Jesus friend of Sinners

Judgement of Others Part 1

Over the next few days I'm going to talk about how Judgement is a form of prejudice. At sometime in our life all of us have been prejudice. This one of those hard truths we all have to face. this is what the Jesus has to say about judgement.

Mat 7:1-5  Judge not, that ye be not judged.  (2)  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  (3)  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  (4)  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  (5)  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

There are many types of prejudice and I would have to write a book to cover them all. I'm going to talk about just a few that I think are relevant to today's life. We will start with Economical Prejudice. Is the first thought of how the Rich look down upon the poor? But it goes much farther than that It just doesn't start with the vary rich and go down to the middle class it goes all the way down to those with nothing and it works both ways. do you look up at rich people and say "they are rich they don't know what hard work is they have an easy live got should take what they have away so they will know how it feel to be poor they must not be a good person" or do you look down at those who have nothing and think "they must have done something wrong to be where they are. or maybe you look at the man on the side of the road holding up a sign and think he does drugs or drinks" maybe it's just a simple thought of I work hard for my money they should too. It can be a hard think to do but we must remember that god loves all of us equally rich or poor.

Don't Judge Invite

The Holy Grail

I was thinking about the task God has put before me. The I started thinking about the Knight Percival in the story of King Arthur. Percival was sent on a quest to find the Holy Grail along with several other knights. Many knights died on this quest. Some just gave up and went back with nothing. But Percival didn't give up he suffered through the had times, He stayed true to his quest giving up worldly pleasures and did in the end find the Holy Grail and take it back to his king completing his quest. 

We must be Like Percival, when God puts a mission (quest) in your heart we must be willing to do whatever it tales to complete it. We must claim our Holy Grail. It won't be easy. Sometimes we must also give up something of worldly pleasure to help us stay focused on our mission; such as giving up meat, maybe giving up TV, Video games, Maybe you will fast twice a week until the mission is complete. I was once as a kid told by my father that nothing good ever come easy then I didn't understand what he was talking about. Sometimes we must suffer for what God wants us to do so we can understand how Jesus suffered for us.

Feed your Neighbor (Transcript from Ustream Broadcast on 7/24/2012)

Many times in your life you may have heard the story of Jesus's Miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. Many pastors use this to demonstrate the power of faith or that god will always provide. Although I may touch on these subjects they are not the main reason for my lesson today. I will be applying the verse John 13:34-35  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
If you have your bible please read along with me I am using the ERV of the bible and I verify content with the KJV

Mat 14:14-21 ERV  When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw a large crowd of people. He felt sorry for them, and he healed the ones who were sick.  (15)  Late that afternoon, the followers came to Jesus and said, "No one lives in this place. And it is already late. Send the people away so they can go to the towns and buy food for themselves."  (16)  Jesus said, "The people don't need to go away. You give them some food to eat."  (17)  The followers answered, "But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish."  (18)  Jesus said, "Bring the bread and the fish to me."  (19)  Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves of bread and the two fish. He looked into the sky and thanked God for the food. Then he broke the bread into pieces, which he gave to the followers, and they gave the food to the people.  (20)  Everyone ate until they were full. When they finished eating, the followers filled twelve baskets with the pieces of food that were not eaten.  (21)  There were about 5000 men there who ate. There were also women and children who ate.

I’m sure the conversation went something like this “Hey Jesus, we are going to have to stop this revival you got going here because none of these people live around and its getting late and none of them have eaten yet” Jesus then looked across the crowds of people and thought “What if I send them away and they don’t have the money to buy food in the nearby town?”

In the crowd there we not just 5000 there were 5000 men plus their families so the total count could have been 15 or 20 thousand there. I’m sure if he had told them to go get dinner some of them may have sat there hungry because there homes were many hours away and they had no money to go in town and buy food. Jesus look at his disciples and said they don’t have to leave we will feed them. Then one of them said to him . Jesus we only have a few loafs of bread and a couple fish. Then Jesus said don’t worry I'll take care of it. Jesus would not sit and eat while watching other suffer. Jesus didn't give with the thought that these people would someday pay him back. He didn't check to see if they took more than what they needed to eat right now.

He didn’t ask why these people didn’t have any food or money to buy some. He didn’t say to some you spent your money on silk when cotton would do, or you spent all your money on wine. He did not say I know any food I give you you will just sell to buy wine so you don’t get any. Jesus gave out of Love and without conditions and he gave in abundance. Jesus and the disciples were not rich they only had what others had given to them. Sometimes its hard not to look at others and decide if they deserve the money you gave then. I often here people say the government is taking money out of my check to pay for welfare, food stamps, Health Care or other programs. Would you rather have them take money out for these programs and know that there are people out there abusing them or would you rather not pay for them and know that children are dying on the streets because they have no home or food?

