Know What You Believe
This week on Sharin’ Hearts The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green pulls “Know What You Believe” by Paul Little from the bookshelf to take a look inside.
So many today have a theology built on second-hand faith. We may not be true disciples or learners as we accept whatever we are told is Truth without the discipline of daily searching the Scriptures. WE must be waiting on the ultimate professor of faith, the Holy Spirit to enlighten the doctrines, tenants, history, the God of the Bible and timely truth. Do you really know WHO you worship and hopefully center your life around or is your God a God of convenience and comfort for your benefit only?
Most Christians today cannot defend their faith or beliefs, even though they believe. It is a scary world in the Church today. To think of a soldier not sure what the rules of engagement are, not knowing the people in charge of his company or platoon, not understanding any of the directives given or how to implement them, the war would not be won. We are facing the same crisis within the Body of Christ and the daily attacks are being met with indifference or little concern of what is on the horizon coming straight toward us. We are not prepared!!
Take time out today to start a new commitment to put on your armor and understand the purpose of wearing it. In this day and age, if you are not willing to be a soldier/warrior living in dependence under your Commander, life will be filled with defeat and anguish. Yes, Grace always abounds, but there are “rules” to grace being properly appropriated. GET GROUNDED in WHAT YOU BELIEVE!!
Major Bible Themes addresses 52 questions we desperately need to rise up against the falsehoods that we are being asked to swallow as reality when in essence they are twisted fabrications of man’s thinking. Take some time out of life’s busy schedule and listen to what may be life-changing knowledge as the Holy Spirit grounds us in God’s Truth about Who He is and how He operates. We will forever be going deeper and deeper into the depths of His grace as we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
There may be tears in heaven. When we reflect on how we lived for Christ, we might weep on the other side of the celestial gates. Although Christians have been justified by faith, Christ will still judge us for our “deeds done in the body whether good or bad.” How well or poorly we do here might indeed determine our status in heaven for all eternity.
This week on Sharin’ Hearts The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green takes a look at Every Body Matters by Gary Thomas.
As we desire to be faithful we can walk without fear of failure. If we go through periods of failure as we unscramble, we can claim the truth: “if we are faithless, He will remain faithful. 2 Timothy 2:13
I, Jesus speaks in His own words, about Himself, His Purpose, His Nature, and His Mission.
The Way of the Shepherd will bring delightful joy to the heart and the beautiful pictures captivating the message in each chapter. The beauty of the book is that it equally reaches out to the heart that is troubled or to a person struggling with the issues of life that must have a shepherd to protect and carry us, to a place of safety. Expressed in the 23rd Psalm and illustrated for us is the correlation between sheep of the field and we as Christians being sheep of His pasture. Tension is released as we see we are never abandoned and always have the Shepherd there for us when we are unable to help ourselves. Great comfort and understanding comes from practical illustrations that are given to David as he learned from his Great Shepherd.
Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, can actually come to live within a human being, and intertwine his life with our own. God’s plan of salvation is aimed in our human will, our decision-making ability. We must make a choice to surrender as authentic Christians, not through intellectually comprehending and accepting historical facts. Our life must be joined to his life.
The evangelical world of today looks quite different from a few decades ago and appears to have divided into three rather distinct constituencies. These three groups are classic evangelicalism, marketers and emergents. The last two groups are transitional and are stepping-stones toward a more liberalized Christianity. Over time, the capacity to think doctrinally has been lost as new leaders emerge and the older pastor-theologian model to newer entrepreneurial organization builders promotes a new method of ‘selling” the Gospel; attracting the people in need with a more comfortable appeal.
On the other hand the right words spoken according to Proverbs 25:11 are ”like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Where do we find such comforting, guiding, healing words? In the promises of God given to us in the Scriptures.
Most of the Christian world of today know little or nothing of a biblical world view regarding life. We may know scripture or have a sincere desire to serve the Lord; however, we lack an understanding of how to view life through biblical eyes. For this biblical world view, we need to use the word of God to define our decisions and actions regarding circumstances, situation, relationships, and choices that need to be made each day of our lives. Christians have been slow to see the decay of values. This is mainly due to our dividing between our “spiritual” and the “material” worlds. True reality is the Lordship of Jesus Christ in every area of life.
