s8nfighter

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. Being sucessful in the world is in contrast to the new heaven and new earth which we long to inhabit. The new catch thing which seems to be taught today is that nothing is required, yet Jesus teaches that 14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. The wife of a very sucessful businessman passed away two years ago and in her obituary she was quoted as saying, two years prior to her passing, "I now know the purpose of my life is to serve the Lord." Eighty-nine years of chasing stuff and two years of blessed peace. Galations 5 is either just words to make us feel good or a calling to action as to the way we treat others. It is easy to admit that idol worship will keep us from inheriting the kingdom of God and just as easy to overlook the fact that Paul also puts in jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition as equal sins which will keep us from inheriting the kingdom of God.

I don't know that if I was aware of any spiritual poverty before I became a Christian. All I knew was that I hated the life I was living and guilt of past sins kept me living that llife. It was when the LORD spoke to me and said, "Your sins are forgiven." that I became a Christian. You see I was weeping and crying over the sins I had committed, the sins which are commonly associated with being an alcoholic. The kind of mourning most common in churches today is seeing the sins around us, but Jesus says that it is observing the sin within us is what sets us free to recieve Him. Matt. 9:11 ("Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.") niv Darrell

The sermon, which Christ gave, is only paridoxical if we neglet what he says in Matt. 6:19, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." The two parts of each beatitude is simply the way God desires us to treat each other followed by how he promises to treat us. Paul says there is no law against loving one another, sharing our joy whith another, treating each other with gentlenes, goodness, kindness. and living in peace whith one another. Theses things God looks on with favor and will store up treasures in heaven. Darrell

The actual request of God from the writer are two things: 1) The readers be equipped with everything needed for doing God's will. 2) That the work God sets us to do is pleasing to him. So what is the will of God. Check it out, the will of God is found in John 3:16. And the result in our llives will be found in John 3:21. Darrell

If it is true that God is the same today as yesterday the answer can be found in Isaiah 58. This is what we are called to do: Isaiah 58:6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? The Lord says that if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. And he will will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. And also, 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. I believe what the LORD is trying to tell us is that lip service should come only after foot service. Walk the walk before we talk the talk. Darrell

Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." I believe the significance of the verse can be found in Romans 4 as Paul describes the faith that Abraham had. It was a faith that lead to righteousness or was it righteousness that lead to faith. At any rate it was Abraham's obedience to God which was credited to him as both faith and righteousness. The same can be said of Noah, Moses, David, Daniel, Solomon and many others. The two people of the Old Testament who understood the nature of God the most is David and Jonah. David let God set his punishment for sin because he knew God was mercifull. Jonah reluctantly delivered God's message of repentance and forgiveness to the city of Nineveh. This is the same message Christ delivered to the world, and still does today. The power of God; the one thing that amazed and set the world on its heals the most is that Christ had the power to forgive. Mark 2:6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" This is the power of God, that he forgives us, and the miricle of God is that he sent his Son to bare our sin. I would not call things other than that a miricle, is it a miricle for the God who made the universe and all things in it to do anything? No. The miricle is in us; the fact that he still loves us and he sent his Son so that we may have llife. Darrell

I would say that if a person measures his worth by the things of the world that person is a greedy person. My favorite quote comes from D.L Moody, "I hold very loosely to the things of this world because I never know when God may require them of me." What a contrast to the bumper stickers which say, "The one who wins is the person who dies with the most toys." My wife and I have a painting company and we pay our employees more than we make. Why?? We are in our mid fifty's and do not require as much to make ends meet as they do. We live on 15,000 a year and help a young family out with 300 dollars a month. We have chosen to tythe this way because of the greed which fills the church today. I just don't understand why the need for so many massive buildings which sit idle for six days a week. We live in a greed filled country and its ugly head showed this past week when congress argued over the spending bill for farm subsidy. Big business won out again with corperate farms getting the biggest share. This is in contrast to what the Lord says to do in Malachi 3, "Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." Most churches are this way too, the tythes are there, just bring them in and fill the storehouse for those in need instead of collecting the money and giving it where it is not needed. What would be the earmarks of a greed-free life? Try this one. Reach into your pocket and pull out your last dollar and give it away to a single mom, whom you didn't know, just because she had to put the kids treats back at the grocery store. What future???? If we truly believed that there is a heaven and that is our future why money???? Never is a long time and so the place we choose to live for now, will either be of this world or heaven. Darrell

