Is Culture Only Rubbish?

 

Philippians 3:7-9  NKJV  7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ , 9 and be found in Him not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

Reality is Not in a Culture: It is in Christ Jesus. God will use His word to encourage our heart. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Psalm 32:8   Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. Psalm 37:37   He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will He not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32

Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day.  Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 23:17-18

My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.  Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 24:13-14

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:31-33

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. John 10:27-29

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

Culture dictates that of the flesh. Only God can fill our hearts with His wisdom and understanding!

WISDOM and Revelation…. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. (Eph 1:17) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Revelation knowledge penetrates right to the heart of man, it is the Word of God with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Even Satan can quote scriptures but it is the Holy Spirit that makes God’s Word relevant in Love to the receiver.

If we just operate based on wisdom, we become an old wineskin that cannot take in the new wine, the present Word of the Lord. Without revelation, we will merely maintain our ministries and not truly operate in Kingdom advancement. We must continuously come to God for fresh truth so that our youth is renewed like the eagle (Psalm 103:5). This heart posture will keep us willing to break out of the mold and jump off new cliffs into deeper waters that He can release through us.

Comparing that worldly culture to our culture that has developed the mentality in God:

1.            Culture dictates that  it is good to reward laziness: so they give them welfare checks

2.            Culture dictates entitlement!

3.          Our daughter was always told she could be educated, get a job and care for herself, she would not need a man to take care of her:  She was given wisdom to know that work was important if she wanted to eat!

4.            We always reminded her “mom and dad will not always be here” so she needed to see value in a job, in working and paying her fair share as in taxes.. ( Today we have government giving illegals money and incentives to cheat the nation. They get all kinds of free stuff!) This is the land of the free and home of the brave. It is not the land of  “free stuff”!

5.            Under their leadership a baby is nothing: no true value, so it is discarded in abortion or even worse allowed to live to be born and then flesh decides to kill or murder that newborn child!

6.            Rejecting the needful discipline of a child, we today have seen the “orphan” come forward..Today, when a president is elected, the father figure shining forth, the “orphan” rejects the new President and clamors for the Grandma who will give them welfare for no work, give them their wants like abortion when a baby just does not fit their lifestyle

7.            Today real time-honored values of fathers being attacked ( commercials) And what is worse that men add no real value at all. The family is being dissolved from having true leadership! Children are ruling their own lives and it is proving disastrous.

8.            The time-honored work of the early ancestors to this country are joked about & not regarded like those who signed the Declaration of Independence…plantation owners, business men, from all walks of life who loved God …most lost everything, lost their lives, but never left God. Will we leave God???

9.            Today the appearance within society is that you get what you want by doing the wrong thing to get it……..and sometimes they are not prosecuted for doing wrong. A woman was to be executed in Tennessee and she got two doses of  cocktail in needle form but she survived them. She did horrific things to the young lady she sought to do away with.

10. Cheering those who break the rules or are playing  badly on the golf course: We saw today where people were cheering just for the sake of cheering. The golfer did good, a loud cheer….The golfer did poorly and an even greater  cheer goes up. They cheer the lazy people and judge those who actually work for a living to eat. How is it ,  that there are so many going without food today? Every month is “feed me” time! Every month you hear of starving children. Their parents seem well-fed. So how is the kid starving?  It was during the summer months they would plaster the screen with children starving while on vacation. Then it was during the time of Christmas vacation, children would go hungry and oh yes, they did some gift’s thing at that time too! Now in this year of 21^st century it is every month for “feed me please”.  ( I know what the prices are on doing specific hairstyles and anything taking 8-10 hours a day and costs over $200 is a lot that could be spent on food and not a hairstyle. Maybe I am of the generation who watched their financial use.)

Do not get me wrong, we look out for those who have worked all their lives and might need a meal today or tomorrow. We certainly know who they are and we choose not to be like the rich man who chose to keep his food near his mouth. It was  when the beggar had asked and got nothing that the rich man died and his tongue burned within his mouth. He chose to burn in hell than give to the beggar.  Yet today, we see beggars on every corner and on every block before those corner turns we see NOW HIRING on the windows of several businesses.  YOU must speak English in an English speaking nation. You must obey the rules of that land that is within God. And if it is not of God, then it is lawlessness! One instance is driving 90 miles an hour when the speed limit is 60 mph.

