Going It Alone By One’s Own Faith
As Christian babes, God carries us on “eagles wings”. But there comes a point where he commands us to grow, unto standing on our own two feet by faith. Unless we respond to this need, Satan will sift us as wheat. We will just be easy prey for his wiles. The Devil seeks to make people dependent on things other than personal prayer and faith. Then when he removes these props, the person falls on their face. Faith is all about being made sufficient, by looking unto Jesus, not leaning on other things.
ABEL stood alone, when he offered his sacrifice by faith, even when it provoked his brother to kill him. NOAH had to go it alone. His world ostracized him, completely discrediting his work and ministry. ABRAHAM was called of God to step out on his own by faith, not knowing the details, but leaving his country and his father’s house. JOSEPH had to go it alone, cut off from his father, being sold into slavery by his own brothers. MOSES had to go it alone. The first time he attempted to help his people, he was scorned, “who made you a prince and a judge over us?” When God sent him back to Egypt, the people resented him, accusing him of just making their problems worse. Most of the time, he was murmured against by the very people he served.
ELIJAH had to go it alone. It is true that Obadiah hid 100 prophets in a cave and there were 7,000 in Israel that had not bowed to Baal. But none stood up with Elijah, he stood alone. DAVID had to leave his wife and family behind and flee from Saul, going out on his own. JOB had to go it alone. His wife considered him to be a fool for his steadfastness of faith. His “friends” all were given to fault finding and criticism. But Job faltered not. DANIEL stood up for God in Babylonian captivity. He went to the den of lions all alone, completely resolved to God’s will being done.
JESUS went to Calvary’s cross and died for our sins all alone! His own disciples forsook Him and fled. You and I never helped Him one bit, as it was our sins that nailed Him to the cross.
JESUS IS CALLING, for those whom He has saved, to take up their cross daily and follow Him. In this day of love growing cold and people turning away, the Saviour asks, “Will ye also go away?” John 6:67-69
SHARING
What Has Become Of The United States Of America?
Letter written to Delaware County Daily Times by Mr. Charles Martini, Sr.
To the Times:
Has America become the land of the special interest and home of the double standard? For many it has. Here is a review of current events. Make your own decision.
If we lie to the Congress, it’s a felony. If the Congress lies to us it’s just politics. If we dislike a black person, we’re racist. If a black person dislikes whites, it’s their First Amendment right.
The government spends millions to rehabilitate criminals and they do almost nothing for the victims. In public schools you can teach that homosexuality is OK, but you better not use the word God in the process.
You can kill an unborn child, but it’s wrong to execute a mass murderer. We don’t burn books in America, we now rewrite them. We got rid of the communist and socialist threat by renaming them progressive. We are unable to close our border with Mexico, but we have no problem protecting the 38th parallel in Korea.
If you protest against President Obama’s policies you’re a terrorist or a racist, but if you burned an American flag or George W. Bush’s picture in effigy it was your First Amendment right.
You can have pornography on TV or the Internet, but you better not put a nativity scene in a public park during Christmas. We have eliminated all criminals in America; they are now called sick people. We can use a human fetus for medical research, but it’s wrong to use an animal for drug research to cure a disease.
We take money from those who work hard for it and give it to those who don’t want to work. We all support the Constitution, but only when it supports our political ideology. We still have freedom of speech, but only if we are being politically correct.
We can celebrate Cinco De Mayo and Halloween, but we can’t celebrate Christmas, which is a recognized national holiday and a religious holiday for most of Americans.
We can ask law-abiding citizens to present valid I.D. when cashing a check or making a credit card purchase, but we can’t ask suspicious “illegal aliens” to produce a valid I.D. to verify their status or identify themselves.
We explain away individuals who steal classified and secret communications and distribute them to the press, but can’t hold the press or individuals libel for participating in this life-threatening treachery to our country and armed forces personnel.
We applaud confiscatory taxation and regulation on those who work hard, run an enterprise and play by the rules, then reward drug addicts, slackers, welfare cheats and bums with “benefits” they did not earn to continue their corrupt lifestyles…and call this whole process “social justice” or welfare for the so-called disadvantaged and poor of society.
Actor Wesley Snipes goes to jail for tax evasion, while Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel, who was indicted 20 times for fraud and evasion, gets a mild censure and no jail time from Congress. And you wonder why the U.S. Congress is held in deep contempt with a 20 percent approval rating from U.S. taxpayers and voters.
What has happened to the land of the free and home of the brave?
The answer: America has become a welfare state based on deviant behavior, questionable morals and situation ethics.