Hospitality to all is brotherly love... Whether it is a stranger in need or a person in jail who is paying debt to society or in jail because of no wrong doing except thier loyalty to Christ. I am the strongest in brotherly love when it comes to sharing with others in need. I have little but share what I have because I know what it is to be hungry. I know what it is like to be judged for not having much and therefore I do not judge on appearence. I know what it is like to sin and therefor I do not judge the sinner. I know what forgiveness feels like so I forgive. When it comes to brotherly love those are my strong points. My weakness is the anger I feel when I see people taken advantage of. I have no compassion for the preditor who pounces upon a person in distress because this is their weakest moment. Banks charge the most intrest to those who can least afford it and justify that by saying that the greater intrest is necessary because of the greater risk. Wouldn't a lower payment be less risky??? Hospitals give better care to those with better insurance and little or no care to those without. Wealth building evangelists take the last dime from a starving person promising hope while they eat like kings. I guess that is the weak point of my brotherly love. I just cannot tolerate people taking advantage of other people; esp. when it comes to the word of God. Jer. 23:30 "Therefore," declares the Lord, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes," declares the Lord, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The Lord declares.' 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the Lord. "They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the Lord." (NIV) Darrell

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire." Fear of God is healthy. The same fear that compels us to obey our parents should compel us to be obedient to God. It is a fear that produces love, trust, respect, honor, and obedience toward God. The law of Moses which could be shaken and therefore not perfect made no allowance for forgiveness, only sacrifice. The kingdom which we inheirit is made perfect in us if we live in Christ. How do we know if Christ lives in us as He lives in the Father? 1 John 4:12 "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit." (NIV) Love has no sacrifice, because in perfect love there is no sin. But in our incompleteness and because God is perfect there is forgiveness. In that forgiveness we are made complete only through Christ. And this cannot be shaken: God loves us and in the same way he loves us we should love one another because no one can say, "I love the Creator but hate the creation." Jesus sums up Hebrews 12 and 1 John 4 this way, "Matt. 22:37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."" Darrell

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. This is the point of Christ's gospel, ministry, and purpose that is most misunderstood. Out of love for his creation, God sent his Son as a living sacrifice for our sins. That is the grace of God, the forgiveness of our sins. If our sins were not forgiven there would be no need for the LORD to go to the trouble of building a place in heaven for us because ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD. But through the sacrifice of ONE all may experience the glory. See that no one misses the grace of God is not that we preach to one another but to show the same forgiveness toward one another that God has shown toward us. Make every effort to live in peace with one another. He doesn't say make a little effort but every effor to live in peace with one another. Luke 12:48 "But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Those who refuse to forgive will not be forgiven and those who accept the forgiveness are asked to show forgiveness. This is the road to being holy, I first admitted that I was a sinner, second I asked for forgiveness, and third I got my eye off myself and onto others. The quicker a person looks away from self to others the quicker healing comes. Notice that these things are all self-centered things: "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like." And these are are all other-centered things: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control." There is always two sides to a coin. If sacrifice on one side doesn't lead to righteousness on the other, maybe, just maybe, we are showing the wrong coin. Darrell

