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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Oct 9th, 2007 08:31 pm |
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turquoise001
The Privilege Of Prayer
By Pete Macinta
God in holy love designed man to communicate with Him. Throughout the Holy Bible, from Genesis to Revelation we see men praying to God, talking with Him.
Essentially, prayer is simple communication with Him. No fancy words are are needed -- just sincerity and humility. One does not have to use a pre-written prayer, they just have to pray from their heart.
There are many aspects to prayer, too numerous to mention in these Bible GemLights. However, what we shall focus upon this time is the fact that we should be praying for good things, things that God would want for Himself.
In Genesis we read that man did have fellowship with God, but that fellowship was broken because man sinned. He disobeyed God and ate of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Nonetheless, God still wanted men to call upon, and many people did. His Holy Spirit touched all people, encouraging them to call out to Him.
In the days that Jesus walked the earth there was animosity between the Jews and the Gentiles. Our Lord, of course, touched the lives of a number of Gentiles before His passion on the Cross, resurrection and ascension.
Sometime after the day of Pentecost, Cornelius, a Gentile, was praying to God. As we read the account in Acts 10 we can see that this man was hungry for God. This is what we should all be hungry for.
God sent an angel that directed him to send for Peter. When Peter arrived, Cornelius explained (verses 30-31), "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, ‘Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms have been remembered in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter. He is lodged in the house of one Simon, a tanner, by the seaside. He, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.'"
As we read the remainder of the story, we will see Peter preached to a roomful of people in Cornelius' house. Apparently most believed the Gospel of Christ and were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Cornelius' hunger for God was filled to overflowing partly because he sincerely prayed to God. Because of his sincere prayer, and dedication, the hunger of others was also met. There are many treasures in prayer, and one hungry for God will take the time to pray. Have you spent some time lately to speak with Him Who created you? In reading Acts 10, you might think to yourself that you are not as good as Cornelius. Keep in mind that Cornelius needed the Savior as much as anyone else. When we humbly come to Christ asking Him to cleanse us from our sin and take up residence within us, He will do it.
When that happens, you will learn that God desires to be our Friend Who wants to fellowship with us every day.
Why not speak with Him now?
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© 2007 Macinta Ministries
All rights reserved. Each Bible GemLight is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be singularly reprinted by individuals or organizations on paper or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author; there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta; and its distribution is without charge. Newspapers and similar media, may publish Bible GemLights. Bible Gemlights remains the property of Macinta Ministries.
Last edited on Tue Oct 9th, 2007 08:34 pm by Pete Macinta
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Oct 2nd, 2007 07:15 pm |
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hematite002
Fortress of Solitude
By Pete Macinta
What was your favorite comic book when you were a child? Mine was Superman. Archie came in a close second, but to me, the "man of steel" was tops.
Sometimes childhood can be quite turbulent. Mine was somewhat. Partly my parents' cause (though they did not know it), partly mine, and the rest came from the usual trouble we meet. Some of that was from other children being somewhat unkind to me.
Keep in mind this was before mom, dad, and myself came to personally know Jesus. After hearing argument upon heated argument, with my mom thinking that dad was going to kill her, my nerves were getting rattled. They really got a rattle when my mom all of the sudden to me and my sister and fled away.
Eventually she went to the hospital for mental illness, I was placed with my aunt for two weeks, and I forget what happened with my big sister during that time. My cousins had plenty of comic books and I found the Superman variety quite appealing. Aside from his super strength, in reality his "Fortress of Solitude" seemed to bring some comfort to me.
After a busy day of defeating evil space aliens and humans, and at times plagued with a pressing problem, Superman flew to that northern hideout where he could relax and think about things. I thought it would be great for me to have such a fortress.
About ten years later I found myself a Senior in high school -- and a complete failure. No colleges accepted me and I had other problems.
However, on January 25, 1970, I turned to a "higher power," and the only power that could eternally help -- God. In essence, I followed what David spoke by the Holy Spirit in Psalm 61:1-2, "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I." I surrendered to His Son, Jesus Christ.
