To Him be the Praises

This afternoon I was listening to grace to you (that is the podcast of John MacArthur) and got to reading the whole chapter of Matthew chapter 6 and Pastor MacArthur was talking about fasting in vv. 16-18 and I read on to verse 22 and thought WOW, and then remembered Isaiah 6 about when he said he is so undone compared to the Lord. And I thought wow, what a wretch I was compared to the Lord Himself and how I don't deserve His grace and mercy and thought if it wasn't for the Lord and His grace and doing what He done I would make the worst of the worst person look like, well I don't even know what to say to that. Then I thought of the cross and was like WOW. What a God we have in Jesus Christ, who could have crushed us under the full force of His Law. And yet saved us not because we were worthy, but because of His loving-kindness so He can be praised for His work He done here. I don't know about you at first this might seem sad and you may have thought how depressing it is, but if you truly see yourself in the sight of His standards you will understand the cross. I pray that this will go right to your heart and make you praise Him who His worthy of all praises. 

 
 

   Here's what I was reading:

 
 

                   The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
²³ But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Matt 6:22-23 (NKJV)

 
 

 
 

              You have heard that it was said to those of old,
'You shall not commit adultery.'
²⁸ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matt 5:27-28 (NKJV)

 
 

                  So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."

Isaiah 6:5 (NKJV)

Forgiveness

To truly forgive someone is one of the hardest things ever!!! I have said I forgive u to someone many times but have not truly meant it... I think the single most important thing we can cling to when we are hurt, belittled, betrayed and let down is that Jesus died on the cross to forgive us of our sins...So we must forgive others.... Holding a grudge only causes us to hold on to the memory, of when we were hurt and then continuously replay it over and over n our heads...

. We are saved by grace and all we have to do is be willing to put our fleshy desires aside and let God lead us where he wants us to go... Jesus didn't have to sacrifice himself on the cross so that we would be forgiven, but he did it because he loves us so much... I have been hurt many, many times by past boyfriends and so called friends...But since I have been saved I think about forgiveness in a completely different light.

.. How can we say we are a believer in Jesus Christ if we aren't daily striving to be more like him???  I believe when someone has hurt us, and we choose to forgive them we are extending the same kind of love to them as God gives to us... It damages our witness to the unsaved when they hear we have chosen to not forgive someone.

...I myself have found that being a believer is not easy. Dying to your old self and trusting and having faith that God knows our needs even before we know our own is what it is all about.. He must be our guiding light when we our ships at seas not knowing what exactly lie ahead of us... I think forgiving someone is just as much for ourselves as it is for them... We are letting go of the bitterness and resentment and once again able to experience peace in our hearts and our minds...

We are releasing that burden and giving it over to God... Saying God this person has really hurt me and I am having a hard time forgiving them. I pray that would release the stronghold that is keeping me from trusting you...  You forgave me and I did not deserve it so why am I not willing to let go of my pride and in return forgive them...... Once someone hurts u, you tend to be more cautious around them and others, but in time u can learn to love and trust again...

Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? [As many as] up to seven times? Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven! Matthew 18: 21-22

Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin! Psalm 51: 2

 
 

He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or harps on a matter separates even close friends. Proverbs 17: 9

For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6: 14

Qualities of a Sound Church:

1 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- 4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. 6 Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded, 7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, 8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. 9 Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
Titus 2:1-10 (NKJV)


You know as I read this chapter here in titus 2:1-10; It is strange how we don't see this in out churches today. Why is everyone so worried about what they say to another person whom comes into the church body. It seems to be there is a lack of obedience towards God in our church today, and yet some think that God is OK with this and God will forgive them. Of course that wouldn't be right, if God (Jesus Christ) all throughout old testament espically in Ezekiel to name one book in the bible that everyone should Repent and forsake their sins (that is their transgressions). Today we have people who live a atlernative lifestyle and yet we don't confront them with this. Why is this, could it be that none of these people are true believers themselves? Maybe they haven't truly judged themselves by scripture to remove their own problems (plank) and they are fearful others will see right through them and judge them which the other person is then guilty of "judging" and they too will be judged by God with what measure they judged, check out Matthew 7 and see what Jesus said about this topic about "judging" and how we should go about doing this.
1 "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Matt 7:1-5 (NKJV)

Some think that by helping a brother or sister out in Christ and explaining to them what they are doing and lovingly explaining to them is wrong and how the Lord God Jesus Christ hates sin and even telling what is sin to a Holy and Loving God who will punish all transgressors of the Law. Jesus said if you Love me "Keep my commandments." Since we know "Love" is a fullfillment of the Law. And this Love Jesus spoke about like Peter when He said "Do you Love me Peter?" this is not affectionate love this is Love in action (meaning not with words) but actually telling and warning others about the judgment to come and showing someone you care for them even though you don't know them, but don't want to see them in hell. And God specifically said in Revelation 21:8 "All liars will have their part in the lake of burning sulfur."
8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Rev 21:8 (NKJV)
And He won't stop there:
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Cor 6:9-11 (NKJV)

See we need to exaimine ourselves by scripture not by mans standard but by His Word, cause it doesn't return void. So if your not sure if your not saved would you please do it today cause 150,000 people die everyday and you might die today. We never know when we will die, today if you hear His Word Repent and forsake your sins (that is your transgressions) against God, His Law the Law that was given to Moses as a mirror to show us out state before Him. If your not sure you can read Psalms 51 and make it your own prayer.

10-Point Self Exaime Test

Here's a test I put together this is a 10-point test, you can share with other Christians and do as the Word of God says to exaime ourselves to make sure were in the faith. As I do everyday, so here's number one.

1) 1 John 1:7 (New King James Version)
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 Point)

2) 1 John 1:8 (New King James Version)
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 Point)

3) 1 John 2:3 (New King James Version)
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. (1 Point)

4) 1 John 2:15 (New King James Version)
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
(1 Point)

5) 1 John 2:23 (New King James Version)
23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
( 1 Point)

6)1 John 3:2 (New King James Version)
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is

( 1 Point)
7) 1 John 3:8-9 (New King James Version)
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

( 1 Point)

8) 1 John 3:14 (New King James Version)
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother[a] abides in death
(1 Point)

9) 1 John 4:6 (New King James Version)
6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
( 1 Point)

10) 1 John 4:15 (New King James Version)
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

( 1 point)

Take this test and score yourself if you don't score a ten (10) go to www.thegoodpersontest.com. This test will see if your on your way to heaven or hell.