encouraging-words

To Tolerate Or Not To Tolerate What A Question

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 07:18:31 +0100

Recently as I post comments about Jesus , my Christian faith and the Bible I come across the same word frequently, tolerance. According to the dictionary here is the definition: a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own.

  So sometimes I wonder was Jesus tolerant? Many non Christians love to quote back to Christians " the truth will set you free" and Jesus said " Love thy neighbor". Both are true but you never hear them quote this verse, John 8:44 44“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45“But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. 46“Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47“He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

Woah wait a minute Jesus you can't tell people their father is the devil that is not kind that is not very tolerant. Or how about this scripture in Matthew 23: 33 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?

Hang on Jesus you can't tell people they will go to Hell that is not cool that is not loving that is not popular. Am I being sarcastic..yes absolutely. The truth is the Bible is filled with scriptures of love and scriptures of war so if you want to use the Bible as your viewpoint you have to A. use it in context. B Read the WHOLE Bible. The scripture the truth will set you free actually reads like this : John 8:31 If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 3.

  OHHHHH wait a minute..not just any truth Jesus? NOPE IF you continue in MY WORD then you WILL KNOW THE TRUTH and the truth will make you free. So according to Jesus if you are planning on being set free from another method other than HIS word..well you're not truly free.

I didn't get to meet Jesus in person but I have read HIS word and pray and seek HIM daily. But I think that Jesus was strong about many points because He knows we are a spirit. Even false religions acknowledge that. But I think it angers HIM when he sees people being led astray by false religions that glorify themselves or other Gods. I'm sure He is thinking sometimes " How in the world can they believe an alien zapped them and they are re-incarnated several times, or why do they call me good teacher when I said I'm the Son of God, or how can they say that Satan was my brother when he clearly was only an angel. Now I haven't visited Heaven so I can't say these things for sure but this I know. False religions are just that ...FALSE. If a Christian tells you Jesus is the only way...that is not them lacking tolerance that is them trying to save a drowning man or woman because without Jesus when life is over you will certainly sink. If my brother pulled up out front and said "hey sis do you like my new car" and I looked out and saw a cardboard box with wood wheels I'd have to look at my brother , lovingly and say" ummm that just a box." So it is with false religions, an empty cardboard box. Now the world would jump up and down and say your JUDGING , your pushing your beliefs, your trying to control. And I'd say no I just saw a box so I called it a box.

In this world God has given us all free will. With that free will He desires that you choose HIM. Deut 30:19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. But if you don't choose HIM that is in fact your choice. But if you expect Christians around the world to stay silent while you sleep in your burning house...well they won't. You see a real friend will tell you the truth you don't like to hear. A person who loves you will say. " you sang that a little flat " so you can sing it right the next time. Someone who loves you will say " that color isn't really the best on you." And that is REAL love .

   Sometimes even though I am bold in sharing my faith I must admit it has been painful. Not like the pain Jesus had or even the disciples but still a little painful. But when I see how the devil ( and folks he's real you can use a machine and pretend he doesn't exist, or just believe in Heaven but not his dwelling place Hell he's real) twists and deceives so many people it makes me angry. When this life is over and you only get ONE you don't come back as a butterfly, a goat, a cow, your aunty or several other "beings" you only get ONE CHANCE and then you face judgement- Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

So you can worship a cow, a woman with 10 arms, a movie made by non believers, "another gospel" , you can believe an alien zapped us, that we inhabit many "beings".. you pretty much can believe whatever you want. But Jesus said HE IS THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THRU ME" John 14:16

Tolerance means that you like fish and I think it smells but I will eat dinner with you anyway. It does NOT mean...you are chasing a false religion and I am too worried about what you think of me to tell you the truth. I know you are thinking " who are you to call my religion false. I'm one. John the baptist said " I am a voice crying out in the wilderness" thats all I am. I just cry out what Jesus said " I am the way I am the way I am the way .