I am not sure what it was like to live in the Garden of Eden because all my life I have had to work for what I have eaten and there were days I have had little to eat. This was the original punishment for sin and we are still living under that punishment. Gen. 3:17 "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (KJV) To say that God does not punish is to say that God has lied all these years. God hates sin, always has and still does. The big misunderstanding about Cain is that his offering was not good enough. It was not the offering but the sin that controlled Cains life which upset God. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 [b]If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." [/b] The life we lead today is either under the watchful eye of the LORD or it is not. If it is under the eye of the LORD then he will guide us with corrective measures, call it punisment or guidance, but it is still out of love. Darrell

Spiritual warfare is a lifelong battle and I don't know if I have been overcome by Satan but I sure have been pushed back by him. I am going through one of those pushed back times right now. I was just this morning praying about my spiritual dryness. Jesus cautions us that we are not of this world but at times the world has such a grave impact upon me when I see the church going the way of the world I just want to give up. Today I see little difference between the two, the church and the world. Maybe it is because we have lost sight and can no longer distinguish between right and wrong. The line has become so distorted it is hard to tell where I stand. I see the Catholic church paying out hundreds of millions of dollars around the U.S. to cover all the sexual abuse accusations, I see the dialing for dollars ministry on T.V. promising a fortune if I send in my last dollar, I see the same politicians, who in the face of dishonor, clamoring to the podium to tell the public which church they attend, I see ministers defending corporate leaders after the Enron crash saying they are nice people who attend church every Sunday and did nothing wrong, and then I attend a small group meeting and one person tells his story. It is a stroy of how a street minister would not give up on him and got involved in his life. Told him how the LORD had a better life for him and that he should get out of the gang and live for the LORD. He told how the LORD delivered him from drugs and a gang life, how the LORD delivered him from prison to northern Idaho, from making lots of money selling drugs to making a little money with his hands, he told how the LORD is restoring family relations, he told how much he loves the LORD and I began to regain what was lost. Darrell

The writer moves on from the Old Testament describing those who did great things because of their faith ( who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised) into the New Testament and the first Christians who faced persecution because of their faith (These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised). NOT YET RECIEVED THE PROMISE!!! And then I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth; sin has not yet been destroyed, Satan is still the ruler over the earth, and untill then the battle is still on. They are a great cloud of witnesses because they have offered proof by their actions that loving and living for Christ is worthy, much more worthy than a life centered around self and sin. Darrell

Throughout history there has been glorious moments in several people's lives maybe in all lives. Abraham Lincoln said, "It is difficult to make a man miserable while he feels worthy of himself and claims kindred to the great God who made him." The difference between a moment of glory and a lifetime of service to God is the faith we place in God verses the worthiness of self. Moses' service to God began when he felt his lowest, and was sustained by his faith in God. Moses' willingness to suffer was was something he didn't even realize he was doing, I know when I am doing something which is motivated by pleasing God and face struggles I don't realize I am struggling. But when the same things are motivated by self the struggles seem endless. Jesus gave us the vision, and that vision is sustained by faith, a glorious life in heaven. Darrell

I cannot say that faith is a motivation, I can say that faith is a strong belief. The motivation behind the actions in each of these cases was different. Their belief or faith was in the word of God, His promise to see them through moments of crisis or through to a destination. By faith, when I bid on and get a job to paint a building, I take my own money and buy supplies. By faith I get up at five A. M. and go to work every day. By faith I work all day long to the best of my ability. By faith I make payments to my employees. All this I do till the job is finished and by faith I give the person who hired me a bill for my services.. I spend my own money and my time because I trust that the person will pay me at the completion of the job. That is faith, my motivation is the payment I will recieve. The nation of Israel, at the Red Sea and from time to time, forgot what Rahab believed strongly in. ( When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.) Rahab had real faith in God. Her motivation was salvation for her and her family and she believed only God could give her that salvation. Isn't that our faith and our motivation? The nation of Israel felt like they were between a rock and a hard place at the Red Sea, with the Egyptian army behind them and the sea in front of them they began to doubt God. They began to believe that God had sent them on a forty year walk only to deliver them to their enemy. Moses believed God even though he didn't know how God would pull off a miricle this time, so he said just sit back and watch. Now here is where God forces action to work with faith, God said, "What are you crying for, just get up and go." Yep he told Moses to lift up that reminder of faith, that stick he told him to pick up years earlier, lift it above his head and go. Their motivation was salvation and their deliverer was the LORD. The Egyptian army was motivated by either anger or a sence of duty to the Pharaoh. God said he would harden the hearts of the enemy so they would lose sight of what they were doing and destroy them in the process. And that is what he did. There are many things wich can be a motivation to us. Wealth, popularity, respect, power and much more. On the surface these are not bad things but that is not what the LORD says should be the motivation behind our faith. Our motivation should be salvation and the desire to spend eternity in worship of Him. Darrell