Taking the Road Less Traveled

Sometimes we find ourselves we look to do things as easy and quickly as possible but by doing so we may miss something important. Now days everything is marketed to be able to open a can or box ; instant information at our fingers from the internet. I'm not saying these things are bad just that we loose stuff.
Awhile back I was a manual pasta maker. I thought wow I can make homemade pasta now. I began by getting all the stuff together to make the dough. Next I put out all the ingredients on the table and started mixing them by hand. After that I read further on it said need the dough for 15-20 min sense I made a double portion I knew I couldn't need it all at once I got Melissa to help me . When we were finished it had taken about 2hours or more to make fresh pasta for dinner.  In the end I had learned to make pasta and gained an understanding of what it takes to make it.

As Christians we must understand God's word and be able to share it with others. We will not get this by skimming through the bible and only learning the verses the Pastor teaches on Sundays.

If I quote you Lev 27:4  The price for a woman who is 20 to 60 years old is 30 shekels. Does this mean I can sell women because it says so in the bible? No. If you read all of chapter Leviticus 27 you will understand that during the times before Jesus there was a price to be paid for redemption and this is the assigning  of a value for a person. It is much easier to depend on the words of others. We must take the road less traveled. We must learn the bible not just read it.

The Church Without Rules

Are you following the rules of the church or the commands of god? There were lots of rules set before man in the old testament. It is said that the Jews of the old testament had over 600 rules theses governed everything form when to plant and harvest crops to the washing of hands before you eat. In the book of Mark, Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees and scribes. This is that story.

Mar 7:5-15 ERV  The Pharisees and teachers of the law said to Jesus, "Your followers don't follow the traditions we have from our great leaders who lived long ago. They eat their food with hands that are not clean. Why do they do this?"  (6)  Jesus answered, "You are all hypocrites. Isaiah was right when he wrote these words from God about you: 'These people honor me with their words, but I am not really important to them.  (7)  Their worship of me is worthless. The things they teach are only human rules.'  (8)  You have stopped following God's commands, preferring instead the man-made rules you got from others."  (9)  Then he said, "You show great skill in avoiding the commands of God so that you can follow your own teachings!  (10)  Moses said, 'You must respect your father and mother.' He also said, 'Whoever says anything bad to their father or mother must be killed.'  (11)  But you teach that people can say to their father or mother, 'I have something I could use to help you, but I will not use it for you. I will give it to God.'  (12)  You are telling people that they do not have to do anything for their father or mother.  (13)  So you are teaching that it is not important to do what God said. You think it is more important to follow those traditions you have, which you pass on to others. And you do many things like that."  (14)  Jesus called the people to him again. He said, "Everyone should listen to me and understand what I am saying.  (15)  There is nothing people can put in their mouth that will make them wrong. People are made wrong by what comes from inside them."

We should never be a Church of Rules, we should be a Church of God. At no point should we hand a rule book to a member or guest of the church and tell them that this is what they have to do to come to our church. God provides instruction through conviction and it is through these convictions that God changes people. The Church is not for us to give out rules it is for us to share the story of Jesus Christ.

How far are you willing to go to be close to Jesus

I was reading in the book of Mark today when I came upon the story of the paralyzed man.

Mar 2:2-5 ERV  A large crowd gathered to hear him speak. The house was so full that there was no place to stand, not even outside the door. While Jesus was teaching,  (3)  some people brought a paralyzed man to see him. He was being carried by four of them.  (4)  But they could not get the man inside to Jesus because the house was so full of people. So they went to the roof above Jesus and made a hole in it. Then they lowered the mat with the paralyzed man on it.  (5)  When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the paralyzed man, "Young man, your sins are forgiven."

There we such crowds of people gathered around Jesus that you could not even get to the doors to see Jesus. but this man had such faith that Jesus would heal him that he would do anything to get near him. He wouldn't let a crowd or a building stop him so he was carried to the roof of the building and his friends began to make a hole in the room.  I can imagine how hard it was for the men to get him to the roof without falling. anyone who has ever had to take a package of roofing tiles up to a roof will understand how hard that task is  it was surly harder to get a man up there.

To all of us there comes obstacles that keep us from getting close to Jesus. What are yours?

God Does Not Condemn Us.

I was in bed last night talk with Melissa about love. When God told me "I have given her to you so that you may  experiences the same love I have for you". Just as I would give my life to protect her so did Jesus give his life to protect us. God does not condemn us to hell he seeks to protect us from it. Many Christians can quote John 3:16 to you. But few of us know what comes next.

