Is God Emotional?

How does God want to be worshiped? He has an opinion you know. How would He like me to interact with Him/others? Does He like tears of joy, shouts of praise? When does our sincere praise become carnal emotionalism? Just a few questions I have been considering.

The greatest commandment is to 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' Is it significant that God wants our hearts first, because if He has our hearts our souls and minds will follow?

I think God is indeed emotional, never out of control but never neutral or apathetic. He is a mighty God who is both good and severe. His thoughts are deep and He is touched by the feelings of our infirmities. He is grieved and rejoices. He is at times angry. Jesus wept. If we dont praise Him, rocks will. Angels cry Holy Holy Holy day and night. Paul said if he *got beside himself* it was unto the Lord. The longest book of the Bible is full of emotion, Psalms. We are to worship Him how? In spirit and in truth, forget intellectual theories. He clearly wants our emotions to be alive and well, shouting His praises and declaring His glory.

I think He appreciates when we praise Him with our whole hearts. I cant imagine that He made us feel and experience emotions for any other reason than to give Him glory. Is He jealous when we shout and dance at the ball game but stand still and rigid during church? My tear ducts were made for His glory, that we might cry when we repent and weep when we worship. I have the ability to smile, laugh, and frown all to the glory of God. The Apostles talked about their hearts burning within them when they walked with Jesus.

I understand that there are many people and even whole churches that have turned emotionalism into a selfish act of carnality. Charles Spurgeon said....Ah! dear friends, one half of the emotions excited in our places of worship are of no more value than those excited at the theatre. I love CHS.

I think there may be a fine line between carnal emotionalism and God Glorifying emotionalism, I am looking for that balance. I understand that our emotions will lie to us and out of our hearts come every evil. I also know that our hearts must be subject to His word, but isn't it true that the more we immerse ourselves in His Word the more emotional we become? Doesn't His word fill our hearts with hope and love? I want every tear, shout, frown, laugh, prick of guilt, fear, joy, every emotion I have to glorify God. Hes not impressed with our intellect but a heart that is full of joyful adoration, now that He can work with!

Modest Teens

“We wouldn’t dream of dropping our daughters off at college and saying: ‘Study hard and floss every night, honey—and for heaven’s sake, get laid!’ But that’s essentially what we’re saying by allowing them to dress the way they do while they’re still living under our own roofs.”—Jennifer Moses.

Entertainment #2

Pastor preached a message about reining in our obsession with entertainment. Here are the questions he laid out that we should use to determine if our entertainment glorifies God.

#1Does it celebrate or glorify sin? Romans 1:32 Not only do we need to abstain from sin we dont need to approve of or celebrate those who are sinning.
#2 Does it Help or hurt in your walk with God? 1 Cor 10:23 1 Cor 6:12
#3 Does it build up: edify or tear down? Not just myself but others, those I am watching and those in my life that are affected by my use of time, and those I influence by my entertainment choices? 1Cor 10:2
#4 Does it control you? Do you control it? Are you brought *under its power*?
#5 Does it redeem the time or waste it? Ephesians 5:16 Col 4:5

Entertainment

Hope John Piper doesnt mind if I use some of his wisdom here.....

#1 Recognize if you are consumed/obsessed with entertainment. This could be videos, sport, internet, Facebook, card games....anything that is frivolous and doesnt redeem the time.

#2 Seek the Lord about your obsession. Confess, repent and pray earnestly for deliverance. We have no real self control without the Spirit of God. Self control is a fruit of HIS Spirit not something we can muster up.

#3 Immerse yourself in the Word, ask the Lord to make His word come alive and thrill us in a more genuine way than any worldly entertainment. Read it when you would rather be entertained.

#4 Hang out with Godly people who love God and His ways and Word. Avoid carnal people who just want to be entertained by the sludge of this world.

#5 Think about your death. How do you want to spend you few precious days here. Redeem your fleeting days on earth for HIS GLORY!

God awakened in me a fear and a passion not to waste my life. The thought of coming to my old age and saying through tears,"I've wasted it! I've wasted it!" was a fearful and horrible thought to me.~J Piper

Parenting Myths

#1 You can immerse a foolish child in a room full of foolish children and expect something wise to come out of it.

