SERVING OR ENABLING

      I  am taking a break from my studies to write a short blog on what I am learning and relearning.  My love is writing, but there is so much that I want to write down.  I also love studying the Bible.  This is my motivation to pass on what I learn.  I have come to realize there is a fine line between serving others as he Bible tells to do (which Jesus was the perfect example) and enabling.  Enabling has to do with sin.  An enabler helps a sinner to continue in their sin.  They may feel they are doing it out of love, but it is not love to help someone continue in their sinful life.  I will write more on this later after I do a thorough research on the two topics. 

      Today I want to talk about Matthew 6:21 "Your heart will be where your treasure is"   This verse comes up a lot when I research clutter and hoarding.  hoarding is sinful.  Hanging on to stuff is sin.  Some say it is a mental illness.  Perhaps for some it is.  But for others, it is just worshiping your belongings.  We don't need a lot of belongs.  We are to just have what we need in life.  Items that we absolutely love are those things that we should keep if they are not things we need in life.  Everything EVERYTHING! that we have should be for the glory of God or to glorify God.  If you are trying to declutter, ask yourself, "Does it Glorify God?" If not, toss it, sell it or donate it.  A gift or a souvenir can be something that glorifies God because it is a memory of a loved one or a special time in our lives that we consider a blessing from God. 

     We should work hard for what we need in life.  Work.  Serving others is a type of work.  Working in pursuit of things that leave us empty and broken inside is not what God wants us to do.  We should be weary doing what is good in God's eyes at the end of the day so that we can have a good rest.  The Bible does say to not grow weary doing good.  This means to not give up.  Keep doing good and God will bless you in his time.  Keep fighting the fight.  Go for the reward which is Heaven.  Life is all about Jesus and our reward is Heaven.  Jesus is our path to Heaven. 

     I am so sickened by selfish people.  Pursuing what they want.  Hurting others who get in their way.  They grow weary pursuing things that never satisfy.  They are never satisfied.  They want more and more.  They want it better next time.  A higher high you might say.  Self and possessions can be sinful. 

     Enabling helps another with their selfish wants.  Serving others is helping them with what they need in life to survive.  Serving is love motivated.  Enabling is not..by no means.  If the Bible says something is a sin, condoning or defending the sin is not love.  That is where hate come in.  Love tries to stop the sin.  Hate allows the sin to continue. 

    Love is not angry or hateful.  Love speaks the truth.  The truth is God's words.  If someone wont listen when you speak the truth, walk away.  Don't take it personally.  Brush the dirt off your shoes as they did in the Bible and walk away.  Pray for them.  Pray for those who hurt you.  Pray for your enemies!!  Pray for the lost. 

Read your Bible, talk to God and pray for others.  Learn about Jesus.  Serve others. 

EASTER 2013

         It is Easter 2013 and for some reason this Easter is bringing on spiritual battles more so than in the past.  I know that satan (his name does not deserve to be capitalized)  is working his hardest during this time of year.  So many arguments and disagreements going on.  And it is not between Christians and non Christians.  It is between Christians! 

    Easter is the celebration of the death of Jesus and His resurrection.  Jesus died for our sins.  This was God's plan.  Jesus rose from the dead and is making a place for us.  He will come again.  If you believe in Jesus you will live in eternity (Heaven) with him. 

    Here a few instructions from the Bible:
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1 John 2:4     

Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

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    No sin is worse than another, sin is sin.  We all sin and should ask for forgiveness and repent (stop it) 


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John 14:6         
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

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      The only way to God and Heaven is to believe in Jesus and in his life.  He set the example of how we should live.  We should set an example for those who don't know Jesus as their personal saviour.  Getting to know Jesus is as easy as reading the Bible and praying.  The whole Bible is relivant. 

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2 Timothy 3:16 ESV     

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

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1 Peter 4:10-11 

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

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Serve others as Jesus served.  He is our example. The saying, "What would Jesus do?" is a good mindset.

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DO NOT ARGUE , JUST STATE THE TRUTH AND BE KIND.

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John 8:32
"And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free"
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2 Timothy 2:23-24 ESV    

Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,

Philippians 2:14 ESV    

Do all things without grumbling or questioning,

Romans 12:19 ESV    

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Proverbs 15:1 ESV    

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Titus 3:1-2 ESV    

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Romans 14:19 ESV    

So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 ESV    

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 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; ...

1 Peter 2:21 ESV /     

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.        .

 5:22-23        

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law

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Don't argue, Don't Judge, Be kind, State the truth and just walk away.  God will handle the rest. 

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JUST WALK AWAY!!  Don't hang around and argue or get angy or upset. 

*********************************************************************************Matthew 10:14 ESV / 10 helpful votes
And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.

Mark 6:11        

And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”

Luke 9:5 ESV    

And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”

Acts 13:51        

But they shook off the dust from their feet against them

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BEING ANGRY AND HATEFUL IS WRONG.  HANDLE DISAGREEMENTS GOD'S WAY.

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Ephesians 4:31-32        

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

       

James 1:19-20 ESV / 13 helpful votes

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Luke 10:25-28 ESV /      behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

Proverbs 15:1 ESV

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Matthew 7:12     

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Psalm 37:8-9          

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

Galatians 5:19-21         

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.        

Colossians 3:7-8          

In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

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Read the Bible and follow the instructions of our God. 

 

IN RESPONSE..

 In Roman16:17-20)

17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil. 20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.s it says, "

The wolves are creeping in.  In fact now that this Amendment one in North Carolina has passed, the wolves are being wolves!  They are heads of congregations too.  It is so saddening and bringing out anger.  Satan loves anger and rage.  Christians should not fight back.  Those who voted against are very upset and they are being hateful saying that those who voted "for" are for hate and that we are teaching our children hate.  Not true.  Everything we Christians do is based on what God has taught us.  Sin is not OK.  Never!  God has rules and we are to follow them.  If you go against God's rules your life will have turmoil.  Sex is for after marriage.  If everyone did as God said, there would not be all this controversy with unmarried couples and their children born out of wedlock.  They can turn their attitudes around and find this love that they are preaching that everyone is supposed to have.  They can turn their eyes upon Jesus and he will take care of them. 

Yes, God is all about Love.  He sent Jesus to die for us out of love.  But God is also vengful to those who dont accept His Son.  He is also vengful to those who disobey his "rules" 

This amendment has split up families and friends.    They are just blind and dont understand.  We can just pray as Jesus did when he was on the cross.  "Forgive them for they know not what they do." 

So how can we be angry with them?  It is not their fault that they are chasing the wrong thing. 

I just get so upset when they attack those who do understand.  We know the truth.  And if we did vote the wrong way, God can take a bad thing and turn it in to a good thing.