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Friday, August 23, 2013

I am to far gone.

I'VE GOT THE BLUES: I'M TOO FAR GONE

Are you a Star Wars fan? Remember how Darth Vader fought off all of Luke Skywalker's attempts to bring him back to the good side? Vader thought that he was too far gone. He had resigned himself to service to the evil emperor.

Perhaps you have felt that your sins are too great for God ever to love and accept you. Perhaps your years of guilt and shame keep you from God's house and enjoying the fellowship of God's other children. Perhaps you are so aware of your unworthiness that you just can't bring yourself to pray.

The Bible says in Romans 5:20, "Where sin increased, grace increased all the more." In other words, God's forgiveness is greater than your greatest sin. Christ is greater than Satan. God's mercy is greater than your guilt.

Perhaps you know someone who feels that he or she is too far gone and is resigned to fear and damnation. You can be God's agent of hope. Feel the love. Share the love.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

His Love

Assurance of His Love

Today many people are living in the bondage of fear. In a recent study a psychiatrist said that the greatest problem facing his patients was fear. Fear of going insane, committing suicide, being alone, or fear of heart disease, cancer, disaster, or death. We are becoming a nation of fearful people. Down through the centuries in times of trouble, temptation, trial, bereavement, and crisis, God has brought courage to the hearts of those who love Him. The Bible is crowded with assurances of God’s help and comfort in every kind of trouble which might cause fears to arise in the human heart. Today the Christian can come to the Scriptures with full assurance that God is going to deliver the person who puts his trust and confidence in God. Christians can look into the future with promise, hope, and joy, and without fear, discouragement, or despondency.

Daily Prayer

Your assurances of love still the fears of my heart, Lord.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Temptation

Oh Yes You Can!

We all face temptation, it's an unavoidable part of life. The question is not, "Will you be tempted?" The question is, "When you're tempted, will you be ready?"

I really want you to get this: You can beat temptation. Stop saying, 'Joyce, I just don't think I can.' Take 'I can't!' out of your vocabulary.

In your own strength and by your own ability, you're right. You can't. But when you put God's Word in your heart, when you lean on His strength and trust in His promises, there's no temptation you can't overcome.

Over the years, I've noticed five things that make all the difference in overcoming temptation. First, you've got to be wise. Think about the choices you're making and the consequences before you make them. Wisdom looks ahead.

Next, you have to believe that you can resist temptation. Condemnation, guilt and shame work off of momentum, if you stop them early, they lose their power, but once they get rolling, they're hard to stop. Third, think of facing temptation as normal life. If you're expecting a fight, you'll always be ready.

Fourth, avoid areas of weakness. Don't put yourself in situations where you can easily fall. If you struggle with managing your money, don't go to the mall when you can't afford to buy anything!

And finally, don't give yourself too much credit. We don't graduate from being tempted. It's so easy to think you've matured beyond stumbling, and once that happens, you make yourself an easy target.

God wants you to trust Him to bring victory in every area of your life. By His grace, you can!

Prayer Starter: God I realize temptation is a part of life. Help me not to be caught off guard or surprised when it comes. Thank You for the wisdom and grace to overcome any and all temptations and to live in Your victory.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Slack Tide

READ: Mark 6:30-32

He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” —Mark 6:31

I find it fascinating to consider the pull of the moon on our great oceans, which creates high and low tides. At the changing of the tide, there is a brief period of time called “slack tide” when the water is neither high nor low. According to scientists, this is when the water is “unstressed.” It is a quiet pause before the surging of tidal flow begins again.

Sometimes in our busy schedules we may feel pulled in different directions by competing responsibilities. In Jesus’ ministry, we see how He understood the demands made on His followers and the need for rest. Returning from a traveling ministry in teams of two, the Twelve reported the wonderful things that God had done through them (Mark 6:7-13,30). But Jesus responded: “‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves” (vv.31-32).