#2 There are 2 Bibles one for adults and one for children.

#3 Children need to be segregated with other same aged children in church, and school.

#4 Children are too dumb, carnal, hyper (insert any excuse) to understand Biblical principals, the things of God need to be presented in an entertaining way as to compete with the world.

#5 Children are best taught about Jesus by the church and arithmetic by the government schools. All training should be outsourced by experts and professionals.

#6 If my child is not responding to Godly training then I should let that dictate how I train. I should cater my methods to how my child responds, and not the Bible.

#7 If I home school, spank, shelter and listen to Voddie Bauchman my children will turn out well and live for God. Wrong. I am starting to think smiling at them is more important than all the above combined.

#8 If children aren't socialized with worldly peers they wont know how to relate to them when they leave home.

#9 My children are called to be soul winners and they cant be light and salt unless they are immersed in public school and other age segregated cattle programs.

#10 All children go through stages of tantrum throwing , rebellion, hyper activity, (insert any sinful behavior) so I'm justified to ignore it and chalk it up as *just a stage*.

Word Search

The Bible talks about people who strain at gnats and swallow camels, they obsess and fuss over small issues while neglecting the weightier issues like faith, justice and mercy.

I did a quick word search to try to find out what God thinks important enough to mention over and over again in His word. I pray these ongoing themes would be the ongoing themes of my heart. God let my actions words and deeds scream where your Words screams and let my life whisper where your Word whispers.

These are the most common nouns in the Bible.

Lord 7970 times

God 4094 times

Man 3323 times

King 2504 times

Sin 1016 times

New Testament

Jesus-1310
Say-442

Glory-338
Faith-287
Brother-275
Law-275
Love-261
Good-238
Kingdom-155
Grace-114
Sin-104
One Another-100
Pharisee-99
Poor-41
Trinity-0

Single Purpose

This passage seems like a bit of a contradiction.

The Bible tells us to look at this example, this perfect example, Jesus, who was able to find joy, in the midst of the shame He endured on the cross. Naked, isolated, tortured, yet He was able to find joy because to give God glory is why Christ was created. His single purpose was being fulfilled. Joy. Something about obedience, obeying His commands, giving Him glory brings JOY, and isn't it true that so much of our joy is indeed found in the midst of suffering he has orchestrated for His glory?

Hebrews 12:2

2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Lacking ANY value in restraining sensual indulgence

Colossians 2:18-23
18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. 19 They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Wanna Be Great?

So you want to be great? You want to be first? Sure you do, I do, my kids do. We all want significance and we'd like to be first in line to get it please.

I find it amazing that when the disciples argued about this desire for greatness our Lord didnt rebuke them or correct that desire in them, rather He told them how to go about it. Called all 12 of them together for a mandatory How to Be Great Meeting, because like I said, it seems we all want to be great...all 12 of 'em needed to hear Jesus on this subject.

Jesus didnt tell his disciples that their desire to be great was wrong He just explained that in Gods economy the first shall be last and if you want to be great you have to serve. Beautiful huh? Clear instructions from the Lord himself on how to be great. Really great. Significant and worth something.

Now doesnt this help remove the guilt for feeling like our need for significance is a sin, and it removes the pressure to elevate ourselves through worldly measures, because honestly there are plenty of openings for servant positions. Get in line...the last of the line. ;-)

33 Jesus asked them....“What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Outside Influences

Heres a quote about socializing our children by L E Krueger, from her book Raising Godly Tomatoes...

"Removing the TV and choosing to homeschool are two of the most obvious and effective solutions to the problem of wrong influences, but beyond those, one of the most enjoyable and simple things you can do to produce godly, loving children, is to keep them doing more things with you and fewer things with other children outside of your family. If you keep them with you and teach them all you know about godliness, AND you keep them away from wrong influences when they are young, you will scarcely have to worry about anything else. You will eliminate a myriad of problems that result from allowing or encouraging your children to frequently socialize with other children.