Many things happened at that moment, but one thing I need to bring out for this Bible GemLight is the fact I felt His peace and protection. My spiritual eyes were opened, and I then realized my whole family had been in the grips of satan (I avoid capitalizing that name). Mom and dad argued because of their sin nature and I had been rattled because of my sin nature. Satan was the enemy.
Trouble, of course, kept coming after I became a Christian. There were even times I thought I had more than my share! However, each incident nudged me to run to God, Whom I found the Fortress of Solitude that I needed. Verse 3 reads, "For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy."
But, we should not just go to God only in times of trouble. We should enjoy the peaceful presence of God every day. As David said by the Holy Spirit in verse 4, "I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings." Please do not think you are bothering God. He is waiting for you.
By the way, mom and dad made their peace with Christ, and each other, by the end of the year.
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All rights reserved. Each Bible GemLight is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be singularly reprinted by individuals or organizations on paper or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author; there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta; and its distribution is without charge. Newspapers and similar media, may publish Bible GemLights. Bible Gemlights remains the property of Macinta Ministries. Last edited on Tue Oct 2nd, 2007 07:20 pm by Pete Macinta
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Sep 25th, 2007 09:38 pm |
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chalcedony001
The Fresh Start
By Pete Macinta
The virgin birth of Christ was a mystery to me before I dedicated my life to Jesus Christ in 1970. First of all, I thought the idea was ridiculous, considering it a fable. Also, I saw no reason as to why, if He had really existed, did He have to be born of a virgin.
Those were the years when I considered myself very "scientific" minded, and harbored hatred toward God and His people. However, through the prayers and the persistent witness of those people, I did turn my life over to Christ on January 25, 1970.
At that point, my mind began to be transformed to that of the mind of Christ. I do not say that to brag. That happens to anyone who truly commits to Christ, and that fact will probably be a topic of a future Bible GemLight.
As the days progressed I continued to read more and more of the Holy Bible. That, coupled with the fact of attending church, helped me to understand that the virgin birth was necessary because mankind needed a fresh start.
Adam committed sin and we are all descendants of Adam. I know some may feel it is not fair that we have a sin nature because some great ancestor we saw never transgressed. However, had he, nor any of our ancestors had not sinned, we would be enjoying the benefits of their obedience today.
There had to be a rescue. Mankind needed a fresh start. Mankind needed to be rescued--spirit, soul and body. Someone had to take away our sin, but that someone could not be a descendent of Adam paternally.
It was needful for a virgin to conceive without involvement of sinful man. And, most people know the Holy Bible shows a virgin named Mary conceived the Child of the Holy Spirit. So, as it is written in Romans 5:17-19, "For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."
1 Corinthians 15:45 adds, "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." Because of His incarnation, victorious and sacrificial life, atoning work on the cross, and triumphant resurrection and ascension, we now have the option to make a truly fresh start. We can, by God's power, be changed from a son of Adam to a son of God. However, we must agree to make the switch. We do so by admitting we are sinners by nature, and asking Christ into our life, fully committing ourselves to Him.
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© 2007 Macinta Ministries
All rights reserved. Each Bible GemLight is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be singularly reprinted by individuals or organizations on paper or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author; there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta; and its distribution is without charge. Newspapers and similar media, may publish Bible GemLights. Bible Gemlights remains the property of Macinta Ministries. Last edited on Tue Oct 2nd, 2007 07:19 pm by Pete Macinta
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Sep 18th, 2007 11:54 pm |
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chrysoberyl001
Vital Life
By Pete Macinta
Despite what some may have us to think, as one reads the Holy Bible with an open mind they will see that God offers life to those that want it.
Before His victorious death upon the cross, the Lord Jesus spoke to His disciples about the necessity of abiding (dwelling) in Him. As recorded in the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of John He referred to Himself as the True Vine, and its branches were those who were truly committed to Him, fully trusting Him. He tells them in verse three, "Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you." Indeed the Word of God has life-giving cleansing effect. One really does not know what they have been missing until they cross the line and make that commitment to Christ.