It is within the context of one actively engaging the world and its culture that God promises: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" (29:11). And this concept of not shying from the world is a consistent theme throughout the Word of God. After all, didn't the psalmist say that it is in the presence of our "enemies" that God would anoint, elevate and prosper us (Ps. 23:5)?

Several different groups want to choose your lifestyle. They say they are united in the democratic way but we live in a republic. Like the promise in Jeremiah 29 :11 it is a promise for the people of God who are living in this present world. Our greatest value to God is right here on this earth, not when we get to heaven. In fact, when you think about it, heaven is just a temporary holding place for us before we get back to rule and reign with Christ when He returns in glory and power.

All throughout the Scripture, the likes of Joseph, Daniel and Esther had adopted a non-antagonistic stance toward the world. That was because they understood the basic principle that relationship precedes ministry. In their interface with the world, the central issue is one on trust. That is still true today: Do non-Christians in the world trust you enough for you to speak into their lives?

THE THREE "WORLDS"….. It was the Dr. Bernard who introduced the three Greek words for "world." The first can be found in Matthew 13:22 where Jesus talks about "the cares of this world (aion)." Aion refers to a period of time, or a generation, in human history.

The second can be found in Matthew 24:14 where Jesus says, "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world (oikuomene) as a witness to all the nations." Oikuomene means land, territories and geographical nations.

The third Greek word that is translated into English as "world" can be found in Mark 16:15 where Jesus says, "Go into all the world (kosmos) and preach the gospel to every creature." This use of kosmos by Christ is very interesting for it means to penetrate every social order, arrangement or culture—the way human society is organized.

Many sociologists and anthropologists In their study of human culture and human development  have agreed that every society is made up of seven pillars: (1) religion, (2) family, (3) business, (4) education, (5) government, (6) arts, and (7) media. The latter five of business, education, government, arts and media make up what is called the "marketplace." And the Great Commission that Jesus Christ gave is not only for us to preach in every geographical nation, but to engage the social order within that territory, especially that of the marketplace. To do that, the Church has to be relevant and contemporary to the cultural context God has planted it in.

Our nation today seems to be appearing as those leaders in the Old Testament like Balaam and his donkey, the group Korah and  the way of Cain. Balaam was consecrated to personal gain and eternal perdition of what we see in Numbers 22. 4.            Korah:led rebellion against Moses and Aaron/supernaturally destroyed: Numbers 16:1-35; Dathan: joined Korah; swallowed by earth seen in Psalm 106:17/Abiram conspired against Moses Numbers 16:1-50

In the marketplace today are young children. Today's culture is doing everything opposite of God even though many leaders swear they are Christian.

Jude 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.  Cain was building a monument to himself, Balaam had greed of money and popularity and Korah led a rebellion against the leadership God put in place through Moses ( the politician) and Aaron (the worship leader).

Balaam could not curse Israel. Though paid well by others he could not, yet chose the money, the pay and favor of the moment. His donkey would not go forward when he chose the wrong way. The animal could see in the spirit the angel of death coming toward them.

 We have people of this nation choosing to do that wrong thing. We have people choosing a fake nation to speak safety over like Palestine which is not reality. And of those in the government choose a different leader. They are never happy and choose their way to complain about each day they live. Those in the day of Moses did not like Moses nor Aaron and wanted their “own way”. But God opened a big hole to swallow them in.

A quote from Billy Graham was this: Happiness depends on worldly circumstances and joy depends on God. In Him we find that true joy to find the way through a world of chaos, disasters and plagues.

 Are we just wandering to find a certain crowd that we can catch up to go along with them, so that we might go astray…to fulfill an agenda?  Are we going along with the crowd that will build something but be devoid of God’s presence?  Balaam tried to build something but did not have the blessings of God. Surely it was a darkened heart that set things in motion to do his own thing and God was not pleased by it!   When God gets the glory, it is glory to Him in the highest who sent us way out of sin!