In practical terms, what would be the characteristics of a believer who lived his life as an "alien" and "stranger" here on earth? The characteristics of a believer living as a stranger is the measuring stick we use to determine success. We measure success in terms of the spirit [b](love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control)[/b]. The world has a differant measuring stick, it is one of material posessions which determines success. D.L Moody's ministry surpasses any of the ministries today, and he did it in the mid 1800's without the aid of radio, television, computer, or fast transportation. His ministry focused on the love of God and the truth found in John 3:16. His personal belief wat this, "I hold losely to the things of the world which I possess, because I never know when the LORD might require them of me." The United States offers everyone a bit of freedom, I find it odd, that as Christians we seldom exercise the freedom of prayer, and worship untill it is threatened. The Sunday School class of teens I taught thought it was against the law to take their bibles to school. I informed them that they were terribly misinformed and challenged them to take thier bibles and open them up during free time for one month and see what happened. What happened is there is now a bible study club which meets during lunch time. If we do not exercise the freedoms we have they will soon dissapear without notice. Darrell

9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Abraham was in the promised land, the land God had chosen for him and his decendents to inheirit. More than likely he was camped at the spot where Jeruselum was to be built, with the city gates, walls, and temple to come later. But what made him live like a stranger in a foreign country? God had given him the land. The customs of the people who lived there is what made him a stranger. I was raised in a small town in Idaho, when I moved to Redwood City CA. I acted the same as if I were in Genesee ID. My first day there I went outside, spotted my new neighbor and said, "Good morning." They all but grabbed the kids and ran back inside. Now in Genesee you cannot drive three blocks without waving to at least six differant people, because that is our custom. Not so in the big city, you don't wave or be any sort of friendly. But I didn't give up I kept on saying hi to people I didn't know and waving at people who gave me the dumb look or worse. A stranger in a place I chose to call home. But it didn't last but three years till I moved back to a town near Genesee. Abraham chose to honor God and obey God's commands, that is what set him apart and make him like a stranger. Here is what the LORD says to Moses as the nation of Israel again heads off to the promised land; "Lev. 18:3 You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. 4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD."(NIV) So by faith Abraham lived like a stranger (following the customs of God and not of the city where he lived). Our city is being built and the cornerstone is Christ a stumbling block for some and a stepping stone for others; a stepping stone not to be trod on but to be lifted up by. The customs of the church are to be those which are obedient to God and as Christians living by faith, those customs should be familiar enough to us to make us feel like home. Those customs should be like a retreat, a place to come back to when the ways of the world overcome us. I never felt so much relief as when I saw the breaks of the Columbia Basin the day I returned to Idaho. That is the way we should feel each time we attend church, while awaiting the return of our LORD. That is the time when we will live in the city which will last forever. Rev. 21:2 "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband." Darrell

