Self-Examination

2Corinthians 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
 
    An old silversmith was standing one day over a large vessel that was boiling over a roaring fire.  His face was smeared with sweat and ashes; it was weather-beaten and weary.  Yet he smiled as he stared at the metallic gray liquid, because he knew it was being perfected.  A while later, one of the old silversmith's apprentices walked by and wondered what the old man was smiling about. The young apprentice stared into the rippling liquid and asked the old man, "Sir, how do you know when the silver is perfect, free from impurities I mean?"

     The old man replied, " Well son you see,  how I know that this silver is done being perfected is when I see my reflection in the silver liquid." He turned back to the pot  and continued watching his silver...waiting to see his reflection.

James 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
James 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
James 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Just like the old silversmith, God is watching over each of His children's lives, putting us through the test of fire and trials to burn away our imperfections....and make us more like Him.

1Peter 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

~ Bro. and Sis. C.~

Waiting upon the Lord

Isaiah 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

This scripture is so true...for many years I had questioned whether I really had a purpose and whether I was ever going to see God work through me to the good of others. I waited 9 years for the man of my dreams....and my message to all you young ladies out there is wait on the Lord, put Him first, and all things in your life will fall into perfect place....and in His perfect timing.  I'm happy to say now that I am Justin Caudle's wife...and God did keep me strong in Him.  Another thing I would like to say, is that life is so much better if you save yourself for your mate! So challenge yourselves to keep God in the center and He will renew your strength....that's Gods divine promise to all of us no matter what comes our way!!!

Matthew 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

-HRC

Showing our faith

Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God;but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Do we say we know God, or do we know him? Words are simply just words, but to know God we must obey God!


1John 2:3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 
1John 2:4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1John 2:5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
1John 2:6  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked

To say we know God is one thing, but to really know him we must obey him.

To say we love God is one thing, but to love God we must obey him!

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

I want to know him, because many are going to say Lord, Lord. But he is going to say to many depart from ye that work iniquity, I NEVER KNEW YOU.

If you believe in him, truly believe in him, then you will obey him. If you love him, you will obey him. If you know him, it will be because you obey him.

As much as false doctrine may not teach that one must make an effort to enter into the kingdom of God, if we are going to be saved we are going to have to strive to enter in. Its going take us showing our faith.

1John 3:24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

I dont want to just know of God, but I want to know God!

Faith between the Promise and the Performance

Romans 4:20  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

Romans 4:21  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Abraham didn't  give up. There was time that transpired between the promise and the performing of the promise, but that's why we must have faith. What God has promised he will perform, there maybe a pause between the promise and the performance, but God has not forsaken us. 

He promised Abraham a seed...pause.....Abraham's wife Sarah had Issac when Abraham was 100. 25 years after the promise, God fulfilled his word. 

He promised Abraham a land to his seed, for 400 + years his seed was in bondage...hundreds of years didn't stop the promise. 

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Deu 1:8  Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them. 

He promised to redeem men...when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son made of a women to fulfill his promise. God in Christ. 

He promised the gift of the Holy Ghost...there was a space of time..then the day of Pentecost and the fulfillment of that promise. 

Whatever promises you have in your life, don't give up on them just because of time. God hasnt forgotten us. His promises are sure. 

We have another promise, that same Jesus is coming back to take his bride home. The church without spot, or blemish. We need not grow weary in well doing, God will fulfill his promise. There has been a pause, there has been space, but God will deliver on his word. Have faith. 

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 

-Bro. C

Acts 2:38, obey it! 

The Word

Psalm 119:11  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Psalm 119:16  I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

Psalm 119 is a good chapter to read over and over again, no it's a great chapter! It speaks so much of the word and how the writer loves it with his whole heart.This is one of those chapters you can read over and over and still get inspiration from it every time. Well every chapter in the Bible is that way! But here are just a few verses that stuck out to me as I set and read it tonight:

Psalm 119:67  Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

Sometimes its good for a little affliction to come into our lives to keep us on track, keep us praying and seeking God. Lord if it takes affliction to bring our backsliders back then so be it.


Psalm 119:72  The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

Cant no wealth, no riches of this world compare to the priceless value of Truth! Buy it for yourself, buy it for the next generation, and don't let go of it. Its far more valuable than anything else.

Psalm 119:104  Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

The word settles what is and isn't truth. So once I know what truth is I hate every lie that speaks contrary. I hate every false doctrine. Love everybody, but hate every sin. Love everybody, but hate every lie. Love everybody, but hate every false doctrine. If I am going be in love with truth, I must hate lies. See I cannot serve two masters, I am going to love one and hate the other. So I choose to love truth, for its more valuable than anything.

Psalm 119:165  Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Preach to me preacher, I wont get offended. Why? Because I love the truth. Because I want to be saved. Because all scripture is given by God's inspiration. And I have great peace and I'm not torn between serving two masters because I have truth, and nothing else could satisfy like truth does. For the word of God has set me free.


Psalm 119:127  Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
Psalm 119:128  Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way. 


When you love truth, you hate the false way. Enough said. Psalm 119 is a GREAT chapter!

-Bro. C
Acts 2:38, obey it!

Grow Up!

1Co 13:11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood  as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became  a man, I put away childish things.  

1Pe 2:2  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

 A child just does some things a little different than do grown-ups. Something that may not be a part of acceptable behavior for an adult may just be ok for a kid. Why? Cause a kid is a kid, they speak like one ( without little thought of what they are saying and its impact on others), they understand like one (they just don’t comprehend some of the directions they are given in life), and they think as a child ( they believe that the adults can do anything, they think less on the major issues of life and more so on the small things). A infant can be taken in some businesses without their shoes on, but for the adults the sign on the door means just what it says. See kids just get better treatment sometimes and sometimes just seem to be able to slip by with doing something unacceptable. This only last for some time, this only seems to be the way a child could act, and when that child became a man he must put away these actions in order to truly be a man. He is taught how to be a grown-up.  

 Let's make this spiritual, let's compare this to the spiritual realm. Let's make this putting away of childish ways our plan in the spiritual manner. I have seen folks that where in the body of Christ for years but it seemed after all that time they were still on the same level of God, and ultimately this would lead to their spiritual downfall and backsliding. We must put away childish things.

 Its childish to talk about your brother, the one that wants to help you reach the next level, the same one that is praying and fasting for you and your family.

 And I want you to remember that Jesus said except we all become as little children we shall in no likewise enter into the kingdom of God, but he was talking about their acceptance of him and their love for one another and him. But I'm talking about childish actions, actions that are immature and due sometimes to the lack of experience.

  Its childish to kick against the preacher the one trying to preach you and your family and friends the words of eternal life. I have seen adults that have tore their family apart and caused for members of their family to backslide and disrespect the church and its faithful because they got their feet stepped on, well you can see why they got their feet stepped on.

 In the 14^th chapter of Matthew the preacher lost his head, John the Baptist spoke the truth and upset some folks. So John was arrested and we all know ultimately beheaded, but even after they destroyed the preacher, even after they had passed their hate of the minister on to the child, even though the preacher was no more, God’s word was still right. Like it or not God’s word still says that adultery is wrong, God’s word still says that murder is wrong. You can destroy the preacher but not the words nor the God behind that preacher. You can kill the messenger if it's his time, but you can't destroy the message.

 "Oh that preacher don’t know what he’s talking about, that won't ever hurt you, you just wear what you want to wear.” Um… about 10 years down the road it will be just drink what you want to drink, just smoke what you want to smoke. Be with who you want to be with. It’s time we put away childish ways for the sake of ourselves and our children.

 "Oh that man is not to smart." Well I beg to differ with you, I believe the man of God are the most intelligent of men around the world. They have wisdom from above!

 Our world today is a mess,  because man have failed to give ear to God, at first maybe just slightly then as time progressed more and more. We have prisons full of people who once where probably told don’t listen to that preacher, graves filled with people not ready to meet God because they wouldn’t heed to the word of God.

We must put away Childish ways and just Grow up. We can't stay on the bottle too long, we have to leave the milk and grow to a new level, eat a better diet.

Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil

Proverbs

The words of wisdom will continue, I have been short on time lately. Look for the words of wisdom to continue this week, plus for a blog entitled, "Spiritual Authority".