If anyone doubts how much good this can do, just read carefully the many desperate stories of Christian mothers whose children are straying, and pay strict attention to how much the matter of "outside influences" factored into the problems they are having. If you are honest in your assessment, you will find that a vast number of these problems are the direct result of the influence of "friends" outside the family. This is where your children will learn values other than yours. This is where your children will pick up attitudes that are anti-family and anti-authority. This is where your children will be exposed to many things you never wanted them to be have anything to do with. This is where they will lose their loyalty toward you and God and turn their loyalty toward the world. If you want to raise your children to choose the Lord as their God, you must reject the world's unrelenting chant that your children "need" to socialize outside your home. Instead, you must believe the Lord when He says, "Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate."

Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior

Just read this fascinating article Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior . I dont agree with all of it and certainly dont admire the Chinese Mothers motives which are based on pride and selfish ambition but I do agree with some of the techniques and reasoning behind what makes a Chinese Mother Superior. Heres the portion that really stood out to me...

"Sucess often require fortitude on the part of the parents because the child will resist; things are always hardest at the beginning, which is where Western parents tend to give up. But if done properly, the Chinese strategy produces a virtuous circle. Tenacious practice, practice, practice is crucial for excellence; rote repetition is underrated in America... "

I think this paragraph holds the key, pushing past the initial challenges until the challenge becomes our childrens character.

I think the secret to success or failure in parenting lies in our willingness to invest huge amounts of time and energy initially in order to enjoy fruit later. Training, disciplining, teaching at home, ...all take alot of time initially.

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrew 12:11

I think the Chasten your son while there is hope...scripture points to this theory. We have a limited window of oppurtunity to train and correct our children, just a set amount of time while there is hope. If we are lazy and not diligent during those crucial training years then there really isnt much hope that we can or ever will influence our children. Chinese moms dont waste that time, their motives are often selfish and perhaps even a bit evil but still the law of the harvest is a law God has ordained, it works....you plant, water sow ect...you reap. For Chinese moms its a harvest of academic excellence, but I think we could certainly apply these principals to training little hearts for God.

Passive Christianity?

I love it when I feel Jesus teaching me, I know He is always teaching me and the times when I dont feel Him are sometimes His most teachable moments, but isnt it nice when we can hear, see and feel Him?

I feel Him teaching me that living for God is not passive, cant be. We cant say a prayer of repentance and move on, repentance needs a plan. Wisdom is something to be desired but a simple prayer for wisdom wont produce it. In regards to obtaining wisdom the Word makes it clear that we are to diligently seek wisdom....Proverbs 2 tells us to do these thing in order to obtain wisdom.

• accept
• store up
• turn your ear
• apply your heart
• call out
• cry aloud
• search for it as silver

Christianity cant be passive, its impossible for His Spirit to sit stagnant. He ever liveth.

Ephesians 4:14,15 - Be no longer children, but grow up in Christ.

2 Peter 3:18 - but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 - The Thessalonians grew exceedingly in faith.

Philippians 1:9 - Paul prayed for their love to abound more and more.

Forgive Our Debts AS We Forgive

Forgive our debts, as we also forgive our debtors... Matthew 6:12.

I am constantly in need of forgiveness, I need the Lord to replace my nature with His Spirit. This scripture tells me that my sins will be forgiven in direct proportion to how I have forgiven others. As. One word. So significant. Also significant to me is the fact that this prayer about forgiveness is supposed to be prayed every.single.day. It helps me to know that Christ knew I would *daily* struggle with this forgiveness thing. No becoming discouraged, Christ makes provisions doesnt He?

For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins" Matthew 6:14-15

Right Scripture Wrong Motive

Ever had Bible for your bad attitude? Ever used scriptures to manipulate your own heart? I have, so did the Disciples when they asked Jesus...
Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them, as Elijah did?
I guess the disciples reasoning was that Elijah did it, we've read the scriptures and have a precedent, and besides all that we, want to kill people for Jesus sake. Holy Murder. According to the scriptures we are justified.

Jesus always measuring the motives of our hearts...
He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of...

I love Jesus! He knows just exactly what to call us on doesnt he? Right scripture, wrong motive boys. Seems to me that Christs purpose particularly at that time was to teach mercy, love, grace and faith. I know that sounds ooey gooey charismatic but LOVE is the ongoing theme of our New Testament. The greatest commandment is still to Love God and the second to love others.

