Genesis 39: 10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
Purity is something that has decreased at an alarming rate in the day in which we live! Just about everyone in our schools laughs at the idea of purity, and abstinence until marriage. The leaders of our land scoff and jeer at the idea that a "littl affair" is not an "ok" thing. The general public mocks and sneers and jests about impurity telling their 'dirty jokes' in the presence of anyone who will listen. However, God is not pleased with impurity, and He WILL have the final word about it. Joseph is one of the great examples in the Bible of purity, and it would do us all good to get the attitude of Joseph "it ain't gonna happen" (excuse the grammar).
Paths to purity.
1. Fear God. (a fear of consequences may not be all that's needed but it helps)
2. Follow God. (following His footsteps leads in the way of holiness)
3. Fellowship with God. (learning the sweetness of God helps to dispell the "need" for lust and sinfull thoughts)
4. Firmly say "no" (a harsh, affirmative answer goes a long way in quelling many lustful situations)
5. Find somewhere else to be (this could be a strike against Joseph, he was there, seemingly alone, with a woman who had consistenly been alluring him)
6. Flee youtful lusts (sometimes this is the only course of action, get out as fast as you can)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
This is the Day.
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
This is a challenge to our minds. Throughout the Word of God, Christians are challenged in the area of their mind. Men, especially, have great difficulty in this area. Areas such as lust, pornography, hatred, and anger so easily affect the mind of a person and allow him/her to dwell on these things. However, a Christian has the power to overcome these things by turning to Jesus, and allowing Him to cleanse the mind and take over the processes of our minds.
Jesus Mind.
1. Service (He strove to serve) John 13:4-15 (16)
2. Submission (He always kept the Father in the spotlight) Luke 2:39
3. Surrender (He did the will of the Fathery, not His own will) Luke 22:41-42
4. His Servants (the people who followed Him were taken care of) John 17
5. Salvation (His focus was always on the Cross, and on souls) John 1:29; 3:14-19
This is a challenge to our minds. Throughout the Word of God, Christians are challenged in the area of their mind. Men, especially, have great difficulty in this area. Areas such as lust, pornography, hatred, and anger so easily affect the mind of a person and allow him/her to dwell on these things. However, a Christian has the power to overcome these things by turning to Jesus, and allowing Him to cleanse the mind and take over the processes of our minds.
Jesus Mind.
1. Service (He strove to serve) John 13:4-15 (16)
2. Submission (He always kept the Father in the spotlight) Luke 2:39
3. Surrender (He did the will of the Fathery, not His own will) Luke 22:41-42
4. His Servants (the people who followed Him were taken care of) John 17
5. Salvation (His focus was always on the Cross, and on souls) John 1:29; 3:14-19
Saturday, March 28, 2009
This is the day.
Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.What is the Gospel of Christ?
We are told by Paul that it is the death, burial and ressurection of Christ. As a Christian to focus on these three aspects is a glorious enterprise. Jesus Christ loved ME enough to die for me. Jesus was buried for me, but, praise God, Jesus ROSE from that Grave and because of that I can be saved. So many religions rely on the leadership of a dead man, but I serve a risen Savior. Praise God!!
We are told by Paul that it is the death, burial and ressurection of Christ. As a Christian to focus on these three aspects is a glorious enterprise. Jesus Christ loved ME enough to die for me. Jesus was buried for me, but, praise God, Jesus ROSE from that Grave and because of that I can be saved. So many religions rely on the leadership of a dead man, but I serve a risen Savior. Praise God!!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
This is the Day.
In order to be a Christian, you have to believe what the Bible says is literal. Accepting only what you want to accept of the Bible is the reason that the world has so many problems. You need to accept the Word of God as the final authority in your life. Not that Christians are always able to live up to every word, but that's where the forgiveness of God comes in, he will forgive us and still accept us. Hey, to me God is as real as anything or anyone!
