Praise the LORD!!!
Good morning my brothers and sisters in CHRIST! I pray all are well and if not, you're petitioning the LORD for your healing.
You may ask, "What is a 'sugar coated' GOSPEL?" Please, don't think I'd place something before you and not explain that which the LORD has laid upon my heart (for that is the very reason behind this blog, to explain GOD's leading in my life.) A 'sugar coated' GOSPEL is that which most of us have heard preached. One where salvation, though the cost was great, is free to anyone willing to receive JESUS as LORD and SAVIOR. Well this is true, as far as it's being freely given. But the sugar coating is applied when we're told that there is no cost to those that receive it.
Don't get me wrong, the gift is free, but what it cost us after receiving it, is far from it and I believe one of the major reasons the church is in the sad shape that it is today. Numerous times in scripture we hear JESUS telling people to follow HIM. In each of these cases, they dropped that which they were doing and followed, or at least in those that were willing to leave their old lives behind. Peter, Andrew, James and John, successful fishermen, left their business' behind to follow HIM. The others, that also followed JESUS, left behind their lives and means of livelihood. On numerous other occasions, there were those that JESUS asked to follow HIM, but there were more important things within their lives, or at least they thought so, than to do so.
In scripture JESUS tells us that we must be willing to forsake all(a large cost to us) to follow HIM. This sure looks like a large cost to me! We're also told that we have to forsake the world to follow HIM. Another large cost, yet literally, the same. Then how is it that in churches today and the majority of our witnessing, people don't mention these cost? The "SUGAR COATING"
I didn't give any verse references. Why you may ask? Simply this, there are numerous and this I believe, is something we must all look much deeper into on our own, and in our Bibles. As for the whys behind this decades long trend of events, there also is to many to list. I would have to say though, that it has to do with the 'worldly search for head count,' that practice of getting them in and filling our coffers. I could go on, but I'll not, for I'm being led to leave this in each person's own hands. May the LORD bless you with the presence of the HOLY SPIRIT as you endeavor to seek out this truth!!!
GOD bless and good day,
Rev. Marshall Barth
Vine of CHRIST Ministries
For prayer request, email: prayers@vineofchrist.org
Showing posts with label seeking out of. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seeking out of. Show all posts
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
3.10.10_ Jere. 29:11-13_GOD's plans (a re post)
This is a re post, because I had to do a little construction job for the church I'm attending. I built them a sound booth for the children ministry and it took a good bit of work and still has some finishing work to complete. Due to this I didn't get back to the house in time to complete a devotional, surprisingly though, the LORD didn't give me one today either. Then again, the LORD always has a tendency to surprise us! Praise the LORD!!!
GOD bless all that have begun to stop by and read that which GOD has laid upon my heart for you. May HE bless you as much as HE has me through pondering HIS great scriptures and how HE has effected our walks through them!!!
Jeremiah 29:11-13
" For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon ME and come and pray to ME, and I will listen to you. You will seek ME and find ME when you seek ME with all of your heart."
This isn't one of my life verses, though it truly could be. GOD has done awesome wonders within my life, some to date that I may not even realize. For there were many years that GOD was allowing me to 'run' from HIM, very many of those were steeped in a cloud of drug abuse. Therefore I've only slight remembrance of these years, but even then GOD was forming up HIS perfect testimony through me. Yes, my years of running from GOD and self abuse are witness' to the great wisdom and power of GOD to effect a person's life for HIS ultimate glory. For if it were not for these years, my testimony wouldn't be that which it is and I'd far less equiped to reach those living lives of the same sort. No moment of your life isn't seen and usable to GOD.
GOD has a plan for every detail of our lives, no matter how small and insignificant they seem to be. No matter how vile and evil our thoughts and actions, GOD is able to turn them into a testimony to HIS glory. Whether we are living a life for GOD, or for our own glory, GOD is working through our actions to bring about HIS master plan for mankind . Even the most decrepit of men's lives are and will be used of GOD (not always because of their turning to GOD,but because the works of GOD are manifest through their darkness.) We are told in scripture that GOD chooses those with the least amount of favor among men to represent the KINGDOM(1 Cor. 1:26-28). Just look at the apostle Paul. How he was going around persecuting the Church and then by a direct revelation of CHRIST he suddenly became the writer of some of our most cherished New Testament books.