Love not vengeful fire.

Good Blog Post...

Powerful blog post....

Priorities

When I find myself uninterested in scripture and prayer, I can be sure the problem lies within myself, not Him and His Word. If my hunger is not for more of Him then my spiritual diet is messed up and in need of a revamp. We stuff ourselves with books, videos, Internet, conversations.... Our hearts become so consumed with life that that the good crowds out whats best.
Only one thing is needful....

Repentance Needs A Plan

When you go in to have a cancer cut out, you are sent home with antibiotics, diet change, care for the wound, a follow up with your Dr., orders for lab work to make sure all of the cancer has been removed. A maintenance plan.

I guess saying *sorry God* and walking away is not enough. Well, maybe with a passing thought or a silly word that was better left unsaid but with deep disgusting sins it may take more than a quick prayer. I have been repenting every single day for a while over the same stinking sins, Im tired of it. Tired of myself. Ive begged God to deliver me yet here I am in need of deliverance...again.

Someone pointed out to me that repentance needs a plan, so I looked it up and am amazed to find that every one of the below scriptures commands repentance, AND...repentance and something else. Repentance needs follow up, a maintenance plan. A couple of the scriptures talk about how repentace leads to something else....

John the Baptist told the Pharisees to Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. MAT 3:8.

Peter told the crowd at Pentecost to Repent *and* be Baptized ........then...receive the Holy Ghost. Repentance needed a follow up of Baptism before the Holy Ghost came.

Mark1:15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent *and* believe the good news!"

Acts3:19 Repent, then, *and* turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,
that times of refreshing may come from the Lord..

Acts 8:22 Repent of this wickedness *and* pray to the Lord.

Acts 20:21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God
in repentance *and* have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Acts 26:20 I preached that they should repent *and* turn to God *and* prove their repentance by their deeds....

2co10:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

2TI 2:25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that
God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,

REV 2:5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.

Repentance requires more than confession and sorrow, it takes a plan.

Hypocrisy Is The Best Policy

A very good friend and I have had a couple of conversations lately about immodesty in the church. My friend holds to the view that the immodesty being displayed is just a true manifestation of the heart. Its a nobel thing to honest, right? *Keep it Real* and *Be true to your self*. After all there are gossips in the church but we cant *see* that so they arent picked on, give the immodest crew a break, they are just showing themselves in a realistic light. Honesty is the best policy...

I say..........

Please keep your hypocrisy intact so we dont have to see your boobs. God made us with eyes, He knew we would judge one another by appearances and conduct. The greatest commandment is to love others, we do that by considering others, even in the seemingly small things like how we dress and conduct ourselves. Dont show your true colors so proudly, hide them.

The worlds way is to display all its evil internal vomit very proudly, but the world is wrong. Lady Gaga although popular, is wrong......."I want women -- and men -- to feel empowered by a deeper and more psychotic part of themselves. The part they're always trying desperately to hide. I want that to become something that they cherish." — Lady Gaga....Keep your psychosis to yourself Gaga.

I know I sounds crass and rude here but this is a rude subject, and quite frankly Im sick of seeing the insides of your heart, its ugly, you look much better as a hypocrite.

I have 5 little children, one dear daughter who is very sensitive to the styles of dress around her. My 4 sons will one day become young men who are instructed to flee *youthful lusts*. If they cant find refuge in Gods house where is it safe?

Great Quote

"One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time." — John Piper

1 Tim 5:13 Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. .....

Galations

In Galations Paul spends alot time teaching, and even pleading with the legalist to put away the rules. Yet he knew that there would be many who took that as a licence to take the liberty of faith in Christ too far. To live a worldly life. To sin.


He predicts that not only will the conservatives be sceptical of this liberty, this Faith Preaching Paul is doing, but Paul also knows that our flesh may take this new found liberty a little too far. He warns against that.

5:13 only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh.


For in Christ neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love.

Perspective on Children

Im naturally, selfish, lazy, undisciplined, and thats just my short list.