But there is one thing that many miss about the true Christian walk. They willingly have to stay in Christ. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, no more can ye, unless ye abide in Me." -- verse 4. We can see examples of this in daily life. If you cut a rose from its bush and place it in water it lasts for a time, but not as long as it would have been had it remained with the bush. Unlike a flower, we have our own will and we can decide if we will stay in Christ or not.
If we stay in Christ, He causes us to produce eternal fruit -- (verse 5) "I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in Me and I in Him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without Me ye can do nothing." We will increase with good qualities and talents. However, we must be very careful to give Him the credit lest pride creeps into our heart.
The Lord also gave a warning in this passage. If we choose not to abide in Him we face judgment (verse 6): "If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." Yes indeed, there is a hell to flee.
Don't be fooled by those who like proclaim the love and mercy of God above His holiness. No sinner (and we are all sinners) inherits eternal life. We must come to Christ, committing our lives to Him. In so doing, our sins goes, His life comes into us and grows!
Christ then made this statement: "If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." Sometimes people like to focus in on the last part of that verse thinking that God is going to grant their every wish.
However, the contingency is that we must abide in Him. If we are abiding in Him, He will be living through us. We will act and think like He does. We desire the same things that He does.
When this occurs, one will find they will not be desiring the materialistic transient things of earth, but the golden eternal purposes of God that last forever.
This is the vital life that God offers through His Son to all -- if they trust Him completely.
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© 2007 Macinta Ministries
All rights reserved. Each Bible GemLight is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be singularly reprinted by individuals or organizations on paper or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author; there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta; and its distribution is without charge. Newspapers and similar media, may publish Bible GemLights. Bible Gemlights remains the property of Macinta Ministries.
Last edited on Tue Sep 18th, 2007 11:57 pm by Pete Macinta
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Sep 11th, 2007 05:41 pm |
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chrysoprase001 You, Too, Can Be Brilliant
By Pete Macinta
Ever get amazed at some people that have fantastic minds? Every now and then someone comes along that dazzles the public with their mental prowess. When I was a child, the physicist Albert Einstein got my attention and later it was the great chess champion Bobby Fischer. Both were true experts in their respective fields. No doubt some people admired these men.
Others get some attention today but so often their field of endeavor falls short of what the Word of God would term as "good" knowledge. Too many "wise" people of today flaunt a "wisdom" that involves the acceptance of sin and low grade content.
Yet, if one looks hard enough, occasionally you will come across such a person, though they may not be nationally or internationally recognized.
Do you know that person can be you? It would not matter if you never got past grade school, have a low IQ, are plagued with mental shortcomings, or whatever: It still can be you.
There are only two things you need. One, of course, would have to be God, for we know that in His holiness He can do all things. Nothing is impossible to Him. Our human frailties are quite correctable when we meet His conditions.
The other thing would be what He wrote, the Holy Bible. Sure, God used people to write it, but He is the true Author and He made very sure that it would have all that we would need for Eternal Life.
While the Holy Bible is not a science textbook or chess manual, it is the holy food for our spirit which is going last forever after our brain cells have decomposed along with our bodies. With that, the Holy Bible does state we will have new bodies after our death,and these new bodies will house our spirit that we now have. So while it is good to exercise our minds providing we exercise them properly, it is of utmost importance we nurture our spirit by reading the Word of God, studying it, and thinking about it.
By the Holy Spirit, a psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:99, "I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation." The man who wrote it by the direction of God was indicating he had read God's Word, and thought about.
If you are not already doing so, pick up your Bible (most people have one or have access to one) and ask God to lead you to a passage to read and ask Him to have it speak to your heart. If you have not already done so, ask Him to forgive you of all your sins and have His Son, Jesus Christ, become Ruler in your life.
The whole Bible speaks of Him in one way or another, and He called Himself the Bread of Life. Feast on the Word of God today. Do not worry about names you cannot pronounce, and what you do not understand, if you ask God, He will give you understanding in due time.
