Jealousy is a Waste of Energy

 

13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:  wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,

14 or wealth lost through some misfortune,
   so that when they have children
   there is nothing left for them to inherit.
15 Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
    and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil
    that they can carry in their hands. (Ecclesiastes 5)

It is an interesting phenomena that so many people work to help those that are “less fortunate” and yet, many times this same humanity is jealous of someone else’s position in life. On one hand we do not want anyone to suffer misfortune such as poverty, abuse, or a physical disfiguration; yet, on the other hand, we feel envious towards those who have something we wish we could have, or we treat ones with disdain and snub people for minor infractions or prejudices in our heart; or we secretly envy the physical beautiful aspects of another person.

Jealousy is a waste of energy. Nothing, not one single thing, will you take from this world, except your experience of it. LOVE is the only treasure you take away with you.

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Remember to Whom You Belong

This morning I attended our neighborhood church service and the minister brought the thought that when ever you attend a court of law, you have both the one who stands for you and those who stand to oppose you. And so it is in the heavenly.  But when we are saved, Christ stands for us. We now have royal blood coursing through us and the Bible tells us in Romans 8:31, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [33]  Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;” If the king of all kings, and Lord of all Lords is standing on my behalf, who can stand against me? [34]  who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” 

Again the Bible says in Romans 14:4 “Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

The popular saying goes, “You can please all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can not please all of the people all of the time.”

So I would like to encourage you this morning by reminding you who you belong to when you belong to Christ.

“[F]or through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,   having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:18-22

• You are the temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16)
• God has your name written in the palms of his hands. (Isaiah 49:16)
• You are God’s child (John 1:12)
• You can go to God in confidence. (Ephesians 3:12)
• You do not need to go to any man, but Christ alone. (1Timothy 2:5)
• King Jesus has made you all glorious within. (Psalms 45:13)
• No man can take you out of God’s hands. (John 10:27-29)
• You are free from all condemnation (Romans 8: 1-2)
• All your circumstances are working for your good. (Romans 8:28)
• Nothing can separate you from God’s love. (Romans 8:31-39)

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Does God Care About His Truth?

When you look around at all the religious organizations that claim to be “Christian” and all the differences of opinions and doctrine, one has to wonder; Does God care about His truth? Does it matter to him which church we go to? Does He care if some of what is being taught is not what he meant?

Before we let the Word of God answer those questions, lets just reason together for a minute. Suppose you wrote a will and left it for your children about what to do with all your assets after you were gone. You were very careful and precise as to who gets what. You thought lovingly and carefully about each child, each friend, each cause that meant a great deal to your heart. You spent much time in planning and writing out your will.

Do you think it would be important to you whether or not your children understood what you desired? Would you care if some of your children decided to rewrite in another will what you really meant? – as do so many “christian” organizations? What if your children began to represent you in a way that was false to your very Character?

If we would care about these things, don’t you think that almighty God, who went so far for his truth as to send His own Son to set us free by his truth, cares about how it is represented- cares that it remains pure?

Now, lets just look at a few scriptures about the truth and let them speak for themselves:

Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. Ps. 15:1-2

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Ps. 51:6

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. (Psalms 91:4)

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. (Pslams 145:18)

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: (Proverbs 3:3)

He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit. (Proverbs 12:17)

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. (Proverbs 16:6)

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. (Proverbs 23:23)

Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. (Isaiah26:2)

None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. (Isaiah 59:4, 14,15)

Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. (Jeremiah 33:6)

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24)

And ye shall know the truth, and the TRUTH shall make you free. (John 8:32)

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (John 16:13)

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:17

Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the TRUTH heareth my voice. (John 18:37)

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the TRUTH in unrighteousness; (Romans 1:18)

But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Romans 2:8

[LOVE] Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; (1 Corinthians 13:6)

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? (Galatians 3:1)

Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? (Galatians 5:7)

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (Ephesians 6:14)

And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (2 Thessalonians 2:10-13)

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4)

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the TRUTH which is after godliness; (Titus 1:1)

Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. (Titus 1:14)

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18)

Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20)

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the TRUTH is not in him. (1John 2:4)

I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. (1 John 2:21)

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. (1John 3:18)

I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. (2 John 1:4)

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (3 John 1:4)

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians  1:6-9)

The truth is very important- so important! It saves us, sets us free from sin, keeps us free from sin, arms us, protects us, leads us, gives us light, etc…
Departing from the truth, or receiving something that is false puts a curse on our lives. Revelations says about Babylon the great whore- which is symbolic of false religions or religions that are not walking in the pure truth:

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Rev. 18:2-4

Knowing, accepting, believing, seeking, living, the truth is vitally important. Don’t just accept any old lie out there. Love your soul more than that. Love Christ. Seek him with all your heart- and he will be found and he will show you the truth, and the truth will set your FREE! Praise God!!!

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Ears to Hear

People have ears for many different things. What one has ears for, is what one it attuned to, or pays attention to. Christ is looking for souls that have ears to hear the Word of God.

“And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. And he taught them many things by parables…And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4: 1, 2, 9

Jesus did not present the gospel to this multitude of people, in a super easy format. Instead, he told a parable. A parable is a story with a moral or a principal being taught. It needs to be deciphered. Why did Jesus teach in parables?

“And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.” Mark 4: 10-12

Jesus was not just excluding some, because he said in verse 9 “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Those that really had ears to hear, or, in other words, those that truly had a heart to understand the will of God were the ones that he said, “unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God.” They had ears to hear, which is shown by them coming to Jesus and asking what the lesson meant.

