STICK TO IT

Among the writers of songs, known to us as Psalms, is Asaph who wrote in the 78th Psalm concerning the relationship between GOD the Father and Israel. A statement he makes concerns thee fact that they "were armed for the battle and had bows but turned back from the fight" GOD was not at all pleased with this. They had not stuck to the stuff. In the day of adversity they did not stand and fight - even being armed they did not stand toe to toe with the battle. We have admonishment in Ephesians to put on the whole armor of GOD and after doing all we can to stand then stand. We are armed with the Word of GOD, the Spirit of GOD, faith and salvation - turning away from the battle we ought not do. Galatians tells us that if we do not become weary in well doing we will in deed reap the harvest in due season. The battle is ours to fight and the promise is eventual victory. No matter how many falls we experience we need to just get up and keep on going, with faith in GOD and His promises - keep on keeping on and we will overcome.
We can often see the task as to big for us, the battle to fierce for us to endure, and often feel we are beating our head against the wall going no where - like what is the point; but we can always go one more day of battle, one more day of trial or tribulation, one more day of disappointment and let down, one more day of standing. Let us not faint, let us not give up nor give in; The day is coming when we step into heaven, into absolute total victory - into paradise and no more need for battle - so hold on one more day - go to the LORD today, just like yesterday, and lay your confidence and hope on Him - keep on.

BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beware of being led to believe that the giving of
money is the sowing of a seed of faith which will
prompt GOD to respond by heaping riches upon
you. Scripture teaches us in the epistles that
we are to be content with having food & raiment;
and the gospels teach us to take no thought for
what we will eat, drink or wear tomorrow but seek
the kingdom of GOD and His righteousness and
these things will be added unto you. We cannot
buy GOD nor His blessings. The man in Acts
offered to buy the gift of GOD from the disciples
and he was cast out for it.

Grace is not a reward nor a wage it is just what
it says - GRACE - pure unearned favor from GOD.
There is no gospel that has a $ price tag -

the gospel of Jesus Christ was paid for by Him

and that price was His life. Our access to GOD
and His grace is faith -the price we pay is to
believe (Romans 5:1).
I say again BEWARE - search the
scriptures daily to see if what you are being taught
is true. The church of Berea checked on the
Apostle Paul and was considered much more faithful
for doing so. (Thessalonians)

COMPARISONS: THEOLOGICAL or RELATIONAL

A. THEOLOGICAL: In the Epistle (letter) to the Roman believers
is clearly stated that justification & righteousness is of Jesus
Christ, and Him alone: Then is delineated in chapters 1-8 why
that is the way it is.

B. RELATIONAL: In Job is stated the helplessness of man
against GOD; That is to say that man is at the mercy of GOD:
Then is delineated in chapter 9, 10, 12 and 13 the evidence
that that is in deed the way it is.

My conclusion to these two facts of comparison is;
1. consistency of GOD in His methods
2. the complete dependence man has on GOD - complete being
the key word
3. the predictability and unpredictability of GOD - that is to say
GOD is knowable and not knowable
4. Job teaches us about the relationship we have with the
Father and Romans gives us the supporting doctrine
and/or theology that makes that relationship truth.

If I am being chastised by GOD for sin in my life or, I
am being assaulted by Satan for the purpose of tearing
down my faith, is really in the final analysis irrelevant - Job
is making this point: For either way GOD is at work; either
chastising or testing me - and using Satan as the instrument
or tool to do so.

Satan taunted GOD about Job's faith and GOD permitted Satan
to put it to the test. Jobs statement concerning the
excruciating tribulation he found himself in illustrates the
certainty of being a child of GOD and the uncertainty of being
a child of GOD: Which is to say that my faith is tested no
matter if I know or do not know what is going on, and as Job
said, so will I be able or not be able to say, "though He slay
me yet will I trust Him."

Many people trust in the facts and not in the Person.
Many will never know nor experience - the power of GOD in
their heart and soul because they seek only the facts not
the Person. They seek a knowledge of GOD which is academic
in nature rather than, or in the exclusion of, an intimate
knowledge of the Father.

Job teaches us, or rather Job's experience of life and his
reaction to GOD over it, that GOD cannot be predicted. The
chasm between the finite mind of man and the infinite mind
of GOD is so large man cannot see the other side of the canyon.
"His ways are past finding out."

When we look at Job's statements we see a man knowing he
cannot justify himself before GOD - When we look at Romans
1-8 we see why man is not justified by law and hence has no
medium for justifying himself and therefore needs justification
outside himself. Job knows that right or wrong, good or bad,
just or wicked, he has no means within himself or his life to
stand before GOD and merit GOD'S grace/mercy. Romans
teaches us why that is. Romans 1-8 gives doctrine to the
supporting of how Job viewed GOD in relationship to Him.

IN EFFECT: Rms. 2:29, 2Cor. 3:6
Job shows relationship (the spirit);
Romans shows doctrine/theology (the letter of the law)

WAR OF FLESH & SPIRIT

The war between the flesh & the Spirit is over which one gets or has control.
I always thought it was a war to conquer the flesh, [and indeed conquering the
flesh lies within the heart of every believer], however I have discovered it to
be a war over which I will walk in, the flesh or the Spirit.

To be conformed to the image of Christ has become, in my heart and life,
a matter of walking after the Spirit, which is to say,
"minding the things of the Spirit" [Romans 8]; verses serving the
desires of the flesh: Will I serve the fleshly desire for comfort and pleasure
or will I seek the things that the Spirit of GOD seeks. Clearly stated
by GOD is the fact that if one walks in the Spirit they will not fulfill
the lusts of the flesh. It is not for me to conquer the flesh but rather to be
filled with the Spirit, [Galatians 5].

We do not overcome by doing, we overcome by being.
It is not doing good works, it is being spiritual.
Actions are not the method, they are the results.

WE THE MEDIUM of MASS MEDIA

There is something that has troubled me for quite some time, it is the impersonal manner in which the web sites designed for contact and communication, are used. I am personnaly associated with several sites on which people contact me in a very generic and impersonal manner. Their messages are written for the masses and when attempt is made to draw out a personal contact it seems to become a point of contention; contention which seems to draw response from others looking on. I have as a result withdrawn myself from several sites that otherwise could be of great encouragement to others. I think this world does not need multitudes of preachers trying to reach the masses but rather a multitude of people in love with our heavenly Father and therefore our neighbor- the result of which being personal one on one building of relationships that truly demonstrate the love for one another that does for and to, rather than says. That is to say love is something one does to someone not say about some one.
The web sites - of which I have several of my own - easily become very impersonal and hence a safe haven from which we can spout our innermost thoughts, feelings and convictions and do not run the risk of rejection and/or retaliation - and if rebuttal does come we merely erase it. If we leave out the personal we are safe, but we starve for fellowship and growth is hindered and people are not encouraged and exhorted - we have stolen the privilage others have of truly knowing us and gleaning from us that which GOD has given us.

The picture has meaning in that it is an ever changing painting in live by the Creator and were it not for GOD's faithfulness to His own I would find unbearable loneliness in this world.
I pray you find the fellowship in Him and in His people that soothes the longings of the human heart for the intimacy with one another built in by GOD, who likewise longs for our fellowship.

WHERE IS THE SECURITY?

Man has sought security in insurances, armies, weapons, walls, laws, sea walls, police, and a multitude of other ways; yet security remains illusive: Hurricanes, wars, stock market crashes, economic collapses, governments, disease, and death ALL & more have proven life insecure. SO WHERE DO WE FIND IT?