I appreciate (mostly) that my children are little agents from the Lord pressing this out of me. Gratefully, I am so much more selfless than I would be if I had just stuck with my husband and dog. God didnt give me children to make me happy, He gave me children to make me holy.

I think God is pleased when we lay down our own desires and serve others, so He conveniently implemented this thing called family so we could at least hang on the cross and die to self in the comforts of our own living rooms.

I think the sooner we realize God didnt give us children so we can *enjoy them*, rather He gave us children so He could *enjoy us*, the better.

My kids are Gods way of saying *You arent the center of the universe...look beyond the end of your own nose*.

Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven....

I like to think about how God knows whats best for me, and ironically when I accept my children as Gods best (albeit at times painful best) for me I *do* actually start to enjoy them more.

Plus, they are furry and cute.

Post Modern Legalism

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Galations 3:3

I know that when Paul talks about *the law* he is talking about the OT laws adhered to by the Jews. No pork or shrimp, gotta wash your hands a certain way and keep the Sabbath, be circumcised on the 8th day yada yada yada. That's legalism, I know that, but I cant read about Pauls pleas to the Jews to ditch legalism without thinking about ...well... some of the circles I am affiliated with.

So many parallels between OT laws and our current religious standards, maybe not so much parallels in the actual rituals or ordinances but the spirit and pride behind them. Like a standard or rule can actually impress our Holy God. (roll eyes)

Colossians 2:23
These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person's evil desires.

Take out the word/idea law in the following scriptures and replace it with rules/standards. Replace this Jewish legalism with whatever it is you think makes you holy. Homeschooling? Long skirts? A plain face? A large family with matching jumpers? Even reading, fasting and prayer O my! Whatever you think makes you righteous. Read these scriptures and see if your efforts are enough?

Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness, he had faith. Thats IT. Faith. Some things never change.....


“...by works of the law NO ONE will be justified” (Galations 2:16)

“...if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose” (Galations 2:21)

“...No one is justified before God by the law...” (Galations3:11)

"...Those who rely on standards are cursed!...(Galations 3:10)

“...if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law” (Galations3:21)

“...the law as our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galations 3:24).

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galations 5:1).

Monday At Noon

Ever leave a Sunday night service with enough faith and victory to run through a troop and leap over a wall?

And then....

Monday At Noon rolls around? The babies are fussy, the towel rack has been ripped off the wall (no it wont hold the weight of a hanging 3 year old if anyone was wondering). Your kids have creased up their new school books, one day...just one day and already they are tattered. Your husband is growly because he has a devil. The dishwasher broke and the bills are still due. Your throat hurts and no one cares, there are no sick days.....blah blah blah...My Pastor always warns that this will happen, hes right, again!

Just wondering...has that ever happened to you?

Child Training Reminders

We love HIM because He first loved us. Establish love *first*.

Love fosters trust. We need our children to trust that we are disciplining and training them for *their* best interest: translated Gods glory.

So love first and then obedience, based on love (Gods glory) not convenience for ourselves.

There are not 2 Bibles, one for children/youth and 1 for adults, that must mean God wants our children to obey the same commands/precepts we do. The Bible is not just for adults to live by it is for our children too.

There is only 1 command specifically and exclusively for children in the New Testament....Honor your Mother and Father.

Joy, we must joy and delight in our children. God told Jesus *this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased*. We need to convey the same delight in our children.

We have to make our homes, and lifestyles more appealing than the world. We do that by cultivating love, joy and peace in our homes. Netflix, peer pressure, hairstyles as big as a parade, all stiff competition for sure. The *only* thing that compares is Christ alone.

Be willing to admit that 95% of EVERY problem we have with our children is a direct result of a deficit somewhere in our own parenting.

Repent to God and children when we fail.

So simple but so huge. SMILE!

Get closer not louder.

Modesty and the Christian Woman

Genesis 1

Believe it or not the first Chapter in Genesis always reminds me of Teri Maxwell and her MOTH resources.

God took what was dark, void and full of chaos and started to make order of it. He took what was without form and put it on a schedule. The days and nights dont deviate, the sun always rises and sets, the seasons He established and they are faithful. The planets He perfectly aligned so that they give us light and heat. He is a God of order and detail. Deliberate. He doesnt react to the day rather He orchestrates it.

