Prov 26:23-28 Burning lips & a wicked heart are like a pot covered with silver dross. He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, & layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: & he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; & a flattering mouth worketh ruin. Rom 8:6-7 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life & peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. — Rebellion against the will of God is the same as being carnal minded which equals death! For to be spiritual minded is life! We must get rid of the wicked heart & replace it with a pure heart! For the pure in heart will one day see God! We must watch what we say & what we think! Love Mel
Pruning – It’s Not Just for Trees!
John 15:1 I am the true vine, & my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, & every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:7-8 If ye abide in me, & my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, & it shall be done unto you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit & so prove to be my disciples. — A Vinedresser is someone who who prunes, trains, & cultivates vines. Pruning is one of the most important things to do to a vine to encourage growth! Remember during the pruning season in our life, it is just Gods way of encouraging more fruit bearing for us! Love Mel
The Apostle Peter Offers Us Some Advice for Checking Ourselves
2 Peter 1 (KJV): “5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
So, what is the Apostle Peter saying here? He emphasizes faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, Godliness, brotherly kindness and charity (love). He is telling us that if we walk with these traits evident and growing, we will be fruitful and productive in our walk with, service to, and knowledge of – God. He also says we will be making our make our calling and election sure. And finally, he says we will be abundantly supplied with admittance to the Kingdom of God. How awesome is that?
Is Peter saying that the path to salvation is based upon these things? Not at all. Salvation comes from faith in Jesus Christ our Messiah and Savior. It is a gift that we cannot earn. But just as James says: faith without works is dead; we see that Peter says these traits demonstrate our true conversion.
We should be sure to check ourselves from time to time to make certain we are growing in Christ and “making our calling and election sure” by our demonstration of a changed life.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t measure up like you may want to – as long as your direction is right. You likely will never attain perfection on this earth – as only our Savior Himself did.
Do You Love Him?
John 21 (KJV): So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
This occurs after Jesus had been crucified and was raised from the dead. This is Jesus’ third appearance to His disciples after the resurrection. Note that after Peter had betrayed Jesus three times before the rooster crowed, Jesus essentially gave him three chances to erase it! In this passage, Jesus also tells Peter that he would be led away to a crucifixion of his own and would die a martyrs death.
This whole idea of loving Jesus though, bears a bit of thought. Do you suppose anyone who really loves Jesus would ever go to hell? Personally I doubt it. The question then becomes central – how do we love Jesus.
- We are commanded to love God!
Luke 10:27 – And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.
Deuteronomy 6:5 – And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
2. Why should we Love Jesus and God (same person!). Following is a partial list of reasons from a Charles Stanley In Touch web page.
“The Lord will never leave nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5).
He’ll supply all our needs (Phil. 4:19).
He’ll answer our prayers (Matt. 7:7).
He has forgiven our sins (1 John 1:9).
He has given each of us at least one spiritual gift that enables us to live productive, fruitful lives and accomplish whatever He asks.
He fills us with the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to live in a way that pleases and honors God.
Christ has prepared a place for us in heaven and will someday come again to take us there (John 14:2-3).
The Lord will give us beautiful and perfect resurrected bodies.
Through Jesus, we can have personal relationships with God that transcend any other human relationships.”
3. How do we know if we love God?
John 14:21 – He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
John 14:15 – If ye love me, keep my commandments.
(KJV) Luke 9: 20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. 21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; 22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. 23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.
Do you love your spouse and your children? What does that mean? It means you love to spend time with them, or at least you require yourself to spend time with them as often as possible. You think about them often and you would give anything for them, to include your life. Do you love Him? What does that mean to you?
O Give Thanks to the Lord For He is Good, His Mercy Endures Forever
1 Chron 16:34 (KJV) O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever. Psalm 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever. Psalm 106:1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever. Col 4-2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. — With Thanksgiving just around the corner, wanted to give a reminder of one thing we can be thankful for, FOREVER! Keep praying, God promised good to His people! Love Mel
