No condemnation

Alright... I'm hopefully back to blogging here more often... after not having done so for what? Almost 9 months?  I have an evil grin on my face for those who care.

Thanks, Es, for keeping this place alive! :-)

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Romans 8:1-2 (NASB)Therefore, no condemnation exists for those in Christ Jesus, because the Spirit's law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

I was JUST thinking about how I've changed so much this past year.
How my thinking has changed...
How my attitude towards life has loosened...
in that I just don't care that much anymore.

Or maybe I do?
And I'm just trying to avoid conflict?

But is that conflict really conflict?
Am I perhaps actually scared to be rejected or judged?

Silly me. I can only be judged. NOT condemned!

Why? I'm set free! There's no condemnation in Him.
I should NOT care about what people see me as.

I laugh when others are bound to live by others' standards of style and fashion, but I don't realize that I myself am always trying to please everyone at the same time, or keep everyone happy.
What an ego...

So, I can't please men, but I can please God.
I should be firm in my beliefs and not worry about "offending people" or getting on the politically incorrect side of arguments.

Who cares? And so what?

~Mizzoria

Rise up, children of this generation!

I saw this devotional online and it's riveting!

[Linktothe"online"version]

MATTHEW 2:16, "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men."

MATTHEW 2:16-23

Satan was the real motivator of Herod's actions. Ever since the Lord first prophesied that a man would bruise his head, Satan has been seeking out this "seed" of the woman (Gen. 3:15).

It appears that Satan is able to perceive when the Lord is making a major move in the earth. In the days of Moses, Satan moved Pharaoh to kill all the male children of the Israelite slaves, and here he motivates Herod to kill all the male children in Bethlehem. No doubt he was seeking to eliminate this "seed" who was going to bruise his head.

Once again, we see children being slaughtered today. This time it's through abortion. Our youth are also being attacked in unprecedented ways. Is it possible that Satan thinks this is the generation that is to bring in the second return of the Lord? Is he, in desperation, trying to stay off his doom by destroying this generation?

We need to have enough spiritual perception to recognize that just as in the days of Moses and Jesus, this slaughter of the innocent children today is an indication of an even more important struggle in the spiritual realm. We might be the generation that sees the Lord come back. Praise the Lord!

It's amazing to think that WE'RE the ones that are going to make a difference.  We need to fight for those children.  They are our warriors... the ones who will turn the world around.  The LORD is coming back soon!

Mizzoria~

Interconnected thoughts

Mark 3:33-35 (HCSB)

He replied to them, "Who are My mother and My brothers?"  And looking about at those who were sitting in a circle around Him, He said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  Whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother."

These verses really motivates us to seek out God's will and do what He's already to us to do ... and not just study and hear His word.  Of course, as we do what He says and constantly commune with Him, we draw closer and know what He wants in a better way.

James 1:22 (HCSB)

But be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Along the same lines, to be a friend of Jesus', we have to obey His commands.

John 15:14 (HCSB)

You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Which (I'm not backing this up with Bible, but I think it's fairly logical.  Feel free to argue if you see something wrong.) I would take to mean that being familiar (like family) with God is more than just following rules, and more of just loving Him and other people.

Matthew 22:37, 39 (HCSB)

He said to him, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Which of course means:

Luke 6:31 (HCSB)

Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them.

And we would follow Jesus' example of loving ... and living really.  Otherwise, He wouldn't give us this command:

Matthew 5:48 (HCSB)

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Cuz... you know... all those rules... They're not there so we can get on the "good side" of God.  They're for our own good.  For example the Sabbath:

Mark 2:27 (HCSB)

Then He told them, "The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath."

God loved His people so much, He literally commanded them to take a break, so their bodies wouldn't break down.
All He wants is to love us with His unlimited and unconditional love and that we would love Him back.  And you can't very well love someone if you don't obey Him.

Anyways... just some thoughts from Bible reading...

Mizzoria~

Giving vs. Taking and Opportunities

Today is Halloween / Reformation Day
and it's one night where people don't mind as much if you knock on their doors...
which means it's a great witnessing / evangelistic opportunity!
Anybody else going door-to-door GIVING instead of taking candy?

Speaking of neat ways to witness... here's a cool magic card trick!!

