God

Words Have Consequences: Life Or Death

Have you ever observed a friend or relative who is all talk and no action? There are some folks who spend more time bragging about what they are going to do than actually doing it. They typically never get anywhere. “For a dream comes through much activity, and a fool’s voice is known by his many words” (Ecclesiastes 5;3). Dreams do not come true when more time is spent talking about them than praying and working toward achieving them.

Have you been around a person who is angry, crass or ungodly in his or her speech? Their bad language gives listeners a sick and uncomfortable feeling and they don’t want to be around such a person. “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31). The good things of life seem to overlook those who have nothing good coming from their mouths.

Have you known any one who complains all the time? No matter what is happening, this person finds something to grumble about. “Do all things without murmuring and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crocked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as light in the world” (Philippians 2:15, 15). Negative words bring negative results and thing seldom turn out right for a person who continually uses them.

Are you acquainted with anyone who is quick to speak yet do not seriously consider what he or she is saying? Blurts words without weighing the effect of them. “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil” (Proverbs 15:28). Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 29:20) Much grief is in the future of anyone who does not consider the consequences of his or her spoken words.

Have you seen anyone speak discouragement and pain into someone, a spouse, a child, a friend, a coworker? “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21). That person will bring destruction into their own life because of it.

Our words can justify us or condemn us (Matthew 12:37). They can bring us joy. (Proverbs 15:23), or corrupt and dishonor (Matthew 15 :11). What we say can either build up or break down the soul of whomever we are speaking to (Proverbs 15:4). The consequences of what we speak are so great that our words can leads us to ruin or save our lives (Proverbs 13:13)

Everyone has a choice about what he or she says, and there are rewards for making the right one. “Whoever guard his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (Proverbs 21:23). “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).

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Spreading The Gospel Through Contemporary Worship Music

Road up Mount Bently, Palm Island

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Contemporary worship music (CWM) is a loosely defined genre of Christian music used in contemporary worship. It has developed over the past sixty years and is stylistically similar to pop music. The songs are often referred to as “praise songs” or “worship songs” and are typically led by a “worship band” or “praise team”, with either a guitarist or pianist leading. It is a common genre of music sung in Western churches—particularly in Protestant churches, both denominational and nondenominational.

Opposition To Contemporary Worship Music

Many people in the body of Christ oppose Contemporary worship music 

Criticisms include Gary Parrett’s concern that the volume of this music drowns out congregational participation, and therefore makes it a performance.[8] He quotes Ephesians 5:19, in which St. Paul tells the church in Ephesus to be ‘speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit’, and questions whether the worship band, now so often amplified and playing like a rock band, replacement than enable the congregations’ praise.

Tell us what you think!…Do you think Contemporary Worship Music has a place in the Body of Christ?

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 100:1-5

1Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

I will sing a new song to You, O God; Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You (Psalm 144:9).


God’s Word Is The Source Of Faith

ScriptureSeedsLogo

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where does faith comes from? How can faith be increased? The word say “Faith comes by hearing , and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). Since this is true, faith is increased as believers fill their lives with the Word. This is quite revealing because it exposes the opposite truth. The reason believers have so little faith to exercise is the lack of the Word of God filling their livers.The application from these thoughts is, that the more Christians exercise themselves in Scripture the more their faith will grow.

There is one disclaimer to this application, some believers make it a ritual to read the Bible, some even memorize it, but their faith doesn’t seem to grow. Does this nullify the truth that the Word of God brings faith? No. The bible says it is “it is not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). It also adds, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63)

Exercising oneself in the Scripture without the illumination of the spirit is less effective or as the Bible say ineffective, to increase faith. Two Greek words are often translated as the Word in the Bible, logos and rhema. Logos speaks of the expression of God and is used in John 1:1 saying “In the beginning was the Word.” It refers there to Jesus or to the whole council of God elsewhere. Rhema  is often used to speak of a particular passage of Scripture that is illuminated by the spirit for a specific application. Some have called it a word from the Word. With this in mind, it would be a rhema from the  logos that the spirit would used to build faith.

Believers who experience faith rising as they engage in God’s Word are usually inspired by the Spirit in a particular passage which specifically speaks to illuminate their situation. That is a rhema from God’s logo, a word quickened by the spirit from the Word of God. So what should Christians do, wait with their Bible in hand till the spirit inspires them? No. Believers should search the Scriptures for passages which speak accurately and directly to their needs or situation. By meditating on these sections of Holy Scripture they are filling their minds, hearts and spirits with God’s thoughts, His Word.

As believers work with the Word, searching it and applying it in this way, the spirit will illumine some part and faith will come forth. Rather than waiting passively and praying for faith, believers can dive into God’s promises and then experience the spirit bringing light to their needs and faith to their hearts. Believers who understand this begin to stand up and say, “God’s Word say it, and I am believing it to happen.”