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© 2007 Macinta Ministries
All rights reserved. Each Bible GemLight is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be singularly reprinted by individuals or organizations on paper or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author; there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta;
and its distribution is without charge. Newspapers and similar media, may publish Bible GemLights. Bible Gemlights remains the property of Macinta Ministries. Last edited on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 05:43 pm by Pete Macinta
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Sep 4th, 2007 09:49 pm |
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jasper001
The Need To Be Alert
By Pete Macinta While September 11, 2001 continues to be remembered as one of the most tragic days in the history of the United States, there have been a few good things that have developed from that horrible day. One such thing is the fact that much of the nation is more alert to attacks than what it had been in previous years. Law enforcement, emergency personnel and other groups have received special training over the years to hone their observation skills and be prepared to take action when the next event occurs.
It pays to be alert, and the Holy Bible exhorts one to be on guard with things that are sure to come and no one can stop. The Great Tribulation is something the Holy Bible has repeatedly indicated would come upon the face of the earth. It is a period of time which may begin with a false peace, but will erupt to the point of the near annihilation of Israel.
This is the time when no one will be able to buy or sell without having some type of bodily identification (mark). The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ also points out it will be a time of a series of judgments from God upon humans, and that many, if not all, will refuse to repent. You might think that strange at first, but consider that many today do not believe the Holy Bible, and there are a number of people that twist what it says either to condone sin or grab a few fleeting dollars.
Nonetheless, the Bible has given numerous warnings about what must occur before the Great Tribulation and, without a doubt, these things are occurring: There shall be wars, rumor of wars, earthquakes in various places, iniquity increasing, and more (Matthew 25:1-14). There many other indicators throughout the Word of God.
Those that truly know Christ are acutely aware of these indicators and press on to serve, pray, and win the lost to Christ. By the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4, "But as to the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they are saying, 'Peace and safety,' then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that Day should overtake you as a thief."
Having Christ in one's life prepares them for the time that is about to come upon the face of the earth. There are some Christians like myself that feel the Body of Christ will be taken to heaven before the Great Tribulation but, nevertheless, all Christians should be ready to stay or to go.
If you do not know Christ as your personal Savior, if you have not been born-again, listen to the tug of the Holy Spirit upon your heart now and commit your life to Christ.
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© 2007 Macinta Ministries
All rights reserved. Each Bible GemLight is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be singularly reprinted by individuals or organizations on paper or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author; there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta; and its distribution is without charge. Newspapers and similar media, may publish Bible GemLights. Bible Gemlights remains the property of Macinta Ministries.
Last edited on Tue Sep 4th, 2007 09:51 pm by Pete Macinta
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Aug 28th, 2007 06:40 pm |
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obsidian001
"What a mess!"
By Pete Macinta
Those were my thoughts somewhere in the 1980's when I was pastoring Flintstone Assembly of God, Gilpentown, Maryland, as I lay flat on my back looking at the ceiling of the church entrance way.
Since the flakes of paint falling from that ceiling made my people wonder if they had a bad case of dandruff, it was time to paint it.
So I set to the task armed with ladder, newspapers, paint and brushes.
Those were the days when I had begun to listen to God about my spells of depression. There were many times when I made "mountains out of mole hills".
The entrance way was not too large and the work went quickly. When I was finished, I laid on the floor, looked up, and saw a lot of streaks.
Terrible! I felt like such a klutz. The streaks reminded me of my own spiritual messes and various disappointments in pastoring. It seemed liked there was little that I could do well, and that ceiling was typical of what I thought my life was to that point. But, as I stared upward, I saw the streaks gradually vanish. I noticed that a nice breeze was coming in through the open door too, and figured the circulating air was helping to resolve what I thought was a mess.
Then, I realized what God was showing me. If we do what we are supposed to do to the best of our ability, in due time He, by His Holy Spirit, will smooth out what we think is a mess.
Even if we err, if we confess our ways to Him and seek His help, He will develop us into His likeness, if we let Him.