John 10: 17-18 NKJV  “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I  lay down My  life that  I may  take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me,  but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.  This command I have received from My Father.”  Jesus  was  put outside  the  city as “ rubbish”. Yet He was resurrected to life everlasting. They wanted to put Him away. They chose their ways over the kingdom of God.  He lamented over them when He prayed over Jerusalem. He saw what would come to them in their refusal of His way to the Father. They thought they were the way to the Father that proved very wrong.

 May we have the same relationship as Jesus did with the Father. Let’s remember the exceeding riches of His grace that is our inheritance living in Christ belonging to God the Father Who cared for us long before we even thought of Him.

Jesus did not come to accommodate our culture. He came with the Kingdom of God, to be a part of His family where light is always shining and darkness cannot be found!

 

   Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

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Insulted or Despised Does not Matter

Instruction came from an angel! What would these shepherds do with that instruction? They were enraptured to see this CHILD! The miraculous appeared but it soon turned dark again. Living in the field with sheep probably brought many nights of wanting a change of life for those shepherds. And then suddenly one night an angel appears. Suddenly, the message is given and they hear of this CHILD. And they must go and see. They must do what is given in that instruction.

Did they face harassment because of what they spoke? Did they encounter some unbelief of what they saw and shared? Scripture tells us that all those who heard it marveled at those things which the shepherds told the people.

Luke 2: 13-15 & suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God & saying:14 “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."

 Luke 2:17-18 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning the Child. 18 and all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

We cannot give goodwill to another if we have no goodwill towards God. That is, we each must have peace with God. Many proclaim Christianity but are far from Him, know nothing about Him and yet speak of a place with Him. But their mouths speak of decay, death , lack, they speak despair, and of loneliness. They speak love, but the love they carry has nothing to do with God for God is love!  You ask them about heaven, and they mention they are going! But they speak nothing about Him Who is the way, and the truth and the life! They give no words that He gave about His going back to the Father as seen in Scripture! (John 16:16-17)

Goodwill for others is cooperating with God in other people’s welfare. It is having the same kind of benevolence God has toward us as believer’s.  We are here to encourage others in His Word and by prayer. When meeting with someone either from the workplace, from church or maybe a neighbor, we are to remember that “iron sharpens iron.” And it is for that which is purposed for their life. In giving someone the word of God is for that purpose for which God has placed in them and to help them grow!

We met someone new on Sunday of the last week. He told us he had been reading diligently Hebrews 11 the Hall of Faith chapter. And we regarded that as instruction to us that we too should keep on that walk in the Hall of Faith!

Yeah, an angel might not appear, and the brilliant light may not be seen! The magnitude of angels singing in chorus the praise of God may not be heard, but there will be within the speaking that gentle nudge given by the Holy Spirit. You will hear Him speak, “you can do this!” "You can read this and learn something."  In the warmth of the words spoken, one can then move toward their future. Still others, the word can be loud and demonstrably resounding with that word "NO, don’t do that"! It can come loud and strong, like a bull in a china cabinet, still when someone is in danger the Father will speak to His child to rescue them. But many only want that soft gentle word and not the corrective one. Many want their flesh stroked and keep heading down a roadway with signs in the ditch reading: DEAD END!

But our Father does not want us to learn the hard way, you know attending the School of Hark Knocks. It it that place many attend yearly, gaining only worldly wisdom and defeat! But for you and I, we are to study and know God's Word to stay out of mistakes by the wicked or the foolish!

God still speaks but do we listen and obey! Do we go about our business or His business? Are we grateful for what God has given to us in this life? For many of us,  He gave us parents ( a father and a mother), He gave us good health, a home, He has given us teachers to teach the word of God, He has given us opportunities to work in earning a paycheck and become responsible citizens. We have been given the opportunity for long life in Him and do we seize it?

We have been given opportunity to rise and give voice for Him when others appear downcast and lost! We have been given mentors who give guidance by God’s word, to be the responsible and to teach others to do the same: BE RESPONSIBLE!

But being responsible is in that which is of God: His truth, His justice and His righteousness. It is not beating people up with mere men's words to get an agenda in place for some man's benefit. So persecution is evident when you have someone trying to push their agenda on you when there is no place for it. 