SHARINGGod Bless America
“Inquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the Lord will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.” Jeremiah 21:2
When sung with reverence, there are few songs that stir the soul like “God Bless America.” It seems to be an important medium to convey that our success as a nation has been due to Divine blessings. We are thus reminded that for continued blessings, we must meet Divine expectations.
At patriotic events, there are still those who call for God’s favor and blessing, in view of the enormity of the challenges facing our nation. Many of those calls are from sincere-hearted patriots. Some follow the pattern of Zedekiah, who habitually ignored God’s Word, but when faced with Nebuchadrezzar’s army that he could not defeat, called upon Jeremiah to pray to God, that God would bless the kingdom with His wondrous works to cause Nebuchadrezzar to depart from them.
But instead of Jeremiah being able to say, “The Lord’s blessings are on the way,” he had to deliver the message from God: “And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.” Jeremiah 21:5
Even though God’s judgment was thus announced, God revealed that His hand was stretched out still for Judah’s repentance: “Thus saith the Lord; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.” Jeremiah 22:3
America needs to turn back to God, breaking off from her sins and abominations that provoke the wrath of God. I feel it is safe to say that judgment for our willful ignoring of God as Creator and the rejection of His Word, has been decreed against our nation, but that we are in a period of “longsuffering,” where “God’s hand is stretched out still,” even as we see the Nebuchadrezzars of our time moving against us. We cannot continue on as we are, without drastic consequences. The call of God to our nation going out all across the land, is the call to repentance.
God’s arm is not short that is cannot save. But sin and iniquity will separate between a nation and God. God spared not the angles that sinned. He sent the flood, He destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He spared not Israel. He will judge our nation. Who is on the Lord’s side?
SHARINGUpholding The Truth
“But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth…” Galatians 2:14
“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.” Exodus 23:2-3
Our obligation to uphold the truth, the will and way of God, is clearly set forth in the scripture. We are not to let our sympathy or pity for someone become justification for going along with them in doing something unscriptural, for God’s grace is sufficient to minister to their need, if they turn to him.
“…withdraw yourself from every brother that walketh disorderly…” 2 Thessalonians 3:6
“Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Romans 14:22-23
“…neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” 1 Timothy 5:22
A person undertaking to do that which they know differs from the laws of God, usually seeks to get others involved with them. It does not really matter if they know it is wrong, for if they can just get others to go along with them, that gives them the courage to go ahead with what they are doing.
This is when God’s children need to accept the call to be the salt and the light. To declare God’s position on the issue, is our responsibility as a Christian. God wants us to stand with His Word. When someone asks you to do something with them that just doesn’t seem right, ask them to show you what they are doing from God’s Word to be God’s will for their life. Let the burden of proof rest with them: “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:10,17) Should a person not respect God’s will enough to do this, then it is not going to be in your or their best interest to get involved with them in what they are doing.
There are times when people think only with the desires of their mind and they are going to do what they desire to do, regardless. But when this is apparent, that is when it needs to be made clear that they are on their own. “For every man shall bear his own burden.” Ephesians 6:5
One unscriptural course of action will lead to others. “They did it, so I guess I can get by with it, too, etc.” This leads to sin getting the upper hand, and lives being swallowed up in that which is contrary to God’s Word. KEEP THYSELF PURE!!
SHARINGDeveloping Our Children
“It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.” Lamentations 3:27
“And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4
Nurture = the act or process of promoting the development of; training; rearing; upbringing.
Admonition = training with warning against faults; to inform or remind by way of warning.
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Training = making the demands upon the child to do what they have been taught and told to do.
Development occurs when children respond to the demands that are made upon them. For example: physical strength is only developed through exercise. The greater demand one makes upon themselves to exercise, the greater strength they will develop. One thing is for sure — no one develops beyond their level of exercise. And it takes a repeated and consistent effort, with no let up, to affect development.
DEVELOPMENT IS THE RESULT OF RESPONDING TO THE DEMANDS THAT ARE MADE UPON US.
To fail to make the right demands upon our children, is to prevent and even impair their development. For example, you may tell a child that they should pay attention in church. But until it is demanded that they pay attention, they will always fall into distraction. The amount of attentiveness they have is in direct proportion to the demands that are being placed upon them.
Also, a child may be told that they are to stay awake in church, but until it is demanded of them to stay awake, they will just yield to drowsiness.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Thus, a child can develop no more faith than the demands that are being placed upon them to stay awake and pay attention.
“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Proverbs 22:15
The goal of raising our children is to be their proper development. To let a child develop as they may or may not wish to on their own terms will be too little, too late.
To let a child decide on their own when they will take hold of things that they should be doing, rather than make proper and timely demands upon them, will be about as effective as letting a child discipline themselves on their own terms.
SHARING