Beware Of False Christs And Prophets

the Gospel of Matthew

In Matthew 24 Jesus gave His disciples the signs that precede His return at the end of human history. “For many will come in my name, claiming , I am the Christ.’ and will deceive many,” (Matthew 24:5).

The last days will not be characterised by voices coming from different corners of the religious world declaring , “This is the way.” Follow me.” “I am a voice from heaven.” Many people will claim divine light, prophetic powers, and even equality with the Son of God. Men and women will perform amazing miracles and great wonders to “to deceive even the elect–if that were possible” (Verse 24). Such deception will be so overwhelming that even God’s people will be misled.

Cult groups have grown exponentially throughout the world during  recent decades. In survey results first released by USA Today in the mid 1990s some 20,ooo in a sample of 113,000 claimed they accepted the theories of the New Age movement. False religions have increased phenomenally in our generation. Books on paranormal sell in the multimillion  throughout America. Universities offer students classes in nontraditional religions. Many young people who were raised in Christianity have begun to explore non-Christian religions and teachings. Cult especially target those who are searching.

Whether it be the New Age movement admonishing its followers to develop the god within them or cult leaders claiming they are divine, the result is the same deception. The gradual increase of interest in alternative religions and the proliferation of religious leaders claiming divine powers reflect the accuracy of our Lord’s prediction.

Deception is part of Satan’s plan: “They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:14).

One thing is certain–such people will not come with a sign around their necks saying, “We are false christs and false prophets.” they’ll simple lead and those who are looking for a leader will follow them.

In March 1997, 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate cult produced a farewell video and then took their own lives. They believe that trailing the Hale-Bopp comet was a spacecraft coming to take them to the next level of existence. Investigators found the victims with purple cloth over their head and shoulders.

In trying to identify the bodies, police set up toll free numbers for relatives to call. In 24 hours they field calls from more than 1,500 anguished  relatives who had been out of contact with their loved ones for months or even years and suspected they might be part of the cult.

Such false christs and false prophets do not limit themselves to any one part of the world. On the continent of Africa religious leaders who claim to heal the sick and raise the dead have arisen. they presents themselves as the new Messiah. Mary David Christ purported to be reincarnation of divinity in Russia. She attracted more than 15,000 followers whom she called the “White Brotherhood.” Central and South America have their  share of counterfeit messiah, Jesus’ words are being fulfilled.

The purpose and process of “Repentance”

Baptism of Christ by Pietro Perugino, circa 1498

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My earlier post talked about being born again and the process everyone has to go through. Today we will talk about repentance, another process in the born again experience.

Repentance:

The new birth cannot begin until repentance is sought by the person an event brought about by willing obedience to the call of the gospel. In response to Adam’s sin God has made provision through the gospel of Christ‘s birth, death and resurrection to resolve humanity;s problem of spiritual isolation from God and restore the lost communion and fellowship they once shared. This hope is made possible through two effects of the gospel, when presented to the lost by the work of the Holy Ghost. First, there is an awakening in the heart of the person upon hearing the gospel  that contrasts with an intellectual response. For example, on Paul’s mission trip through Thyatira, Luke recalls that a religious businesswoman, named Lydia, “heard us; whose heart the lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul” (Acts 16:14).

There may have been others present at the hearing, but the Holy Ghost was instrumental in awakening, or opening the heart of this particular woman in such a way that the gospel paul shared resonated as truth within her spirit. As a result, her entire family was saved and baptized. A second result of hearing the gospel is conviction, a certain sense of guilt and remorse over the sin condition awakened in one’s life by the spirit of God (John 16:8). This awareness heightens the consciousness of sin that is under God’s judgement, yet it enables a hope for deliverance from its power through redemption in Christ. These intrinsic properties of the gospel, pave the way for a personal response by the hearer.

Once conviction has brought to awareness the reality of personal sin and accountability, the message is either rejected or accepted. To reject the offer of salvation is to continue in spiritual isolation from God and risk the fate of  being eternally lost. On the other hand, to accept the hope of reconciliation with God demands repentance (Acts 2:38; 3:19) a requirement of salvation that includes two particular aspects: (1) An emotional condition of feeling deep sorrow and regret for personal sin (2 Corinthians 7:19), and (2) a willing act of confessing  and turning from a life of sin to one that pleases God..

Although the meaning of repentance denotes a reconsideration and changing of ways, one Old Testament scripture clearly brings this aim toward salvation into better understanding: “He that covereth sins shall not prosper; but whoso confessed and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). Clearly, this concern for finding the mercy of salvation begins with sincere remorse from the awakened knowledge of a sinful heart. Its remedy requires, first, a confessing for personal responsibility for this condition and, second, a changing of direction from a life of sin to one of godliness. these aspects of a truly repentant heart make possible the opportunity for the Holy Ghost to do his necessary part in the new birth process.