What responsibilities are pulling on you today? It is certainly acceptable to plan some rest and relaxation time to rejuvenate your body and soul for more fruitful service to others. Jesus advised it, and we all need it. He will meet you there. —Dennis Fisher

My Shepherd is the Lord
Who knows my needs, and I am blest;
By quiet streams, in pastures green,
He leads and makes me rest. —Psalter

Spending quiet time with God can bring quiet rest from God.
Bible in a year: Psalms 97-99; Romans 16

Christ's Mind

The Mind of Christ

Today's scripture overwhelms many people. If these were not the words of the Bible, they wouldn't believe it. As it is, most people shake their heads and ask, "How can this be?"

Paul was not saying we're perfect or that we'll never fail. He was telling us, as believers in Jesus, the Son of God, we are given the mind of Christ. That is, we can think spiritual thoughts because Christ is alive within us. We no longer think the way we once did. We begin to think as He did.

When we have the Holy Spirit living and active within us, the mind of Christ is action. The mind of Christ is given to us to direct us in the right way. If we have His mind, we will think positive thoughts. We will think about how blessed we are--how good God has been to us.

Jesus was positive, in spite of being lied about, lonely, misunderstood, and a multitude of other negative things. He was deserted by His disciples when He needed them most, yet He remained positive--always able to offer an uplifting, encouraging word. Just being in His presence would suggest that all fear, negative thoughts, and discouraging hopelessness would evaporate into thin air.

The mind of Christ in us is positive. So when we fall for the opportunity to be negative about something, we should instantly discern that we are not operating with the mind of Christ. God wants us to be lifted up. It's the enemy of our soul who wants us pressed down--depressed. We have many opportunities to think negative thoughts, but that's not the mind of Christ at work in us. We don't have to accept those thoughts. They are not ours!

Pray: Lord, I truly want to be aware of the mind of Christ in my life, and I want to be aware of it every minute of my waking day. Help me to open myself only to know Your will and to push away the old mindsets, the thinking that will lead me down the wrong path. I ask this through Jesus Christ. Amen.

From the book Battlefield of the Mind Devotional by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2005 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Throne or Phone

Go to the Throne Before the Phone!

Don't run around seeking counsel from just anyone. Pray first, asking the Lord whether it is His will that you go to another human being for counsel or whether He desires to counsel you Himself. In my own life I have had many, many problems, yet I never went to anyone else for counsel with the exception of one time. On this occasion I visited a lady in ministry who had been abused herself. I do not mean to discredit her, but she really was not able to help me. It was not her fault; she simply was not anointed by the Lord to do so.

God is not obligated to anoint what He does not initiate. So often people run to others without following the guidance and leadership of the Holy Spirit, and it never bears good, lasting fruit. When you are in trouble, go to the throne before you go to the phone. I do not mean to suggest that it is wrong to seek counsel. I am just suggesting that you pray and allow the Lord to lead and guide you through the Holy Spirit. Let Him choose the right counselor for you. Just because a person has been through what you are going through, or is a close personal friend, does not mean that individual is the right counselor for you. So I repeat, pray!

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer. Copyright 2007 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Listen and Really Listen

Whoever has ears to listen should pay attention!" Mark. 4:23

I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to idols. Isaiah. 42:8

The will of God is so the cause of all things, as to be itself without cause, for nothing can be the cause of that which is the cause of everything: when we ascend to that, we can go no further. Therefore we find every matter resolved ultimately into the mere sovereign pleasure of God, as the spring and occasion of whatever is done in Heaven and earth.