Joh 3:16-19 KJV  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  (17)  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  (18)  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  (19)  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

By turning away from God we condemn ourselves to hell.

For a Season

I just wanted showcase a new band. I met Patrick yesterday Love there music so check them out. Thier website is http://www.foraseasonmusic.com/ and here is a great video

What comes after Love?

Once you have established a life of love and have learned to expect others for what they are you can take the next step in growing in God, Its Forgiveness. in Mat 16:19 ERV Jesus says "I will give you the keys to God's kingdom. When you speak judgment here on earth, that judgment will be God's judgment. When you promise forgiveness here on earth, that forgiveness will be God's forgiveness."  Forgiveness plays an important part of who you are. Walking up to someone and telling them you forgive them for something that they have done to wrong you does not mean anything with out you truly forgiving them in your heart. Once you forgive someone it cannot dwell in your heart or mind. Think of it this way;



You allow a friend to barrow your car and they wreck it. You tell your friend its ok and that you forgive them. Your friend come to you later to barrow your car. Your first thought is of the time he wrecked your car. Do you let him barrow the car or say no? 


If you say no then you have not forgiven him because you are holding the fact that he wrecked your car before against him. When God gives us forgiveness for our sins we are no longer held accountable for that sin. 



Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, when someone won't stop doing wrong to me, how many times must I forgive them? Seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, you must forgive them more than seven times. You must continue to forgive them even if they do wrong to you seventy-seven times."
(Mat 18:21-22 ERV)

Love surpasses the Law

  I figured that since Forest has spent a good deal of time talking about love , I will keep up the theme and talk about one of My favorite story's In the bible.

Joh 8:4  They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 
Joh 8:5  Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
Joh 8:6  This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
Joh 8:7  So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Joh 8:8  And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
Joh 8:9  And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
Joh 8:10  When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
Joh 8:11  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.


 Here a group of accusers brought a dirty sinner who by law should have been stoned to death for her sin. Just like many other laws that many in this day think we should still enforce such as homosexuality and idle worship.

So many times I have heard people ridicule and condemn others for choosing the wrong life style and or beliefs. Just like these men who wanted to kill these lady for having a bad life style.
 Please notice what Jesus did, better yet notice what he didn't do! He didn't condemn her, he used conviction to change her. Was she wrong and immoral , Yes , was she guilty, Yes ,  should she have been stoned to death according to the old testament law,Yes, did Jesus kill her, stone her, condemn her, or make fun of her, NO...... Why not.
 If Jesus would have stoned her, she would have never had the chance to repent and turn from her evil ways. 
He simply loved her to much to allow her turn to burn in hell. Jesus's love for her surpassed the law. If we constantly attack people and throw spiritual stones at them we are not giving them the chance of repentance. We essentially are dooming them to an eternal hell. 

 In short, to love some one is to try to help them see the light, not beat them with the lantern.


By the way where was the man she got caught with and why didn't they try to stone him too:     

Getting what you want?

Today I woke up and took out some chicken to make for dinner then I looked at the loaf of bread that was in the bread machine that I had made on Monday when I was fasting and forgot about until last night when Ronnie came to me and said "you know there is a loaf of bread in the bread machine and its hard as a rock.". So I was looking at this loaf of hard bread in the bread machine thinking " This is much to hard to slice up and eat what am I going to do with it." So I began cutting the bread out of the machine knowing it was too hard to even use for bread pudding so I was sure it was going to be a waste. I continue cutting it out and it was coming out in squares I think I can make croutons out of it. I then put the bread on a large cookie sheet, season.  After that the crumbs on the cookie sheet led me to make bread crumbs and my thoughts went beck to the chicken that I had set out this morning and  decided to make fried chicken using the fresh bread crumbs.

Sometimes god can answer our prayers just like the loaf of bread. You may ask god for a job to make more money to help pay your bills, Maybe the gift god gives you is a lower rate on your Insurance allowing you to work with what you have.

God doesn't always give us what we want when we pray. He give you what you need.
Luk 11:3 KJV  Give us day by day our daily bread.
When I made the bread I wanted a slice of fresh bead I had bread crumbs that I needed to make dinner tonight.

Witnessing to Others

1Peter 3:14-17 ERV  
But you may suffer for doing right. If that happens, you have God's blessing. "Don't be afraid of the people who make you suffer; don't be worried."  (15)  But keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have.  (16)  But answer them in a gentle way with respect. Keep your conscience clear. Then people will see the good way you live as followers of Christ, and those who say bad things about you will be ashamed of what they said.  (17)  It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong. Yes, it is better if that is what God wants.