11 By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. Q4. (Hebrews 11:11). Which part of faith is related to (1) the depth of Abraham's confidence in God? Which part of faith is related to (2) the real existence and power of such a God? How would you describe a faith that lacks either element? Confidence in God is directly proportional to the relationship with and knowlege of God. The power of God is independant of either of these. God told Abraham he would have a son through his seed, not understanding completely the will of God Abraham had a child with Sarah's maid servant. Even though he didn't completely understand God's will, Abraham went ahead in the wrong direction, opposit of God's will for Abraham. Then when God's will was completely revealed to Sarah and Abraham, Sarah laughed in disbelief. God's will still prevailed. Faith that lacks the complete knowlege or confidence in the will of God will lead to either missing out on God's will or add misery to others. God has a will or desire for each and every one of us. His will is that all come know the power of His saving grace for each and every one of us. This is His promise to us John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." We can, like Abraham, add to this promise, or like Sarah, scoff at this promise, but in doing so we will either miss out or add misery to the will of God. Faith leads to trust, trust leads to knowlege, knowlege is belief with understanding, and understanding leads to doing the right thing. James 2:18 "But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." Darrell

The basis of Noah's faith as ours is the Word of God. God spoke to Noah, Noah believed and responded, then God delivered. Noah's fear (Love of God) was the driving force behind his actions. What is the basis of our faith?? Good question that requires daily thought and prayer because daily, it should be the love of God and the love of our neighbor, but even for me I get caught up in self and love of self becomes my driving force. I pray that that is not the case too often and fight not to give in to the prosperity preaching which has all but destroyed God's word today. The two diferences between God's word to Noah and God's word to us is the messenger and the message. God's word to Noah was save yourself, God's word to us is save others. If we believe and obey we already have a place in heaven and our concern should be for others. God had already given up on everybody save Noah, but not so the case today. It is our duty through our actions to be a guiding light to the saving grace of the LORD. Faith comes from hearing but it is watered and nutured through actions.. In faith you cultivate and plant a garden but the harvest comes only after watering and daily care. Darrell

The first element of faith is belief in God's existence. Why is the second element just as essential to true faith? What does it mean to "seek" God? What difference does it make whether or not you believe God will reward seekers? I think the big difference whether you believe in the reward is when the reward comes. Noah's reward didn't come in the midst of mockery, but with the destruction of the world. God asked and Noah obeyed, in faith for 120 years he was obedient. He built an ark, informed the people of the short life expectancy, gathered animals, and waited upon the LORD. And then he recieved his reward. When is our reward to come. Is it now with fancy meals and fine wine, fast cars and big houses, is it with large bank accounts and spendy clothes, or is it in heaven for eternity??? Jesus asks why do you chase after this (worry about) for you will be clothed and fed much better. But when??? And what are we to do with the short life expectancy?? Gather these things to praise God, or to share what we have and inform others about the coming of the LORD???? Jesus also says the person who seeks the reward for now will have used the reward for later!!!! Darrell

1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Faith is the driving force which propells mankind to do everything and anything. Some have faith in themselves, but for the Christian we place our faith in the LORD. The difference between the two is the evidence which sustains that faith. The world in us seeks approval from others which is attained through physical appearance, power, or the accumulation of money. Think about it: how many advertizements have you seen for hair replacements, botox, tummy tucks, exercise machines, teeth whiteners, investment schemes, get rich in the realestate, etc. etc. in the past month? All for the preceived judgement of man. The key to these verses is, "After he had provided purification for sins". This is also the key to the "Parable of the Talents" believe it or not. We are all sinners and the one with the ten talents was forgiven much and he forgave much as God will in turn, in heaven, forgive much more. The person who forgives does not judge and sees no need to escape judgement and therefore is not a slave to themselves, chasing after the best of the world. So for me I have faith that Jesus died, rose again and is now seated at the right hand of God and has prepared a place in heaven just for me and I would rather chase after that, than chase after the wind. P.S. I think it odd that mankind chases after the thing which he longs to escape. Darrell