The only reason that can be assigned why the Deity does this or that, is because it is His own free pleasure so to do" (from the pen of the author of "Rock of Ages" and other well-known hymns, in his "Observations on the Divine Attributes": 1750). Such teaching as this, alone preserves the Divine independence and presents the true God in His unrivaled freedom and supremacy, unhampered by anything within or without Himself.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” declares Yahweh. Isaiah. 55:8

Behold, I have told you ahead of time! Matthew. 24:25

God’s [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative. For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them. For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves]. And by them the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God were exchanged for and represented by images, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin], Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (so be it). For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one, And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another--men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution. And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and condemned mind to do things not proper or decent but loathsome, Until they were filled (permeated and saturated) with every kind of unrighteousness, iniquity, grasping and covetous greed, and malice. [They were] full of envy and jealousy, murder, strife, deceit and treachery, ill will and cruel ways. [They were] secret backbiters and gossipers, Slanderers, hateful to and hating God, full of insolence, arrogance, [and] boasting; inventors of new forms of evil, disobedient and undutiful to parents. [They were] without understanding, conscienceless and faithless, heartless and loveless [and] merciless. Though they are fully aware of God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them themselves but approve and applaud others who practice them. Romans. 1:18-32

I tell you, unless you repent, you too will all perish. Luke. 13:3


(the true gospel:

The Lord Jesus Christ is truly ALIVE!!

And it is appointed for men to die once, but after that to face judgment, (Hebrews 9:27NKJV)

WHAT MUST I DO!! To be saved?

Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30 NKJV).

You must repent. This means a complete change regarding sin. There must be a change of mind. You must admit that you are a sinner, a rebel against a holy and loving God. There must be a change of heart — genuine sorrow and shame at the vileness: and filthiness of your sin. Then you must be willing to forsake it and change the direction of your life. God challenges people to prove their repentance by their deeds (Acts 26:20). You must do this. God will not forgive any sin you are not willing to forsake.

Sin is [TRANSGRESSION] against God's Perfect Holy Moral Law. (you are Guilty!!)

(read:

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21 NKJV).

(REPENT ~ read on:

Being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them (Romans 1:29-32 NKJV).

(REPENT ~ read on:

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God (I Corinthians 6:9, 10 NKJV).

(REPENT ~ read on:

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-5, 7 NIV)

To repent is to go in a new direction, seeking wholeheartedly to live in a way that pleases God. Repentance does not save, yet no sinner ever was or ever will be saved without it. None but Christ saves—but an impenitent heart cannot receive Him.

How can I get right with God? How can Christ become my Savior?

As a result of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6), every part of man—his mind, will, emotions and flesh—have been corrupted by sin. Because of man’s sinful nature, he does not and cannot seek God. He has no desire to come to God and, in fact, his mind is hostile toward God (Romans 8:7). God has declared that man’s sin dooms him to an eternity in hell, separated from God. It is in hell that man pays the penalty of sin against a holy and righteous God. This would be bad news indeed if there were no remedy.

All the Bible’s teaching points to the death of Jesus. Neither his perfect life nor his marvelous teaching nor his powerful miracles are the focus of the Bible’s message. These are all important, but above all else Jesus came into the world to die. What makes his death so important? The answer is that he died as a Substitute, a Sin bearer and a Savior. Jesus the Substitute. This demonstrates the love of God. Sinners are guilty, lost and helpless in the face of God’s holy law, which demands punishment for every sin. How can they possibly escape God’s righteous wrath? The Bible’s answer is this: God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). As part of an amazing rescue plan God the Son volunteered to take the place of sinners and bear the just penalty for their sin. The sinless Son of God willingly suffered and died for them, the righteous for the unrighteous (1 Peter 3:18).

Jesus the Sin bearer. This demonstrates the holiness of God. There was nothing ‘faked’ about Christ’s death. The penalty for the sins of others was paid in full by the death of God’s sinless Son. As he hung on the cross he cried out, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ (Mark 15:34). At that terrible moment God the Father turned his back on his beloved Son, who then endured the penalty of separation from God.

All men are under the fierce just wrath of God because of their vile wickedness. Someone had to drink down that wrath. Jesus on that tree bore the guilt of his people and stood in their law place. Then all the holy just hatred, wrath, judgment, and justice of God like blinding white light came crushing down on the head of Christ. Have you never read — And it pleased the Lord, YAHWEH, to crush his Son — to grind him to powder (Isaiah 53). Notice how this shows God’s perfect holiness. All sin, every sin, must be punished — and when Jesus took the place of sinners he became as accountable for their sins as if he had been responsible for them. The one man who lived a perfect life suffered the double death penalty of the guilty.

