Sunday,
6/22/14 Webster’s 1828 dictionary
definition of haughty: “Proud and disdainful; having a high opinion of one's
self, with some contempt for others; lofty and arrogant; supercilious
(dictatorial, overbearing). Pro 18:12
Before destruction the heart of man is
haughty. Check yourself. Zech
8:16-17 These are the things that ye
shall do: Speak every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of
truth and peace in your gates: and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts
against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I
hate, saith the Lord. This should occupy our time for...the next year or
two or twelve....
Monday,
6/23/14 Matt 20:10 But when
the first came, they supposed that they should have received more... “Supposed”
is used 8x in the NT: in 6 of those times, it caused problems. Don’t
think...KNOW. Don’t assume...ASK. Don’t
guess...INVESTIGATE. Gen 19:27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood
before the Lord. Why are you close to or friends with one person and not
another? 1It’s the amount of time you share with that
person; 2You both desire to become close; 3You
interact (share events); 4You live to please them and
not yourself. Therefore, we can CHOOSE
to get close to God.
Tuesday,
6/24/14 Job 23:12 I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
Let me challenge you to consider making a vow to God: promise to not consume
any solid food until you’ve read at least a chapter from the Bible. Try it for
a month. Mal 2:17 Ye have wearied the Lord with your words.
Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil
is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the
God of Judgment? This sounds so modern: “God is pleased with everyone,
regardless of how little effort or affection they give Him”...like He’s some
stray dog that’s grateful for any scrap He can find.
Wednesday,
6/25/14 Rev 2:14 ...thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam. What is
this “Doctrine of Balaam”? Balaam did wrongly...and then taught others to trip
up God’s people. If you’re not doing rightly, OK...but don’t teach or proclaim
error to justify your sin. Notice, that Balaam was later killed as an enemy of
the nation (Num 31). Pro 21:8 The way
of man is froward and strange. “Way” = Manner of life. “Froward” = Crooked,
twisted. “Strange” = Burdened with
guilt. Our inward most beings are in direct opposition to God’s way. Living for
self brings confusion and guilt, which must either be dealt with or masked with
more sinful activities to dull the pain. “We sure are having fun, aren’t we?”
makes some sense when said under the influence.
Thursday, 6/26/14 Matt 24:25 Behold, I have
told you before. The word “behold”
is a command to pay rapt attention to what is following. This is out of
context, but, what has God told you before that you’ve “forgotten” or now deem
it to be unimportant? “He didn’t really mean THAT... Dress? Alcohol? Music? Church? Personal purity? Gen
6:5-6 And God saw that the wickedness of
man was great...And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and
it grieved him at his heart. Do you ever cause God to wish He hadn’t made
you?? Do you ever make Him sigh and
shake His head because of your persistent sinful ways? It’s time for some of us
to face our sinful selfish actions in the light of the Bible, instead in the
light of our own lustful ways.
Friday,
6/27/14 Matt 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
The BEST of us waste a VAST majority of time on transitory pleasures: what
lasts forever? The souls of people, relationships, and righteousness. Matt 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father
which is in heaven is perfect. Why is it that so many Christians today,
when faced with a choice between something that is closer to the edge of sin or
closer to righteousness, seem to always choose the more worldly option? “Well, Bro. Hedderman, what’s wrong with
_____?” The 10 commandments tell us not to murder. Jesus then said in Matthew 5
that to hate is akin to it. That teaches me that if an act is wrong, getting
close to the act is also wrong, or, at best, is stupid. Something doesn’t
necessarily have to “be wrong”... Instead of excusing your indulgence with “I’m
just human,” or “What verse says this is wrong?” why don’t you explain your
holiness with “I’m just saved” or “I truly wish to be pleasing to the One Who
died for me”? Heart check time:
HONESTLY, are you getting closer to God or not? Are you edging closer to the
Saviour or sliding back? If you stood before Him TODAY, would you be terrified
or excited? Remember, the Christian life
has never and will never be about you and your wants and your conveniences:
it’s about Him, His kingdom, His commands, and His will. Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give to every many
according as his work shall be.
Saturday, 6/28/14 Gen 16:2 And
Sarai said unto Abraham...go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain
children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. Even your
closest companions or most godly friends can give bad advice. NEVER go against
Bible commands, principles, or examples. 2
Pet 3:3 ...there shall come in the last
days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. / 2 Tim 4:3 For the time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears. I am
writing to many of my friends: many of you will be angered by this post, but I
feel the need to say it. You scoff and
shake your head if any preacher dares to mention modest dress (while showing
every curve you’ve got as well as ample cleavage and bra straps); you get angry if the preacher mentions tithes
and offerings or giving to this project or that; if you KNEW where your Bible is, it would
probably take a shovel to get the dust off of it; you reject the notion that God might actually
be against the consumption of any alcoholic beverages; you fornicate, curse, get tattooed, skip
church, rock and roll with the best of them;
if you were in a lineup and people were asked to pick out the ones that
looked like a Christian, you wouldn’t get picked. But, Oh!!! let a preacher do something wrong
or preach with courage and take a stand and you can’t stop talking about it and
posting about it. If anyone dares to mention forgiveness for an offender, you
act like you’ve never needed mercy yourself or like you’ve never knowingly did
wrongly....you get very offended, and, AFTER you put down your beer, you make
sure to post some vitriolic venom on FB about it!! I’m talking to my former students whom I
taught at HB; peers with whom I went to college or worked with; friends of many
years: I’ve seen your tears at the altars at School Camp; I worked with you on
Big Days and heard your prayers for your area and for souls; you heard the same
preaching that I did...what happened to you? How have you gotten so far from
the things of God? Why is it that what used to be wrong is now acceptable? I
admit to being a sinner myself (it’s hard to believe, isn’t it?), but I do try
to be holy...for Him and His sake. If you’re trying and failing, then I am
10,000% on your side; if you’re failing to try to live for God anymore...I love
you, but I am warning you...you will face Him, alone, and, you WILL regret your current selfish,
“me-first” lifestyle. If you have absolutely no heart for any of
the things of God....I wonder, does your heart have God?
Thoughts from some others
Ps
47:8 God reigneth over the heathen: God
sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. We should never get too disturbed
or concerned about the affairs of this world: our God is in control and rules
over all.
1 Pet
1:15 But as he which hath called us is
holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Holy living and conduct
has almost been ignored and lost in most Christian circles today. Even many
Baptists have forgotten what holy, separated living means.
Ps
45:10 Be still and know that I am God: I
will be exalted among the heathen. When it looks like economic collapse is
inevitable and America is on the brink of destruction, it’s time for God’s
people to be still, know that He is in control, and exalt Him.
Ps
18:1 Through desire a man, having
separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. Right and
wise decisions of life don’t happen by accident: they are done on purpose.
Ps
49:16 Be not afraid when one is made
rich, when the glory of his house in increased. We shouldn’t worry as much about earthly
riches and popularity as we do about Heaven’s impressions.
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