"But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23:10)
It takes fire to purify us at times, with the Holy Spirit blowing the breath of Life upon us and into us.
This is one reason why it is so good to be in Jesus, to have Him live within you. When the devil attempts to sadden us with our imperfect lives, we can send him packing.
With Christ within, we can seek and receive forgiveness for our sins, shortcomings and failures. We then can relax in Him, look up, and see his handiwork in our lives.
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© 2007 Macinta Ministries
All rights reserved. Each Bible GemLight is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be singularly reprinted by individuals or organizations on paper or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author; there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta; and its distribution is without charge. Newspapers and similar media, may publish Bible GemLights. Bible Gemlights remains the property of Macinta Ministries. Last edited on Tue Aug 28th, 2007 06:42 pm by Pete Macinta
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Aug 21st, 2007 08:44 pm |
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hematite001 Webo or Velvet?
By Pete Macinta In an earlier Bible GemLight I spoke about our neighbor's dog, Webo. We have a dog too, Velvet, that we have "inherited" from our youngest son.
My usual habit when I take her outside to do what she has to do is that when she is finished, we go for stroll up our driveway and back into the house.
I noticed that when we would go up the driveway, Webo would never bark at us -- unless one of her human masters were outside. No people, no barking. With people, there is barking.
The thought occurred to me to say something positive about that - that we need to be strong, but the Bible states we need to be "... strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." (Ephesians 6:10). Paul, by the Holy Spirit, was writing to true Christians since he referred to his audience as brethren.
While I mused on that positive thought, the Lord called my attention to Velvet - she barks at strangers and we don't even have to be in her sight.
Ah! She barks without seeing her masters. This called to my mind that "the just shall live by faith." Romans 1:17
She's a tough dog, and might bite, but she is tough whether she sees us or not.
This also reminds me of 1 Peter 1:8, "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:"
Now, when you come right down to it, if one is going to be part of a certain religion, then you have some type of faith to believe in it, right? I don't think any of today's Muslims or Buddhists have ever actually seen Mohammed or Buddha respectively.
This, of course, is not the faith that will save anyone from damnation. I once told a Buddhist that Buddha was apparently a very nice man, but he did not die for my sins! Nor did Mohammed or any other person we can speak about.
Only One did - Jesus the Messiah! And, really, I'm not talking religion here. It's the person of Jesus Christ that saves - not religion.
I have seen real Christians go through some terrible times, but still worship, pray, and trust in Christ.
And let us not forget those Christian who face ridicule, confiscation of property, torture and death around the world each day. The Jesus they cannot see gives them the strength to go through these trials.
I don't see Jesus, but I sure love Him. How about you?
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All rights reserved. Each Bible GemLight is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be singularly reprinted by individuals or organizations on paper or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author; there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta; and its distribution is without charge. Newspapers and similar media, may publish Bible GemLights. Bible Gemlights remains the property of Macinta Ministries.
Last edited on Tue Aug 21st, 2007 08:46 pm by Pete Macinta
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brett504
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Posted: Tue Aug 14th, 2007 10:11 pm |
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HOW TRUE, HOW TRUE, WE ARE TO STORE THINGS UP IN HEAVEN WHERE THEY WILL NOT RUST, GET MOLD, AND HAVE TO BE THROWN AWAY. BUT HERE ON EARTH EVERY THING WE HAVE ENDS UP BEING PUT IN THE TRASH, SOONER OR LATER. FOR WE ARE LIKE A VAPOR IN THE WIND, AND SOON WE WILL DIE, AND GO TO BE WITH THE LORD WHICH IS FOR EVER.
AT TIMES MY FLESH DOES GET TO ME AND SO DOES SOME EARTHLY THINGS, BUT I MUST REMEMBER THAT ALL THINGS COME FROM GOD AND GOD OWNS THE EARTH AND EVERY THING ON IT.
HE OWNS EVERY THING I HAVE AND I AM JUST THE STEWARD OF HIS THINGS HERE ON EARTH.