Jesus told us, “Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you…” and then God says in Jeremiah 29: 13 “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” These disciples came to Jesus and asked; they wanted to understand, and Jesus explained. They desired to hear and they acclimated their ears to hear the pure words of Jesus.

When you are looking for God with an honest and true heart as in the parable above, you will have ears to hear- you will be attuned to the things of God.

But many people, oh so very many people, are not attuned to the word of God- which is Jesus Christ. They have other things that are more interesting to them; Things that their hearts desire. And so, they only tune in to what they like and they tune back out when it doesn’t fit their personal religion or agenda for life. They are not seeking God with all their heart.

Some came to Jesus questioning His teachings, but not because they believed in him, or sincerely wanted to understand. They simply wanted to argue and disprove his words and undermine his authority.

And is that not how it still is today? People have ears, but they will not listen to the truth. They tune it out, and attune themselves to something else. They find other religions, or even create their own religion and call it Christian; But they are not following Christ, they are following their own heart. Many are fighting today to discredit the Lord Jesus Christ. Many are trying to lump him in with all the other religions of the world. But it will never happen.

If we want to really know the Lord Jesus Christ, and truly understand the truth, we need to begin with our heart. We need to bring our heart to God and ask Him, by the power of the cross of Christ, to cleanse it and to give us a new heart. Only then will we be enabled to acclimate our ears to God and His Son Jesus Christ. Our ears need to be opened to His truth.
“lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.” -or unless at anytime they should turn from sin- repent; Then their sins would be forgiven; Then they will be able to hear.

Too many just have ears for what they want to hear; If it doesn’t fit into their repertoire of what is acceptable, they just ignore it or discredit it.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

They don’t want the truth, or sound doctrine; They have “itching ears.” They are wanting to hear something alright- they are interested in hearing the newest philosophy or fable; they want to feel “enlightened” but only if it makes them feel good- they itch for someone to tell them what they want to hear- and turn to other Gods and lies, allowing themselves to be deceived. What a sad picture. How careful we must be.

The wisest man that ever lived became wise because he had ears to hear the word of God and a heart towards the one and only true God. King Solomon began with the truth, but, ended with a lost soul because he let the influence of the world around him turn away his ears from the truth and he turned to the many fables and false beliefs of the world.

Jesus said, “blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11:28

Its not enough to just hear something. Putting it into practice, is what differentiates the one that has ears to hear and the one who does not.

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Children

If you have never taken the time to watch, observe, talk to, play with, and learn from little children, you are missing one of the greatest blessings God ever gave to this earth!

“Suffer the little to children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of heaven.”

“of such is the kingdom of heaven”
If you ever want to feel close to heaven, spend some quality time with very young children. God says that there are so many lessons to be learned of them:

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” Is. 11: 6

“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily (truly) I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18: 2-4

To have children is to have a great and precious gift from God.

“He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children…” Psalm 113: 9
“Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward…Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them…” Psalm 127: 3, 5

If someone gave you a jewel worth millions of dollars, how would you treat that jewel? Would you just leave it laying around any old place? Would you just throw it in your drawer and forget about it? Would you just hand it over to any stranger not knowing anything about their personal character and ask them to take care of it for you?
I would guess not. Yet, that is exactly how many people in this world are treating one of the greatest blessing God ever committed into our hands. Little angelic souls, waiting, trusting, hoping, full of faith, looking to us adults to feed them not just food, but manna from heaven. Looking up to us to feed their little souls and teach them about Jesus.

Are you valuing the children God has placed in your life? I am not just talking about your own children, although they are definitely included too, but any children you have an influence upon. What value do you place on them. God places a tremendous value on them. He says they are close to the Kingdom of heaven. He says, “And whoso receiveth one such little child in my name receiveth me.” Matthew 18: 5  That is the same as God said about his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. God placed their value the same as Jesus Christ!

If you are despising any young child in your life, did you know that God has a warning to you?

“Take heed (watch yourself) that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 18: 10

Little children have a direct and instant connection with almighty God. He knows and sees everything that is happening to them the moment it is happening. There is a great woe to anyone that is hurting a little child:

“But whoso shall offend (cause to sin) one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18: 6

You see, we have a grave and great responsibility to the children in our lives. Those little eyes are vulnerable and impressionable. We need to be an example before them at all times causing their faith in Christ to grow. They should never be led to sin by our example. That is offending them.

“And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the LORD.”

God will hold us accountable for what we provoked our children to. Did we provoke them, by the way we live our lives, by our harshness and by our words to sin? to a grow up into a life with the wrath of God on it? Or did we bring them up nurturing and teaching them the ways of God, with love and care, placing great value on their little souls.

Some of the things I have learned from little children:

• They have a pure and simple trust and faith in God- you tell them about God, they receive it whole heartedly.
• They do not hold a grudge- they get angry, but it soon is completely forgotten.
• They laugh easily, find life full of excitement.
• They are easily entertained.
• They are eager to please and to help.
• They love everyone, they don’t see colors of skin or nationality, nor IQ-
• They are not fake, nor “politically correct.” They say what they mean and mean what they say.
• They love to learn new things.
• They have lots of energy.
• They do not eat when they are not hungry.
• They are insatiably fascinated with all of God’s creation.
• They are copy-cats.
• They love to sing and dance.
• They are very sensitive to negative feelings of others. If a another child cries, they stop whatever they are doing. They desire to see the child happy again. If someone is in a bad mood, they pick up on it immediately.
• Their prayers are simple and full of thank yous!

“And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the Kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.” Mark 10: 13-16

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