We all live in glass houses
Ours alone to deal with
Salvation: Responding to Gods' invitation to accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour is a very personal thing. Nobody can do it for you. You can't be saved by relying on your church attendance or your parents' or spouses' profession of faith. Salvation is strictly between you and God. It is by its very deeply personal connection between you and Gods' Holy Spirit, that you are saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:10
Responsibility for your own actions: The original finger-pointing and blame shifting happened in the Garden of Eden. Eve blamed the serpent, claiming that he beguiled her and she ate the fruit, and after eating of that same fruit, Adam shifted the blame to Eve, claiming that she shouldn't have shared it with him. We are experts at avoiding responsibility for our own actions. But taking responsibility for our own actions is critical in coming to a place of repentance. When I shall say to the righteous, [that] he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Ezekiel 33:13
Repentance: Being convicted of an offence or sin before the LORD is often something that is personally painful. No one else can make us repent, it is again a deeply personal matter of the heart.There can be no repentance if one does not take responsibility for our actions that gave occasion for us to sin. Only we can repent of our own sins. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 2 Corinthians 7:10
Obedience to God: We are required to obey God. One can obey Him but with an impure heart. Others can force us to tow the line, and we can give lip service to God, and fool man. But this outward obedience doesn't fool God. True obedience comes from a servants' heart, a clean heart that longs for the closeness that obedience brings in our relationship between Him and us. And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart. 2 Chronicles 25:2
Faith: Likewise faith is something one either has or hasn't got. No one can bestow faith on us. It is a very personal thing, again a matter of heart that only we can have or pray for, for even so faith is a gift from God.. But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6
Feeding on the Word: Whilst it is true that one can be forced to endure bible studies and gospel readings, if ones' heart is not in it, it will not bear fruit. We have to be prepared to listen... and learn. So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17
Attitude to life: No one can form the attitude we choose to take in life. We can be persuaded or forced to comply to a set way of thinking, but ultimately we take charge of how we respond to life and its joys or stresses. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45
Control of thoughts and emotions: Whilst people can encourage us to display certain emotions, we are the ones who must learn to master them. With all the above coming into play in our lives, control of thoughts and emotions are critical. Thoughts and emotions vie side by side in importance for one controls the other. For through these thoughts and emotions, attitudes are produced and if entertained, they become actions. For good or bad. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Corinthians 10:5
We must get over the finger pointing and crying that "the devil made me do it!" and take responsibility for our own life. Accountability is both a pain and pleasure but something that we all are before the LORD. You are responsible for yourself and no one else. Let's run the race well and be responsible for ourselves!. Ourselves are ours alone to deal with!
Drop and run.
Engagement is the new wedding
We are the Church!
Today's the day!
Heinous acts
- (of a person or wrongful act, especially a crime) utterly odious or wicked.
"a battery of heinous crimes"
synonyms: odious, wicked, evil, atrocious, monstrous, disgraceful,
abominable, detestable, contemptible, reprehensible, despicable,
horrible, horrific, horrifying, terrible, awful, abhorrent, loathsome, outrageous,
shocking, shameful, hateful, hideous, unspeakable, unpardonable, unforgivable,
inexcusable, execrable, ghastly, iniquitous, villainous, nefarious, beneath contempt, beyond the pale;
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Isaiah 44: 2
I'm coming back! The napkin's folded!
Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved.
She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!' Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see.. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in.
In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.
When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it...
The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.
Now, if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done.'
But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'
He is Coming Back!
Easter blessings, Glenys
and the napkin that was upon his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but apart, having been folded up, in one place; John 20:17
Everlasting Prince of Peace
A Kingdom not of this world
We don't want to live without it
It has been humbling.
Being saved is crucial if you want to live
Chronic illness can't take these things from us
Chronic illness has the power to rob us of joy, movement and motivation and can place such a strain on us and our families that we actually grieve for the life we once had. Yet, it is limited in what it can take, and here are some things it cannot take from us...
- It cannot take our salvation from us
- It cannot take our love for God or His love for us,
- It cannot take our honour, or respect or strength of character.
- It cannot take our courage, our motivation or our hope...
- It cannot take our honesty, our faithfulness to God and family,
- It cannot take our robe of righteousness or God's Spirit within us.
On His young Shoulders
Luke 2:43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it;
Luke 2:44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.
Luke 2:45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.
Luke 2:46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
Luke 2:47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.
Luke 2:48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”
Luke 2:49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
Luke 2:50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.
We see here a 12 year old Child who is already aware that His Father is not Joseph, but God. A Child growing in stature and wisdom and grace- one who has more wisdom for spiritual matters than the Jewish teachers of the Law.
Seeing the response of the Child to His Mother, there can be no doubt that He knew even then that He was the Suffering Servant and the Passover Lamb. Yet He never wavered from that path.
Let us give thanks that this Child- the Son of God, chose to obey and honour His Father so that we too may call Him our Father!
If you do not know Jesus as your LORD and Saviour, now would be a good time to do it. Read this link and don't waste His sacrifice, for when He died, He had you on His mind.
Let us all not waste a minute longer living in sin and fear for the Age of Grace is almost over and the darkness of the anti Christ is about to begin for those who do not believe. Christ is coming for His Bride, the Church. Be among those of us who believe and live with Christ forever.
Let us all believe on Him and love the little Boy, Who took away the sins of the world- at 33 in His Body and with being only 12, the weight of that knowledge on His young Shoulders!
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:31