Mizzoria~

Charges

From 2nd Timothy 4 (HCSB) -

I solemnly charge you [...]: 
Proclaim the message, 
persist in it
whether convenient or not,
rebuke, correct, and encourage 
with great patience and teaching.

....... ....... ....... ....... .......

But as for you, 
be serious about everything,
endure hardship,
do the work of an evangelist,
fulfill your ministry.

I think that's pretty straightforward about what we as Christians should be living like.  He never said it was going to be easy.  In fact, people should know, it's going to be the hardest thing you ever have to go though. And if it isn't hard... then you're not doing it right.  Thoughts?

Mizzoria~

We're just doing it for God's glory...

Ok, that ^^[the title of this post]^^ is the lamest excuse of all time for the mediocre works of Christians.
Colossians 3:23 CLEARLY states that we are to do our BEST for God and not for people.

How many times have I heard people practice for some performance in Christian settings/circles
and they don't sit down and actually work the long, long, long hours
to make it beautiful, heartfelt, well-done, and obvious that the performers had tried hard to honor their God.

It's because you're doing it for God that you MUST make it perfect,
or at least to the best of your ability.
Don't give up,
allow mistakes unrectified,
and just leave it "at that"
saying, "It's ok [if we stink],
because we're doing it for God and His glory and not for ourselves."

UUGGHH, it makes me feel so frustrated when people do that.
I mean, go ahead,
admit you're tired and you're not doing the best you should,
but for the love of all that is good,
DO NOT USE THAT EXCUSE!

Dude!  People at the bottom or in the audience could care less if you messed up here and there
(assuming this is a true Christian audience),
but if your sloppy presentation is due to your slacking off
when you feel bored or tired or hopeless,
don't slip into the lie that since your apathy won't judged by Christians, you're off the hook.

Doing a lousy job does NOT honor God, 

whether the crowd pays you or not.

Ok, so maybe you as leader or even a participant didn't manage your time well this time,
and you were already working into the wee hours of the morning,
and it just didn't work out
(which I doubt if your heart was truly right that God would let such hard work go to waste like that),
but if you continue to mismanage your time
in service to God or anything really
(whether other people can see it or not),
you've either got too much on your plate
(but everybody says, if you need to get something done, give it to a busy person!)
OR some serious attitude issues.

In either case, you need to fix the situation.   By the way, I'm ranting at the latter.

Mizzoria~

God's Will and Leading

To know the Will of God -

Read the Bible.

To be led by the Spirit of God -

Do the Bible.

-Lester Sumrall-

How many people do you know don't know what God's will is?  How many people don't know if they are led by the Holy Spirit?  I think the quote above sums it up VERY simply and truthfully.

Mizzoria~

Happiness and Joy

I'm not sure if and where I got this from a sermon, so I apologize beforehand for any unintentional plagiarism.

Happiness is external.

Joy is internal.

Happiness is an feeling.

Joy is a choice.

Happiness is now.

Joy is forever.

Nehemiah 8:10 (NASB) 

Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Mizzoria~

Truth or Lie

Romans 3:4
Let every man be a liar, but God true. 

"I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."
Sherlock Holmes, in "A Scandal in Bohemia"

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For a moment, we will hypothetically equate man's words with "theories" and God's Word with "facts".

Please tell me, I'm not the only one who has see people twist "facts" or the absolute truth of God's Word to suit man's "theoretically correct" plans and actions.  When have we also tried to fit God in our box, so we can accommodate out own mistakes and shortcomings?  It's convicting, really.

Mizzoria~

Privilege

Acts 10:3-6 (NASB) About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”

Why didn't the angel just tell Cornelius the message of the Gospel?

It was not given to angels the ministry of reconciliation.

It was given to us.

2 Corinthians 5:18 (NASB) Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [...]

We, humans, have been given the responsibility and privilege to bring the good news and teaching to those who have not heard and do not know.

What an honor!

I know, today's Independence day, and it is an honor for the daughter of 2 immigrants to be a citizen of this country, but I feel it is more an honor to be God's child and be given the duty and privilege to share the Good News and expand the Kingdom.  Wouldn't you?


Think about that next time you are sharing the Gospel with someone.

Mizzoria~