There is a saying “The Truth doesn’t cost anything, but a lie could cost you everything.” 2 Peter 1 lays a foundation on how we may be assured of not falling into the trap of modern psychology lies. Should we decide to favor the foolish wisdom of this world we will sin grievously if we reject and neglect divine truth. Verse 3 declares ‘His divine power has given to us ALL things that pertain to life and godliness.” Verse 4 affirms “exceedingly great and precious promises are ours so that we may be divine partakers of the divine nature.” Know and apply the promises so you won’t be caught in the lies.
‘Everyone picks up a book for a reason.
It could be to learn, laugh, engage, or escape. But behind any of the reasons is a desire to change. We want something about ourselves to be different when we put the book down. So when we pick up a book, we say to the writers, “teach me something I don’t know or take me somewhere I’ve never been.” Those are certainly our goals with The Truth About Money Lies.‘ By Russ Crosson
If you are not satisfied with cradles and pacifiers for the Christian life, desiring to be more useful in our Master’s service, then here is a meaty volume of practical value.
This tiny literary work is filled with timeless truth. Ginger Green explores this treasure as Munger shares his depiction of how to apply scripture to our lives.
An intriguing book by a Christian doctor describing how God formed us to function in easy to read format. . Many drawings and illustrations to further simplify each chapter. Science with applicational simplicity. Many people who do not understand the battles they fight, found with clarity and a new confidence, a smooth path in thinking that is available to those who want to understand how to keep a healthy brain, resulting in a healthy body. When the body is functioning the way God designed it to be life takes on new luster and the Spirit can be at ease within us for His leading. A beautiful combination of spiritual foundation with science agreeing.
Ginger Green takes a journey with us through the pages of “With Christ in the School of Prayer” by Rev. Andrew Murray. As long as we look at prayer, chiefly as a means of maintaining our own Christian life, we shall not know fully what it is meant to be. But, when we learn to regard it as the highest part of the work entrusted to us, the root and strength of all other work, we shall see that there is nothing that we need to so study and practice as the art of praying aright. This classic is clearly written and arranged in such a way, as to break it down into perfectly proportioned bites.
Wounded people wound other people. Whether the wounds are valid in wrongs done, the solution to keep from passing that pain on is the subject of this study. Ann Graham Lotz is honest in her own struggles and reflects on how she learned to be the victor, not the victim of others. Also, she gives us an in-depth look as to ways wounds can form and take over without us realizing. But sometimes, the wounds are through thoughtless, careless, “being right” in my choices, and then we must learn how to make our wrongs right. A book that requires more than one reading.
Because, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
The main reason this way of living should not remain dominant is that without change your life will be LIMITING GOD in all that you do. We have been given precious promises for living an abundant life now. Stopping short of that goal pulls us into fake and false thinking as an acceptable standard for who we really are as children of God. This in turn robs us of the joy, peace, calm, contentment, and an inability to grow in grace and knowledge, having Christ formed in you, with waging war against the enemy that Jesus Christ defeated on the Cross. It is the fruit of blessing when our walk and talk are consistent and others can benefit from our testimony.
Proverbs 3:5-7 gives us sound advise to Trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not unto our own understanding; but in ALL our ways acknowledge Him and he shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.
America was founded on Biblical and moral Truth; a reason for America’s blessings and survival for the last 200 plus years.
The chief concern of our Lord is not to instruct us about a multitude of details , not to explain to us the reason for the trials which we are called to pass through. He is working out everything to serve His supreme purpose in displaying the character of His Son in His children He has purchased through the Cross and the shedding of Blood for man kind. If that is where His heart is, then how shall we live to fulfill His plan?
One of our main problems is that we focus our prayers on ourselves instead of on God. The purpose of prayer is not to get healed, get a job, get our house sold or whatever else we want. It is to get “the life of God in us;” to be transformed into Himself, knowing Him as the Giver, not just receiving good gifts from Him.