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.12 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:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.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.20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
The reason that God is not real to so many people, is that they won't accept Him at His Word. People accept the theory of evolution, at the word of two or three men. The principle of gravity because they can see it. Religious thought at the prompting of the writings of one man. Weight loss solutions upon the details given by a book. Financial advice based on the renderings of often crooked people. Health solutions on research that can and does prove faulty almost as often as it is proven correct. People even accepted that a compay had made an "unsinkable" boat, Titanic vs. Iceburg (iceburg TKO). They even accept that there could be life on other planets, which is totally unsubstansiated. Yet, when the Creator of the universe, the Fashioner of mankind, the only true God, gives them a plan for living that will work, writes a love letter containing 66 books to mankind, sends a Savior to die for there sin, and makes accepting Him something that is not hard to do. Men reject this with all the ferver of a Norway lemming migration. Man scoffs and says this will never work. He throws up his hands in an attitude of mockery, and says, "that's imposible." Why can mankind accept so may false programs, so many unproven "facts," run headlong into so many schemes, and yet think that somehow God is trying to trick him. Its because he/she doesn't really want to believe that the life he/she is living might actually be wrong, might not be the best way, and might actually be contributing to his/her destruction. Still, "let's try this new pill (that ends up being recalled because it has deadly side effects)," but "don't try to tell me that God loves me, because that just can't be." Well, the choice is yours, that's the way God works, but there is a better way!
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.12 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:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.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.20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
The reason that God is not real to so many people, is that they won't accept Him at His Word. People accept the theory of evolution, at the word of two or three men. The principle of gravity because they can see it. Religious thought at the prompting of the writings of one man. Weight loss solutions upon the details given by a book. Financial advice based on the renderings of often crooked people. Health solutions on research that can and does prove faulty almost as often as it is proven correct. People even accepted that a compay had made an "unsinkable" boat, Titanic vs. Iceburg (iceburg TKO). They even accept that there could be life on other planets, which is totally unsubstansiated. Yet, when the Creator of the universe, the Fashioner of mankind, the only true God, gives them a plan for living that will work, writes a love letter containing 66 books to mankind, sends a Savior to die for there sin, and makes accepting Him something that is not hard to do. Men reject this with all the ferver of a Norway lemming migration. Man scoffs and says this will never work. He throws up his hands in an attitude of mockery, and says, "that's imposible." Why can mankind accept so may false programs, so many unproven "facts," run headlong into so many schemes, and yet think that somehow God is trying to trick him. Its because he/she doesn't really want to believe that the life he/she is living might actually be wrong, might not be the best way, and might actually be contributing to his/her destruction. Still, "let's try this new pill (that ends up being recalled because it has deadly side effects)," but "don't try to tell me that God loves me, because that just can't be." Well, the choice is yours, that's the way God works, but there is a better way!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
This is the day.
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
What have you sown? Has your life been dedicated completely to you? Have you always enjoyed a large ammount of sin in your life? Why would you expect to not reap the same type of things that you have sown? God says you will reap, not only will you reap something when you've sown, but you will also reap what you have sown. Have you sown sin, you will reap sin. The biggest let down of all, is that what is reaped, is not always reaped by the person who sowed it. David's sin, for instance, was reaped largely by his children. Jezebel's sin was reaped by an entire nation. Satan's sin, as well as Adam's and Eve's, has been, and will continue to be, reaped by generations, and droves of people. Why would you be different? Hey, God is not mocked. What will you reap?
What do most people sow?
I. Sin [look at the wickedness of the world today]
II. Sorrow [look at the results of sin on people today]
III. Self-will [the thrust of the world today is "me"] joy=jesus,others, and you.
What do most people reap?
I. More Sin [one ungodly act leads to another {lust/adultery} {hate/murder}]
II. More Sorrow [the deeper the hole one digs, the harder it is to get out]
III. Suicide [when "i" run out, then there is nothing left]
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
What have you sown? Has your life been dedicated completely to you? Have you always enjoyed a large ammount of sin in your life? Why would you expect to not reap the same type of things that you have sown? God says you will reap, not only will you reap something when you've sown, but you will also reap what you have sown. Have you sown sin, you will reap sin. The biggest let down of all, is that what is reaped, is not always reaped by the person who sowed it. David's sin, for instance, was reaped largely by his children. Jezebel's sin was reaped by an entire nation. Satan's sin, as well as Adam's and Eve's, has been, and will continue to be, reaped by generations, and droves of people. Why would you be different? Hey, God is not mocked. What will you reap?
What do most people sow?
I. Sin [look at the wickedness of the world today]
II. Sorrow [look at the results of sin on people today]
III. Self-will [the thrust of the world today is "me"] joy=jesus,others, and you.
What do most people reap?
I. More Sin [one ungodly act leads to another {lust/adultery} {hate/murder}]
II. More Sorrow [the deeper the hole one digs, the harder it is to get out]
III. Suicide [when "i" run out, then there is nothing left]
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