Now once I have told you then that is that. It's up to you to decide what to do. In the end you are the only one able to gamble with your own spirit. But when you cross over you may not find you will like your destination unless you have accepted Jesus. And why would anyone not love HIM. If he ever came to you , I know you would throw your false beliefs right out the window . He is loving , kind merciful, and he loves you. So consider Jesus, John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
And you know above all who is the most tolerant? God, He created Heaven and earth for you. He hung the sun moon and stars for you to enjoy. He created the oceans and it's beautiful creatures to amaze you. Every morning you wake up and the sun is rising beautifully. He even created an empty void in your heart where you would realize you are a spirit and would seek the ONE who created that spirit. Yet you deny HIM and chase after things created by men. Romans 1:25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.

He is tolerant and He is waiting. Christians are just HIS voice in the world so if you don't like it don't shoot the messenger.

The Harvest is Plentiful , The Laborers Are Few

Sun, 07 Nov 2010 17:03:13 +0100

Luke 10:2 says Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

I know that that doesn't always seem as though it were true, especially for anyone who has ever witnessed and been told,"I don't believe in God, don't push religion on me, I don't want to be told what to do, and other comments that are made when we share the Gospel.

But it is God's Word and therefore it is the truth. I started doing something different and found that without fail God always answers my prayer. In the morning before my day really gets going I read, worship, then pray. Not always in that order but that is the basic layout of my morning. When I pray I ask God, "Lord if there is someone hurting, someone broken, send them across my path. "Lord if you do send that person across my path help me to look for the little signs so that I won't miss them and they won't leave the same way they came.

One day I was walking and was frustrated over a work situation. I began pouring my heart out to God and then saying "Lord, you know I have a heart for the lost. Not just those at church but those in the world without a church background and without direction. But God, I don't know how to find them so you'll have to help me and bring them to me.

I got back from my walk ,my girlfriend was covering my desk, because I was at lunch. I'm currently the receptionist at our church, when suddenly a girl walked up to my window.

If you've ever worked for a church you already know that all types of people come through. So when I first looked at her I thought..well she's a little different and my next thought was , my girlfriend can handle her.

Suddenly my friend said, "Can I help you?" To which she replied crying, " I'm not sure I'm just so lost." Those words arrested my spirit and I immediately turned and began to speak to her.
Turns out she was a Pagan, confused, hurt, and broken. I told her the simple message of the Gospel and how easy it was to go from darkness into the light, then right at my receptionist window I prayed the sinner's prayer with her and she was saved!
I walked away rejoicing at the constant faithfulness of God.

If we would only pray, God would answer and many souls would be saved from eternal death. I hope this inspires you to ask God to send you those who need help. But be prepared you will get what you pray for.

Luke 5:31But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Walking By Faith - It is a walk

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:34:27 +0100

Today I had a conversation with my brother on the phone. He was feeling a little frustrated because he has been looking for a job for about six weeks and has been turned down each time. I felt the desire to encourage him so I began doing the only think that I know changes circumstances, speaking the Word.

I told him the scriptures say "If God is for you who can be against you" Romans 8:28. Every day thank God and say "it doesn't matter what it looks like I know I have a good job, God you love me you are for me and you desire to bless me."

As I was speaking I could sense his faith was rising. Faith is a walk. You have to take steps. Sometimes when you step out, you feel as if you hit a wall. When that time comes you just have to look at that wall and say,"Oh no you don't , you can't stand in my way, I know you are coming down."

You know they did that with the walls of Jericho. Joshua 6:20 Sometimes those walls look huge and daunting, but we serve a God that is the wall breaker. I have to also remind myself of that daily. When we find ourselves in situations that we cannot change that is when it is time to praise the ONE who can change everything. He can make a way where there seems to be know way. He said He can't lie if He promised than it must come to pass no matter what we feel or what we see. So today begin to praise HIM as if it is all done and your walls will come down and He will open the prison doors and you will go free! Acts 16:25-26