If you are suffering through times of hardship right now, or maybe sickness has come upon you. Take into consideration that GOD is at work, both within and through your problems. HE is using these times to draw your attention to HIS great abilities to preform and work great miracles through your life. HE is seeking to draw your focus from upon yourself and unto HIMSELF! Your life is a living and growing testimony to the power of GOD, each and every detail of it. So if you're suffering from economic woes or health problems, take your eyes off of these, seek HIS presence in these problems, Ask HIM in prayer what HIS purpose is for these times. Yes, ask for relief from these burdens, but also seek to know the why behind them. GOD is right there in the mist of these troubles, walking along with you, carrying you through them. Yet you've had your focus on self and the problems and not on HE that is greater then them and has been helping you to bare the burden of them. GOD has promised to never leave you or forsake you(Deut. 31;6). HE has promised to never place upon your shoulders more then you can handle. HE has promised to always be there with you, to help you and carry you through the hardest of times. Take HIM on HIS WORD and begin living a life like never before. One where GOD and GOD alone receives all the glory, honor and praise that is due HIM!!!
Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org
GOD bless and good day,
Rev. Marshall Barth
Vine of CHRIST Ministries
Vine Ministerial Network International
Praise the LORD!!!
GOD bless all that have begun to stop by and read that which GOD has laid upon my heart for you. May HE bless you as much as HE has me through pondering HIS great scriptures and how HE has effected our walks through them!!!
Jeremiah 29:11-13
" For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon ME and come and pray to ME, and I will listen to you. You will seek ME and find ME when you seek ME with all of your heart."
This isn't one of my life verses, though it truly could be. GOD has done awesome wonders within my life, some to date that I may not even realize. For there were many years that GOD was allowing me to 'run' from HIM, very many of those were steeped in a cloud of drug abuse. Therefore I've only slight remembrance of these years, but even then GOD was forming up HIS perfect testimony through me. Yes, my years of running from GOD and self abuse are witness' to the great wisdom and power of GOD to effect a person's life for HIS ultimate glory. For if it were not for these years, my testimony wouldn't be that which it is and I'd far less equiped to reach those living lives of the same sort. No moment of your life isn't seen and usable to GOD.
GOD has a plan for every detail of our lives, no matter how small and insignificant they seem to be. No matter how vile and evil our thoughts and actions, GOD is able to turn them into a testimony to HIS glory. Whether we are living a life for GOD, or for our own glory, GOD is working through our actions to bring about HIS master plan for mankind . Even the most decrepit of men's lives are and will be used of GOD (not always because of their turning to GOD,but because the works of GOD are manifest through their darkness.) We are told in scripture that GOD chooses those with the least amount of favor among men to represent the KINGDOM(1 Cor. 1:26-28). Just look at the apostle Paul. How he was going around persecuting the Church and then by a direct revelation of CHRIST he suddenly became the writer of some of our most cherished New Testament books.
If you are suffering through times of hardship right now, or maybe sickness has come upon you. Take into consideration that GOD is at work, both within and through your problems. HE is using these times to draw your attention to HIS great abilities to preform and work great miracles through your life. HE is seeking to draw your focus from upon yourself and unto HIMSELF! Your life is a living and growing testimony to the power of GOD, each and every detail of it. So if you're suffering from economic woes or health problems, take your eyes off of these, seek HIS presence in these problems, Ask HIM in prayer what HIS purpose is for these times. Yes, ask for relief from these burdens, but also seek to know the why behind them. GOD is right there in the mist of these troubles, walking along with you, carrying you through them. Yet you've had your focus on self and the problems and not on HE that is greater then them and has been helping you to bare the burden of them. GOD has promised to never leave you or forsake you(Deut. 31;6). HE has promised to never place upon your shoulders more then you can handle. HE has promised to always be there with you, to help you and carry you through the hardest of times. Take HIM on HIS WORD and begin living a life like never before. One where GOD and GOD alone receives all the glory, honor and praise that is due HIM!!!
Scripture to seek out: 1 Cor. 1:26-30, 10:13; Matt. 6:33, 34, 12:28-30; Heb. 13:5
Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org
GOD bless and good day,
Rev. Marshall Barth
Vine of CHRIST Ministries
Vine Ministerial Network International
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