Many a wealthy person has used their wealth as a tool to harass others. And our Father God knows those who are the oppressed today! Persecution comes from those with thorns. And sometimes you might seem to be in a briar patch with some stinging going on when pricked on the skin, but in the reality you are encountering those who are without God! Obedience is what is required for following the Lord. 

He has given us purpose and it is for His glory to be sent out in His power. And as you go out be cautious of what you might submit to or bow down to. Scripture tells us to Submit to God....resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7) We are to be actively resisting the enemy as we submit to God. The devil has to be reminded of  what God actually said. So we speak God's word back to the devil like Jesus spoke to him as well! No, we do not carry on a conversation with the enemy but we do put him in his place.

In our sphere of influence: you and I will carry Jesus….He is “I Am” & He is in our midst. God is personal, living, active, all-knowing, all-wise, and all-powerful. By faith we can proclaim boldly that honoring God is more important than the praise of  men or from men! As I write this I have the grateful heart towards our Father in all His goodness. I am so grateful to HIM for all He has given to us through His Son. I am thankful to be alive in this moment of history to declare the Lord to many. I am thankful for the loving family He has placed around me to encourage and tell me to never give up! For we have hope in Jesus. He is the anchor of our soul! I am thankful for all of you that I can encourage you in this day and within this moment of time. I may not know your face but He knows your name.

In that we have hope as we look forward with a desire, we look forward with a confidence that God is on the scene and the expectation of our heart is that God is not done with us yet.  I am encouraged that my life is not going to be cut short by something that is not God honoring. 

No, the end is not yet, not for those faith people. For we, the faithful, look toward 2022. Our heads are raised high, and our body’s submit to the strength of God…to rise at His command. Like many, we faith people are the committed to God's plan, that purpose He set forth in the Beginning. (Genesis 1) His Son appeared, and it was declared Who He was. And as Jesus told them to go, we too, go in His name. We go into the business arena, into the marketplace, into the daycare, into diaper changes, public meetings, and school board meetings to display Jesus in our hearts! We write letters to the Editors and tell many of the truth that God has for those who love Him. WE give the Gospel to those who require a Savior Who is Christ the Lord!

For telling others of God’s word or even of Jesus’ return should not intimidate us. No, we have the Holy Spirit residing on the inside of us. The same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is ever present. Encountering the public, a person appearing as one big thorn may give an insult or despise us because we are people of faith. They may try to cancel us, but they do not have the last word on it. They may act and stick like a thorn, but God loves them and we give them over to God. He our Father has the last word and He speaks it best!

He may not send angels to sing a song or give the praise He surely deserves but He does know my name and yours as well. He knows the hairs on our heads, not sure why, but He cares. And He gave us His truth where justice resides in the depths of His love.

For Scripture reminds us that when insulted or despised ……what is proven in truth is that the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you and I! ( 1 Peter 4:14)

And that to me is the answer to God being honored by our lives! Amen!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Desiring God or Idols

https://youtu.be/KwFb0cUQOzs

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New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

Weighing the Hearts

https://youtu.be/15evsZsrRgM

Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

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That QUALITY of Respect

Voice of Prayer

Respect cannot be fully come unless two parties of people commit to know the other person. And the quality is dependent on those two parties of people and how they communicate with one another!

What relationships are we willing to protect?
I have some relationships that are distant. They, the other parties lives in various states, but we all once were a part of a church body within a certain city in the northwest. Although these have moved away, or I did, yet somehow by the grace of God they continue. One is a young man musically inclined with a gift that is truly of God. Another, well she is petite and sassy and lives far north of here, but even today though I do not see her I am reminded of her determination to live for God that brings Him glory. And the other, well she just is what God knew I needed when I needed her at a low point in my life.
Today I still have opportunity to minister to them through prayer. Although so far away, yet there is no distance in the spiritual realm.

I hold a respect for these people! They love God and it shows by their actions to help family and people they do not know. They act accordingly to seeking prayer for an individual who is not their circle of friends, but they know that those are the ones God holds in His circle.