Have you ever gone out in a community knocking on doors to try to get new people to go to your church? Have you had people curse at you and be a mean person? Do People tell you your god isn't real and try to put your faith on trial? Carman wrote a song called witch's invitation than show a similar happening. So what do you do? in 1Peter 3:14-17 we are told we may suffer, it happens you will be blessed by God so you have nothing to fear. We are told first don't give up keep Jesus holy, don't waver in your faith in him. Be ever ready to answer questions and explain your faith, but the answers you give should be gentle and with respect. Keep your conscience clear. It is more important to be truthful than to be right and it is more important to Love than live.

May God bless you and keep you safe 

Love is the greatest Gift of All

The core foundations of the lives of all should be love, Love knows no boundaries, (Love knows no boundaries means that (true) love does not accept limitations, is limitless, can overcome the odds.) Until God showed me Love without boundaries and put me with My Loving Fiance, Melissa. To love someone so wholey that nothing else matters. This is the type of love God has for all of us. As I have previously written God Commands us to Love other as he does. By Loving others this way we can cross the boundaries of Nations, Race, and Religion. For allot of people the religion is the hardest one. I am not telling you that you must except their religious beliefs, I am telling you to love that person for who they are. Now dont get it in your head that your going to preach to that person and make them a christian it just doesn't work that way we do not make christian. We start by loving that person, we become there friend out of that love. And when and if gods deems that you are to be the one to teach them about Gods word you do. But keep in mind God may have that job reserved for another person and not you. I dont walk the streets knocking on doors to bring people to church I do it to makes new friends and share the Love God has put inside me.

 In 1Co 13:13 it says "But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love. "

The Importance of Love

When Paul and Timothy came to meet the Philippi they offered up this Greeting.

Philippians 1:1-11

  I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy, for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers with me of grace.For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. 

You'll Notice that Peter stresses the importance of both love and knowledge in the KJV it says "I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent;"

Love must be the guiding force in our life.

Carman-Revival In The Land

I love this song

Truth

All faith must have a base of truth. Self Truth, Truth in god, and Truth in the Bible. John the Baptist said (John 1 15-18) John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me.  For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. 

Love and Serenity

What is Love? In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 the bible says "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong doing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away".  With love there comes a serenity many of you may know of or heard the Serenity Prayer the full prayer goes like this

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, 

Courage to change the things which should be changed, 

and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. 

Living one day at a time, 

Enjoying one moment at a time, 

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did, 

This sinful world as it is,

Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right, 

If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, 

And supremely happy with You forever in the next. 

Amen.

We must understand that there are 2 things that we cannot change because they are unchangeable, Ecclesiastes 3:14 says "I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him." God's Word and Love. So why are they unchangeable? Because God's Word is Love.

Does God answer Prayers?

In  Matthew21:22  (ASV)  Jesus says;   And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. So what does that mean? In plain English it says in faith all things are possible through prayer. I know what your thinking " I pray and pray and got doesn't answer my prayers" I know I have felt that way before. I think allot of people do not apply common sense to to discovering the answer god has put before you. I wants heard a Joke A man got hit by a bus and is laying on the ground bleeding to death and he prays for God to save him. A doctor comes along and asks to help the man. The man Says"No God will save me" two other doctors come along and the man refuses treatment from all of then saying"No God will save me" and the man finally dies. He goes to haven and is before God and he asks "God I prayed to you but you didn't save me I don't understand I am a Good Christian" God replies "My child I sent you 3 doctors to save you and you refused them" We must be aware that the answers to our prayers may not come as we expect it to. When we pray, we also have to give control of our life to God. 

A new commandment

Ok here is my rant today I don't normally talk about the ongoing fight between the democrats and the republicans. To be clear I love this country and have fought for it and have had friends die in the line of service. The problems that we face today are not caused by one party or the other or someone we put in office 3 years ago or 8. In John 13:34-35 Jesus said   A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 
We shouldn't put the blame on anyone but ourselves. We need to think more outwardly. How many times have you looked at someone and because of the way they look, talk or act; and thought "that's a bad person" What do you do next? Do you walk away and try to avoid them or do you approach them, and find out who they are? Listen to there story and share your with them. Don't preach to them and tell them whats wrong with there life. Plant a seed of love and kindness, if they are hungry feed then. Give freely of yourself.  We as a nation need to work together to fine solutions for all the problems we face. We need to turn away from greed and hate and turn to love and kindness.

Gods affirmation

<p>Sometimes I stop and ask myself is this what god wants me to do or is it what I want to do. As I learned to listen more to God I discovered that God does not just give you a message but he will provide affirmation that the message is from him. God has brought a wonderful woman into my life and often it is through her that he provides affirmation. You have to listen, and be open to god.