Jesus the Savior. This demonstrates the power of God. Three days after his death, Christ was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4). He gave many convincing proofs that he was alive and he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him (Acts 1:3; Romans 6:9). In raising Christ from the dead, God powerfully demonstrated that he accepted his death in the place of sinners as the full and perfect payment of sin’s penalty and as the basis on which he can offer a full and free pardon to those who would otherwise be doomed to spend eternity in hell.

You must have faith in Christ. First of all, this means accepting that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16) and that Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6). Secondly, it means believing that in the power and love Christ is able and willing to save you. Thirdly it means actually putting your trust in Christ, relying upon him and him alone to make you right with God. Your proud; sinful nature will fight against abandoning trust in your own ‘goodness’ or religion. Yet you have no alternative. You must stop trusting in anything else and trust only in Christ, who is able to save completely those who come to God through him (Hebrews 7:25).

If God has shown you your need, and given you this desire, then turn to Christ — and do it now! Ideally, pray aloud to him; this may help you to be clear about what you are doing. Confess that you are a guilty, lost and helpless sinner, and with all your heart ask Christ to save you, and to take his rightful place as the Lord of your life, enabling you to turn from sin and to live for him.

The Bible says that if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved and that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:9; Romans 10:13). If you truly trust Christ as your Savior and acknowledge him as your Lord, you can claim these promises as your own.

Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:8 NKJV).

~copy, paste and share Christ's message~

Look through Heaven’s eyes

Looking at our own lives is a very difficult thing.  We all also do it wrong.  Yes I did wrong.  We look at our lives through our own eyes.  Who are we too look at such things and pass judgment of what we did or didn’t to.  We are not even close to being worth such judgment. We don’t have any of the qualifications needed to do such things. 

What we need to do is look at things through Heavens eyes.  God’s eyes are the only way we need to look at things.  When we do this we learn unity of the spirit and we can be open to how life is.  We all know life isn't the best now.  We know that only with God things are better or even best.  And if we keep our sights looking up at God is when things will start focusing in our own lives.  Stay grounded in faith.  Keep Jesus as your anchor and make sure you always keep at least a kindle burning of the Holy Spirit inside you.

When we do this we know that were saved and we understand that God’s Grace is what we need and have.  But needing and having it is not the only things.  YOU NEED TO WANT IT!!!  When you understand that things will open.  I know it is something I need to work on in my life. 

God’s promise for us will then become more clear and you can set your sights on what is to come.  God does speak to us all but are we listening?  He is not loud like he used to be but He still speaks.  It is a whisper in the wind so we need to fine tune our ears so we can hear Him and also listen.

Romans 15:3-4 – Fore even Christ did not have please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

So don’t feel bad or angered when you feel you have been judged wrongly by man.  They don’t know you at all.  They don’t understand you at all.  They don’t look at or see you at all.  This is because they are looking through man’s eyes not God’s eyes. 

  • God is GREAT
  • God is JUST
  • God is CARING
  • God is GRACE

Remember this and sing halleluiah to our God.  And keep Jesus first.  Not to worry our time on this earth is ending soon and we will soon be rich with God’s promises in abundance. 

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Darkeness

As the circle of darkness envelops my life I look around to see, to find any sort of light within the darkness but my eyes fall upon total darkness. I look through my past and really look to see if I ever found or experienced what is known as true love but I found out that love has escaped me.


After some serious thought I have found out with my life that I live it is far too late to try to bet...ter myself now it seems I don’t live anymore I just exist and nothing more. The more I look I find myself so far away from what seems to be my darkness called life and it seems too late for changes. It is too late to save myself and it is way too late to be saved.


From this point on I have decided to pack up my certifications and erase my title of a Pastor/Reverend. I am not either. I am so far lost that I can never be found again. I really don’t know if I want to be found so please do not seek.

