I USED TO PRAY TO MARY :-(

Years ago I worked in the office of a Pentencostal church. One day I overheard someone say “God wouldn’t send my grandmother to hell just because she prays to Mary”.  I didn’t say anything at the time but maybe I should have. I used to pray to “Mary” before I was born again and my praying to “Mary” was a HUGE indication that I needed to be saved. Saved people don’t pray to “Mary”! The ecumenical climate in today’s “church” truly breaks my heart.

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

CONSIDER THE LILIES

CONSIDER THE LILIES
(Originally Posted on May 31, 2007)

Matthew 6:28-30 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

When winter comes all the lovely flowers of the garden are gone. Certain plants and bushes are cut down to the ground, while others shed all their beautiful leaves and flowers and look like wooden skeletons throughout the entire winter. They look dead and gone forever.

But then Spring comes and this incredible miracle happens!

The lilies that seemed to be gone forever sprout again and we behold their beauty for yet another season. And that bush that we were ready to cut down, because we thought it had died during the winter, because it was slow to bloom, suddenly becomes the most beautiful shrub in the whole garden.

Sometimes certain situations in our lives look like that bush we thought was dead. But our God, who is the God of triumphant resurrection life, gives us hope in those situations that we thought were beyond hope. And while we patiently wait in faith for Him to work in our lives, we come to know Him as the God of all comfort.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

Psalm 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

Psalm 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

Psalm 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

Isaiah 4:6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

Isaiah 25:4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

Isaiah 32:2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

IF YE BE CHRIST’S, THEN ARE YE ABRAHAM’S SEED

George Mueller speaks against Darby’s Dispensational theology…

“My brother I am a constant reader of the Bible, and I soon found out what I was taught to believe (by Darby’s dispensational doctrine) did not always agree with what my Bible said. I came to see I must either part company with John Darby, or my precious Bible, and I chose to cling to my Bible and part from Mr. Darby.” – (George Mueller, a contemporary and one time supporter of John Nelson Darby)

Galatians Chapter 3:

1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

6Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. 13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

15Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. 18For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

19Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

WHAT IS TRUTH?

2 Timothy 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentary:

When we search the scriptures, and attend the ministry of the word, it must be with this enquiry, …

“What is truth?”

and with this prayer, …

“Lead me in thy truth, into all truth.”

But many put this question that have not patience and constancy enough to persevere in their search after truth, or not humility and sincerity enough to receive it when they have found it.

Thus many deal with their own consciences; they ask them those needful questions, “What am I?” “What have I done?” but will not take time for an answer.

JESUS CONFRONTS RACISM

Thought provoking video clip (under 2 minutes) …

“The guy in the road was a human being.”