Just like the nation of Israel, when they came to the banks of the Red Sea with the Egyptian army behind them, (Ex. 14:11 They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!") I too have felt alone and surrounded by troubles. Faith is hard at times especially when a person feels all alone. Sometimes all it takes is a prayer from a stranger, other times it takes more. The more is hard to find at times and that is why I really strive to live by the Good Samaritan example Jesus gave. Just yesterday a motorhome pulled up outside our house, a lady exited and walked down the street. Her husband got out with two dogs on a leash and I went outside to tell him that he could bring the two dogs into the yard and let them cool off as it was over 100 degrees. He shared with me that he and his wife were picking up his stepdaughter for the summer. He also shared that the trip with the moterhome had cost way more than expected and that he tried to sell some things at the local pawn shop and had no luck. Well silly me I went in and told my wife what was going on and together we gathered what money we had and gave it to them. Most people wouldn't have noticed the trouble the man was in let alone inviting him into thier yard and then to give them gas money.. It is a lot easier to cry out to the LORD in times of trouble than it is to keep on when you feel that no one cares. (15 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.) I can't think of anywhere this verse applies today, you just won't find it. (Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.) I guess you just have to consider two things: 1 who is your neighbor and 2 what is your goal?? Darrell

Any one who continues in sin deliberately having a choice between sinning or not to sin is in judgement because that is like trampling the grace of the cross. The weakness of the flesh is the sin which overcomes each one of us from time to time, the sin which is commited without thinking or of which is still not in our control. I was an alcholic; God took from me the desire to drink, but if I, having recieved that which is from God rejected it, I would be guilty of trampling the Sod of God under foot. If I choose to go on drinking how much more grace is there?? I had asked God hundreds of times to take away the burden of alchol and when He did, He also began a whole new work in me, changing everything. There are still things He is working on because I am a stuborn person, and besides I had only asked him to take away the alchohol. Each day the I in my life becomes less and less important and the Love of others and of God replaces it. The most important thing I have learned is, the quicker a person can get out of self and into God and others the better chance that person has in experiencing a life pleasing to God. There is nothing in vrs 10:29 which indicates to me the writer is speaking of anything less than the fact that we are the light of the world and should show a light that is worthy of the grace given us through the sacrifice of God's Son on the cross. Romans 6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? darrell

According to Hebrews 3:13 and 10:24-25, what should be a prime motive for meeting together with other Christians? What is our usual motivation? Why do Christians so often get out of the habit of attending church or a small group? How can we help these individuals? The prime motive for meeting together should be two-fold; the first reason to attend church should be the love of God. The second reason is the love of others. When I first started attending church I was seeking something, I didn't know what, but I knew the life I had was missing something. I found that something in the love of God. It was a love that none had shown me before (except my mother). It was an unconditional, self sacrificing, unlimited love which I found in Jesus. Now how could I not attend church knowing that kind of love? Matt. 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." The reason I continue to attend church is to share that love which I found in Christ. Not by just showing up but by encouraging others and giving part of myself whether in labor or time. The reason people quit going to church is the lack of love by the so called Christians not the lack of love from God. Darrell

The blood of bulls was an atoning sacrifice only because this is the sacrifice which God had set as acceptable in the OT. Did he like it? No, because he said, "Is not obediance better than sacrifice?" And in chapter 8 of this study the writer points out this, "9 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the Lord." The thing that separates the New from the Old is that God is himself the sacrifice and therefore will never again turn his back on us, but will remain hopeful that we come into obediance. Have the sins of the world been taken away already, or is that to come later?? When Jesus returns in final judgement every knee will bow and I believe that is when all the sins of the world will be taken away. We accept God's sacrifice of His Son as our atonement to bring us back into faith in Him, for sin cannot remain faithful. Jesus says this about sin and His return, Matt. 24:12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But those who endure to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then, finally, the end will come. With televangelests promising the first 300 people who send in a thousand dollars will become millionares within 90 days (Inspiration today telecast June 24 2007) and the other things going on in the world, I wonder how close we are to those times Jesus is refering to.