The year of 2011 has brought nothing but pain and suffering which I am sick and tired of. 2012 is a new year for most but not for me. The pains from 2011 have sunk its claws into my flesh. I exist each day that is all. At this point all I ask for is to survive. They say life is what we make of it then it seems that I have failed in making a life.

It is now 2013 and it is 3/4th the way gone and what have I done. I just don't understand what I did to get life so wrong. Really is this all that it is. I sure hope not God please help.

Lost? Really? or Really Lost?

I was sitting and find myself in thought.  But what I have been thinking have been very random and almost scary and I just don’t understand why.  I have thought about the kids and what would happen should something happen to there parents and having them ripped from my life.  Along with the fact of seeing someone hit right in front of me.  Actually that thought pertains to any of the children in the neighborhood that I live in.  I know strange isn't it.  I just don’t get it.

Other thoughts have been about winning the lottery.  Yea, I know it is the same dream others have.  What would I do with all that wealth.  I just realized a very disturbing thought.  I have not really opened my bible and did any real studying in a very long time.  What to do?  Well I do know what to do.  I just need to get off my lazy ass and do what is required of me.  Things that the good Lord wants me to do.  I feel alone and I feel that God has left me.  I do know that He doesn’t leave its us who leaves him.  He is just there waiting for us to turn our selves around and seek him.

Why haven't I sought him?  I don’t know why.  My faith is so little these past years.  I wish I knew why and I really need to figure out why.  I need a fire burnt inside me again.  I miss having the closeness with God I used to have.  I am lost but yet I'm not lost.  I know where I am.  I am just not doing what is needed.  I don’t commune with him anymore.  Why is that?  Am I lazy?  Do I not care anymore about things, life, or people?

My friend Tab mentioned that the old me was missed.  I used to be sprit filled and so wanted to commune with Him daily.  My studies and life revolved around God.  What has happened? I am so…I don’t know what am I.  Who am I ????

I know my name is Shawn Malloy but what is my purpose?  Is that really me?  I don’t know anymore.  I feel as though my purpose in life is gone. 

Lies

Lies. Why are some people lairs? Why do they do it? What does it do to other people? How are they affected by ones lie?

These are some really serious questions that I wish I had the answers too. Today I will try to explore an answer but remember the answers that I come up with are only my opinions. So I don't want people to think that it is fact. Sorry I was trying to be funny. Before we begin I want to say a prayer.

Dear Lord,

I want to thank you for the opportunity that you have given me to be able to share things with the people of the world. I also want to thank you for the time you give me and each day that you allow me to live. I want to not just live but I want to live for you. I pray that people who read this have a better understanding of you and of the Word. I ask that you please forgive me for any sins that I have or will commit. I thank you God for sending us your son to let us live. I know he paid the debt that nobody could repay to you. Thank you again.

Amen

Lies are works of the Devil. They are used to be deceitful and hurtful. People themselves lie at times not knowing that they lied but there are others who seems to do it because they just don't care. I believe those people are under the Devil's influence. Why they do it? Well they do it for a lot of different reasons. One is they don't want to be sought with something they shouldn't have or the other is they are hiding actions or thoughts.

When someone lies to another it hurts the other person. It causes mistrust. People as a natural instinct is to trust one another in most cases and when that trust is gone we tend to feel violated, hurt, and sad. Due to the amount of liars in this world it is the cause of people being skeptical of each other. As humans this is an unnatural feeling that has developed and shouldn't be part of our feelings. It takes a lot of work to keep such feelings up. It also takes a lot of hard work and planning when you lie. One lie can lead to another and another. Why would you do this? After a while wouldn't you get lost and confused then stumble on the next lie. You will soon be cough. Why do it?

Well that is my little bit on the lie. I hope you enjoy it. Most of it is common scene. May God bless you all and remember He loves us all so much that He gave His son Jesus to die on the cross for us so that we may live.