In the beginning God!

I am both encouraged and convicted by these scriptures because I dont feel like I order my days as well as I should. Hover, yet closer God........

Genesis 3

The fall of all mankind took place in Genisis Chapter 3 when Eve went looking for knowledge outside of loving relationship with those who had authority over her, those who had her best interest at heart. She ate fruit from the ***TREE OF KNOWLEDGE***.

What could possibly be wrong with seeking knowledge? The enemy really is so subtle isnt he?

Genesis 3:6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

The enemy tempted and convinced Eve to eat saying that when she did it would make her wise/knowledgeable. The Bible tells us over and over again to seek knowledge adn wisom. Eve was looking for it outside of God.

Genesis 3;4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

I am so thankful to have a husband who is aware of my tendency to seek knowledge outside of him and God. Seriously, without my dh I think I would either be Amish or atheist. I gravitate towards the extreme and am way too curious. My husband is very stable, and for that I am thankful.

I, like Eve am at times carnal and think that it isn't any big deal for me to Google my questions.... innocent, perhaps even *good* questions about God, child training, home management, marriage. Usually I get about 26,300,120 results. I think we women sometimes get tricked into thinking that there isnt any problem in just trying to figure it all out, but knowledge outside of God is sin. It goes back to Genesis 3, we are Eves daughters when we try to research, study and covey our findings to our husbands. To lead and step out from underneath our heads/coverings to direct our families.

"Aw....You wont die ......your eyes will be opened, and you will be smarter ....just like God!" or even more subtle than that..."Did God really say He didn't want you to enjoy this or that?" The very first recorded words of the devil are *Hath God said?* The devil is cynical, he likes to question authority.

Some things never change...

I wonder if the modern day tree of good and evil isn't subtly disguised as the Internet, (of course thats if we dont use it properly)? It sounds like that tree in the garden was a resource of vast knowledge that God didn't intend for us to have ....not outside of relationship with Him.

21 Rules Of The House

The 21 Rules Of This House
by Gregg Harris

1. We obey God.
2. We love, honor and pray for one another.
3. We tell the truth.
4. We consider one another's interests ahead of our own.
5. We speak quietly and respectfully with one another.
6. We do not hurt one another with unkind words or deeds.
7. When someone needs correction, we correct him in love.
8. When someone is sorry, we forgive him.
9. When someone is sad, we comfort him.
10. When someone is happy, we rejoice with him.
11. When we have something nice to share, we share it.
12. When we have work to do, we do it without complaining.
13. We take good care of everything that God has given us.
14. We do not create unnecessary work for others.
15. When we open something, we close it.
16. When we take something out, we put it away.
17. When we turn something on, we turn it off.
18. When we make a mess, we clean it up.
19. When we do not know what to do, we ask.
20. When we go out, we act just as if we were in this house.
21. When we disobey or forget any of the 21 Rules of This House, we accept
the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

The Power Of One

Did you know that Lydia the seller of Purple helped start the church at Philippi?

The book of Philippians uses the word joy or rejoice 16 times. Paul didnt have much correction for the Philippians, he was deeply touched by their giving love, and their service. He gushes about how much he loves them and how impressed he is with their love for him, others and most importantly Christ.

Paul deeply loved the Philippians.

Philippians 1:8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
My point is that this awesome church was started because one woman opened her home. She practiced hospitality.

One woman. The power of one. Neat huh?

Acts 16:14-15
14One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.

Moses Intercession

Moses interceded for the children of Israel when they were worshipping that glitzy cow. He could of said "Yep, God your right they are idolatrous and carnal...strike em dead Lord, burn em up", and ya know that would of made Moses life soooo much easier. Moses risked his life to ask mercy on behalf of a bunch of partying worldly rebels. God listened, and then Moses was stuck with having to lead the knuckleheads.

God loved Moses for his heart to love others. Moses was a type of Jesus, he saw others problems and said Im going to reconcile that problem, even if it means I have to die to do so.

We should have the same heart, one that says...these people are wrong, but God put me here to love them, help them and reconcile them.

2 Cor 5:16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.