God's and Satan's Ways

Having peace in God's ways is like riding with someone who knows where we are going and has been there many times.

Satan's ways are like a roller coaster. When you are high up, you worry about falling off.  When you are in the valley, it looks like you will never be able to climb out of it.

The wicked says "I can separate the people from God with a few lies." God says,"What advantage is there in pride?" He also says, "I will show the wicked his lies, and use My bonds of love to hold My people closer to me." 

The wicked says "Why should I believe the Bible?" He is used to taking action through lies. He can't see the truth because he doesn't know the truth and can't recognize it. He uses just enough truth as bait to catch someone with itching ears.

The righteous speak a word in season to the weary. God's truth has hope in it: hope of newness of life through Him, hope of seeing loved one's again, hope that he will be a partake of His divine nature, and never be moved.

Grace

It seems like mercy is for the past and grace is for the future.

I was having a bad day about my regrets and this song says it all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgXYRV2B7Tk

Itching Ears

When you have an itch, what do want to make it go away? You want to scratch it.  When you have itching ears, what do you want to make it go away? You want to hear what will feel good. (2 Timothy 4:3)

Balak and Balaam (Numbers 22-24) had itching ears. Balak itched to hear that Israel would be cursed.  He thought Balaam could do that. Balaam itched to receive riches for what he said, Neither had any itching to hear God's opinion.

People with itching ears want to hear that God is love.  They won't get their ears scratched by hearing that we are accountable to God because He made us. Some ministries scratch their listeners ears by talking about planting a seed donation to their organization, which will multiply and make them rich. They don't mention that people should expect persecution.

The cure for itching ears is to read the Bible, weigh what you want to it, and accept all the Bible says, not just what you like.

This is an example of Bible word studies that I do.

Jezebel Word Study

Introduction: Jezebel was the daughter of the king of Zidonians. She served and worshipped Baal. (1 Kings 16:31)

Spiritually:

            1) Had Ahab build a building for Baal worship (1 Kings 16:32)

            2) Plans to give Ahab Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21:7)

                        --Uses Ahab’s name (1 Kings 21:8)

                        --Hires liars (1 Kings 21:10)

                        --Manipulated elders (1 Kings 21:8-ll) Did she threaten elders?

                        --Uses God’s type of punishment (stoning) when convenient. (1 Kings 21:13)

                        --Didn’t care about rights of Naboth’s children (1 Kings 21:15)

                                    Even killed his sons (2 Kings 9:26)

            3) Not impressed with Elijah’s fire contest

                        --Threatened Elijah’s life (1 Kings 19:2)

                                    a. Revengeful

                                    b. Her punishment out of her own mouth

            4) Jezebel, not Ahab, cut off the prophets of the Lord (1Kings 18:4)

What was Jezebel like at home?

            1) Two messengers to an army both defected to the army (2 Kings 9:18-20)

            2) 2 or 3 eunuchs threw her out the window (2 Kings 9:30-33)

            3) She stirred up people. (1 Kings 21:25)

            A study of the word “wicked” may give you more ideas of what she is like.

What was God’s response?

            1) God saved 100 of His prophets saved alive.

            2)  Her punishment out of her own mouth (1 Kings 19:2)

                        --God’s punishment (1 Kings 21:23)

                        --Fulfilled in (2 Kings 9:35-37)

New Testament

            Revelation 2:20 speaks of prophetess and compares her to Jezebel.

                        1) Teaches her religion and bad doctrine.

                                    --Commit spiritual fornication with other gods.

                                    --Eat sacrificed idol food.

                                                a. Intimate with other gods.

                                                b. Attribute to Satan what God has provided.

                                                c. She gives them what they want if they obey her.

                        2) Seduce servants—probably to follow her example.

                        3) Jezebel is not the problem.  The church condoning her is the problem.

God's Math

God’s Math

God is greater than the sum of the angles of a triangle

God hid codes in places I would never think to look.

God is more constant than a logarithmic “e” and pi.

God forgives me more than seventy times seven.

God cares about the number of hairs on my head.

God plans to take me home for infinity.

From Glory to Glory

Little by little, I am learning to trust.

Little by little, I am learning to remove lying from my ways.

Inch by inch, I am growing in Your grace.

Inch by inch, I am growing in Your knowledge.

Measure by measure, I am meting out more praise to You.

Measure by measure, I am meting out more compassion.

Counterfeit Jesuses

I watched the movie "Fire Down Below" with Steven Segal and I liked it.  I asked God why I liked it. God showed me 17 ways in which the hero of the story was a counterfeit Jesus.

Ps 44:6 says not to trust in bow nor in sword. Comic book heroes have their equipment.  Thor has his hammer. Spiderman has his silk. And one them has a shield. They all have supernatural powers like Jesus.

The heroes' attitude is all wrong. Sure, they seem humble, but they are not humble enough to ask God for help.  They are dependent on luck rather than God's timing. They reason things out rather than have faith in God.

I didn't realize that Satan works that subtely. We don't even know we are being fooled, so we can't reason it out. We need the Bible to judge stories and characters accurately.  We are told to try the spirits (I John 4:1, KJV).

I can watch the movie now, but it doesn't have the hold or power on me that it did.  I don't even want to watch it.  We need to make sure our children believe in Jesus, not superheroes.