us, the world was trapped in the darkness of ignorance and sin.
Romans 3:10-18 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Luke 1:76-79 "And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
John 14:4 "And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Jesus is the way of peace, the way to God, the way of eternal life. It is a way of living, not something we do intermittently or "as needed". Neither is it a secondary aspect of our lives, done only on Sundays and holidays.
Until all people leave the darkness of sin and ignorance of God's will, there will be no peace on earth. Jesus noted this when He was rejected by His fellow Jewish brethren.
Matthew 10:34-36 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."
John 1:9-13 "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 27, 2000
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
Regardless of what we think, what our opinions are, and what we will to do, the only thing that really matters is the will of God. We like to praise "will-power", and "self-will". We have no power, except God gives it, and we certainly can't defeat God if our will runs contrary to His. Then why aren't we more concerned about what the will of God is?
Colossians 2:20-23 "Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh."
We love to make rules of what not to do, and what we think is good for us, yet our rules mean nothing to the God of the universe. While we run about yelling, "Touch not, taste not, handle not", we imagine that we are doing some great thing, that somehow we are in control. And when we manage to follow our own rules, we pride ourselves on our "will power". Who among us hasn't made some foolish "New Year's Resolution" that we promptly broke, because it was so grandiose or far-fetched, and usually dealt with some attempt to control our flesh?
Jesus said, "For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother." Mark 3:35
Psalm 40:8 "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart."
Psalm 143:10 "Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness."
Matthew 6:10 "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
Matthew 26:42-44 "He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Luke 22:41-42 "And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."
Hebrews 10:36 "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."
Let us not think that we have the will to accomplish anything unless God first wills it to be so.
James 4:13-15 "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 28, 2000
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. Psalm 40:8 KJVHello, Family & Friends,
The key to living within God's will is to first learn of Him--that is, listen to what He has to say--then to think about how we are to keep His will, and finally we are to apply this knowledge to our daily lives.
Psalm 40:8-10 "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation."Joshua 1:8-9 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
Psalm 1:1-3 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
Both Joshua and David were blessed because they meditated upon the will of God constantly. Only then can we see how we are to behave in a given situation.Not knowing the will of God, we would strike out on our own and make some devastating decisions.
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
By Bernie Parsons - Dec 29, 2000
Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. Deuteronomy 11:18 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
The Lord expects us to constantly meditate upon His ways so that we may learn of Him and keep His ways.
Deuteronomy 11:18-22 "Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;"
2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
2 Corinthians 3:2-3 "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."
Hebrews 8:10-11 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest."
Hebrews 10:16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;"
Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."
Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
God is willing to write His laws upon our hearts, if we are willing to let Him! What a wonderful thought, that God's ways can be actually imprinted upon our very being!
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