Was thinking on this today and wondered on the power of God and His abilities that can bring such unlikely people into my life, yet I am so in awe I can find no words to really write or speak on the subject of His great love to bring so many different peoples together, all with different walks, but be held by that thread of red: yes, by the blood of the Lamb!

In each of these cases, I was remembering how they each had touched my life and how they loved God by their always complete determined heart to get to the designated place and do what needed to be done to bring the Lord glory due His name.

I am captured today, yes by the grand plan of a great God and in awe He chose each of us from different paths, different age groups, and still see the beauty of the Lord in each person's focus on the horizon, to always be moving forward, to keep hearing His voice and watch out for their neighbor, come together, and be knitted in our hearts forever!

Each is not concerned for their welfare, only the welfare of others and that which pleases their Father. It comes from that relationship where respect comes into view!

Was looking up some of the meanings listed for respect, and I came across this one that captured my thinking!
It stated:respect that is genuine, healthy, and a quality that dignifies the carrier.

When we place our love and trust on and in God, we spend that quality time to really know Him. It is not the popularity of being known by many, but by being known by ONE and that is God! When we truly set our hearts to know Him, spend time and then we will see Him, not only in our prayer time, but in the music when a young musician sets down to create it and then release it to others. For the dear lady who lives far north, we are far apart but not in heart. That is how it is with God, though we do not see Him even now, yet we should know Him. 

1 Peter 1:3-8
Amplified Bible
3 Praised (honored, blessed), be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)! By His boundless mercy we have been born again to an ever-living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 4 [Born anew] into an inheritance which is beyond the reach of change and decay [imperishable], unsullied and unfading, reserved in heaven for you. 5 Who are being guarded (garrisoned) by God's power through [your] faith [till you fully inherit that final] salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time.
6 [You should] be exceedingly glad on this account, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations. 7 So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fine. [This proving of your faith is intended] to redound to [your] praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is revealed.
8 Without having seen Him, you love Him; though you do not [even] see Him, you believed in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious triumphant, heavenly joy.


1 John 4:19-21 
Amplified Bible
19 We love Him, because He first loved us. 20 If anyone says, I love God, and hates (detests, abominates ) his brother [in Christ], he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, Whom he has not seen. 21 And this command (charge, order, injunction) we have from Him; that he who loves God shall love his brother [believer] also.

Yes, that quality of respect is that we love other believers. But out of that trust is a RESPECT!


Our confidence is in God or should be. And in expressing that confidence you and I will see God's power at work in us and through us.   According to Ephesians 4:1-6, we are told that  (4:1) As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope when you were called- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

People may come and go out of our lives, but those who remain, especially near to our hearts are those who we know as those who are the prisoner's of the Lord. They live a life worthy of the calling they have received. There is just "that something" about them that sets them apart from others. They are the "gentle, the loving, and the empowered" in their faith walk that God is going to see over them no matter the difficulties, the world's economy and that the Lord God will have His way for His purpose in and through them.

I will not list their names, but maybe if they read this, they will know of who I write. They are those who carry a quality of respect that pronounces the authority of God in their lives. They keep His word and declare it determined that God will do everything He said He would do in His word.

It commands on them respect that comes from God to them......and those who know God will know those who God looks upon with such love and pleasure.

What sets the tone for that quality: only the relationship with Him and with others.

This quality will guard the unity of the spirit ! Ephesians 4:1-6  Amplified Bible: Therefore , the prisoner of the Lord, appeal to and beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the [divine] calling to which you have been called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God's service. 

 2 Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another. 3 Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace.. 4 There is one body and one Spirit---just as there is also one hope [that belongs] to the calling you received-----5 [There is ]one Lord, one faith, one baptism. 6 One God, and Father of [us] all, Who is above all [Sovereign over all],pervading all and [living] in [us] all.

Jesus carried this, so did Paul, Peter, and John. Might we consider of having that quality of relationship with God that shows others what love really looks like?


Notice: 

The Voice of Prayer  has a new teaching:

Kingdom Administrators: Being Productive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcgMHRhCFLc

You can also visit my You Tube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at:  http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV