17) On condemning others. “Let any one of you who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone” (John 8:7). Also: “Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure it will be measured to you. And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye’ when there is a log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:1-5).
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18) On Humility: “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, the servant of all” (Mark 9:35). “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15).
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An invitation to commune. “Behold! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me” (Revelation 3:20). 20) On prayer: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; those who seek find; and to those who knock, the door will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:25 Hebrews 10:25 (NLT) And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near. Life Application Notes - Hebrews 10:25 Hebrews 10:22-25 10:22-25 We have significant privileges associated with our new life in Christ: (1) we have personal access to God through Christ and can draw near to him without an elaborate system (Hebrews 10:22); (2) we may grow in faith, overcome doubts and questions, and deepen our relationship with God (Hebrews 10:23); (3) we may enjoy encouragement from one another (Hebrews 10:24); (4) we may worship together (Hebrews 10:25). 10:25 To neglect Christian meetings is to give up the encouragement and help of other Christians. We gather together to share our faith and to strengthen one another in the Lord. As we get closer to the “Day” when Christ will return, we will face many spiritual struggles, and even times of persecution. Anti-Christian forces will grow in strength. Difficulties should never be excuses for missing church services. Rather, as difficulties arise, we should make an even greater effort to be faithful in attendance. Having other people around whom you can trust and get to know more deeply will enable you to know yourself—your strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities—more deeply. You will be able to see in the mirror to your inner being and desires and see if they line up to what God has for you. You will become more aware of issues, relationships, and life as life’s purpose and God’s call are unfolded before you. Because you see life and God’s Word more deeply, your behaviors and response to others will also change for the better Objections to Accountability Accountability may seem to go against our self-sufficient, individualistic mindsets and fear of conviction. Most cultures and individuals like to be “my own person,” and thus do “my own thing.” Most people do not like being told what to do or how to do it. But, we need godly people in our lives to do just that—with love and care. Thus, we have to learn to overcome our barriers of conviction so we can grow more in Christ and with one another. BECAUSE JESUS COMMANDED IT. He commanded his disciples to baptize those whom they had taught (Matt 28:19). The implication is that those who have been taught the gospel should willingly submit to baptism.
Have You Accepted Jesus As YOUR Saviour? You can! You Can Accept Him Now!
"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2 "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Acts 16:31 Friend, I urge you to turn to God right now. Repent, and know His forgiveness. Will you do it right now? Here is a sample prayer that may help to guide you as you pray Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You, confessing that I have sinned and broken Your laws. I am sorry for my sin, and believe that Jesus Christ came to earth to die for me and my sin. Please forgive me. I invite you into my life, and give Jesus Christ the right to control the rest of my life. Please help me to be what You want me to be. Thank you for saving me and accepting me. I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen. 17 . Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. - Revelation 21: 1 21 . The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth , sardonyx; the sixth , sardius; the seventh, chrysolite ; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topa z; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh , jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. - Revelation 21: 18-21 22 . The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. The city is laid out as a square, and its length is great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. - Revelation 21: 15-16 24 . Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. … I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed, and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. - Revelation 21: 6-7, 22-26 25 . and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning , or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” - And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:25 Hebrews 10:25 (NLT) And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near. Life Application Notes - Hebrews 10:25 Hebrews 10:22-25 10:22-25 We have significant privileges associated with our new life in Christ: (1) we have personal access to God through Christ and can draw near to him without an elaborate system (Hebrews 10:22); (2) we may grow in faith, overcome doubts and questions, and deepen our relationship with God (Hebrews 10:23); (3) we may enjoy encouragement from one another (Hebrews 10:24); (4) we may worship together (Hebrews 10:25). 10:25 To neglect Christian meetings is to give up the encouragement and help of other Christians. We gather together to share our faith and to strengthen one another in the Lord. As we get closer to the “Day” when Christ will return, we will face many spiritual struggles, and even times of persecution. Anti-Christian forces will grow in strength. Difficulties should never be excuses for missing church services. Rather, as difficulties arise, we should make an even greater effort to be faithful in attendance. Having other people around whom you can trust and get to know more deeply will enable you to know yourself—your strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities—more deeply. You will be able to see in the mirror to your inner being and desires and see if they line up to what God has for you. You will become more aware of issues, relationships, and life as life’s purpose and God’s call are unfolded before you. Because you see life and God’s Word more deeply, your behaviors and response to others will also change for the better Objections to Accountabilityhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+10%3A25&version=ESV Accountability may seem to go against our self-sufficient, individualistic mindsets and fear of conviction. Most cultures and individuals like to be “my own person,” and thus do “my own thing.” Most people do not like being told what to do or how to do it. But, we need godly people in our lives to do just that—with love and care. Thus, we have to learn to overcome our barriers of conviction so we can grow more in Christ and with one another. Heart to Heart
By Toni Smothers Suppose that one day you could be Jesus. Jesus wakes up in your bed, digs through your stuff to pack your bag of books you’ll need for the day at school. You still have the same problems, your room is still a disaster, your schedule is still hectic and nothing else about your life changes. You dress in your clothes and mumble, "I’m not hungry," to your mom as you leave for school. Or would you stop to appreciate that breakfast and even hug your mom before you go? Jesus’ heart would be yours and he would live your life for one full day. Imagine… Just for this one day, you live your life with Jesus’ heart instead of your own. His passions would become yours. His love would direct your behavior. What would it be like? Would you look around the school yard just for your friends, dismissing all the regular mob of kids? Or would you find yourself smiling a little like a silly, giddy person, just caught up in the beauty of the day and the wonder of life? Would all the kids seem different? Would each one bring you joy as you casually pass by? How would you perceive the nerdy kids? Do you think you would still make fun of them or be jealous of the popular cover girl club? Any chance you’d feel less stressed, maybe need fewer Tylenol that day? Would you still dread math class? Would you still do what you normally do? Would you stick to your schedule and still do what you had planned for the day? Take a second to think about a typical day. Would you live it the same way? With Jesus taking over your heart, would anything change? Guess what? That’s exactly what God’s plan for you is. He wants you to think and act like Christ Jesus. "Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; He took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form." (Philippians 2:5-7 NLT) God’s plan for you is nothing short of a new heart. Radical? You bet it is! So, will your day include compassion towards that fat girl that everyone, including you, usually makes fun of in gym class? Will you be open to learning with an enthusiastic spirit and get all you can from the days work? You see, just because God loves you just the way you are, He won’t ever leave you this way. He wants so much more for you. There isn’t anything you can do to make God love you more or less, but there is so much He can do to help you love yourself and others better. With your heart filled with Jesus you can not act the same way as usual. Try it out. Get up a little earlier tomorrow. Kneel at your bedside and speak to God. Ask Him to make your heart new. Ask for a heart like Jesus and ask for Him to stay with you all day long. Every time you even think of doing or saying something tacky, a silent tug at your heart will ask you to reevaluate. You don’t have to, of course, because He allows you your free will at all times, but you could choose to listen. You could choose to dump any ugliness for the joy of the Lord. So what if someone snubs you and acts stupid. Forgive them and keep your joy. If your test score comes back lower than you’d hoped, determine to study more and ask God to help you in that area too. When you get PMS and want to just curl up in a little pity party, think of Christ hanging on the cross. Be nicer to everyone. By comparison, you might find a different perspective on those mood swings. Let every word in the Bible guide you until the words are written in your heart and you know that Jesus lives in you forever. Christ was scorned by many yet He was ready to forgive everyone before they even asked for His mercy. Can you forgive those who have hurt you and move on? It’s so liberating to begrudge no one and choose love instead. Choose to lay aside what you think you’re entitled to. Rise to a higher standard of living. Often people excuse selfishness, pride, or evil by claiming their rights. They think, "I can cheat on this test; after all, I deserve to pass this class," or "I can spend all this money on myself – I worked hard for it," or "I can get an abortion, I have a right to control my own body." But as believers, we should have a different attitude, one that enables us to lay aside our rights in order to serve others. Remember, you can choose your attitude. You can approach life expecting to be served, or you can look for opportunities to serve others, just as Jesus did. Just keep on asking and He’ll help you make the right choices. Toni Smothers is a child of God, wife, mom, grandmother, writer and lay-speaker. She has had serious exposure to the rougher side of life and from that experience has been left with a heart full of love for others who struggle with learning about our beautiful Savior. Through her writing, Toni delights in helping young people especially, who are seeking to find a true, intimate relationship with their Heavenly Father. |
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