JESUS IS MY TREASURE, AND NO ONE CAN EVER HURT HIM AGAIN
ANYTHING THAT I HAVE THE LORD BLESSED ME WITH AND THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT ALL. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY I HAVE GOTTEN THINGS. I HAVE PRAYED MY HEART OUT FOR SOME THINGS AND THE LORD BLESSSED ME WITH SOME AND OTHERS HE SAID NO TO.
SO WOULD HE HAVE WHAT I HAVE? HE ALREADY DOES IT ALL BELONGS TO HIM TO BEGIN WITH.
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Aug 14th, 2007 09:50 pm |
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diamond001
Eternal Choices
By Pete Macinta
If one reads the Bible, they will see that many times God expects us to make a choice, warning us of the negative results by making the wrong choice, and the blessings in store for us if we make the correct choice.
We can see two choices in Matthew 6:19 - 21, with a third one that reveals the inner condition of our heart. In verse 19, Christ shows us what happens if we make earthly things a priority: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal;"
Be assured that nothing lasts on this planet. When Dorcas and I were pastoring in Flintstone, Maryland, we had purchased a Pontiac Phoenix. That 6 cylinder vehicle was the nicest looking vehicle I had ever owned to that point. Then, one snowy, icy day, after dropping some church members off at their mountain home I got the vehicle stuck in small ditch due to icy conditions. A gent came by with a tractor to slowly pull me out, but in the process, he slowly bumped into the car's nose and cracked it.
When we moved to Cambridge, Maryland, our son's bike was stolen. I am sure you have your own list of things that have been damaged, gotten old, or were stolen.
Instead, Christ wants us to choose this: "but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal" v.20.
The foundation to do this is having Christ within us. He then directs us to win souls for Him, intercede in prayer, develop the fruits of the Holy Spirit, exercise the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and much more. As we serve God in these various capacities we lay up everlasting treasure.
The third causes us to make a choice from our heart, our inner man, our spirit: v.21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Look around. How would you feel if you suddenly lost much if not all around you? Do your feelings show that you love God more than things, or do they show that your possessions possess you?
Look around again. What types of things do you have? Would Jesus have the same things that you have?
His treasure was to do the Father's will, which included taking our sin and its punishment and rising again.
We are also His treasure. Is He your treasure?
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All rights reserved. Each Bible GemLight is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be singularly reprinted by individuals or organizations on paper or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author; there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta; and its distribution is without charge. Newspapers and similar media, may publish Bible GemLights. Bible Gemlights remains the property of Macinta Ministries.
Last edited on Tue Aug 14th, 2007 09:51 pm by Pete Macinta
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brett504
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Posted: Tue Aug 7th, 2007 03:33 pm |
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YES PSALM 32 WHEN DAVID HAD HIS AFFAIR WITH BATHSHEBA. AND DAVID SAYS BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO SINS ARE FORGIVEN, AND HOW DAVID FELT BEFORE HE CONFESSED HIS SIN TO THE LORD. AND HOW IT FELT FOR HIM WHEN HE KEPT HIS SIN TO HIMSELF AND DID NOT CONFESS IT TO THE LORD. AND THE LORD WAS CONVICTING DAVID OF HIS SIN, LETTING HIM KNOW HE HAD SINNED WITH HIS AFFAIR WITH BATHSHEBA. AND THAN HE CONFESS, THE SIN, TO THE LORD, AND THE LORD FORGAVE HIM OF IT. AND HE REJOICED, FOR THE LORD IS THE FORGIVER OF SINS, AND REMEMBERS THEM NO MORE AS FAR AS THE EAST IS TO THE WEST. REJOICE, THE LORD WILL FORGIVE ANY SINS WE HAVE COMMITED. READ YOUR BIBLE THE LORD WILL INSTRUCT YOU. FOR IN PROVERBS 3:5-6 IT SAYS TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING, IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT YOUR PATH. PROVERBS 16:9 SAYS A MAN'S HEART PLANS HIS WAY, BUT THE LORD DIRECTS HIS STEPS. BUT IN CLOSING YES WE SHOULD READ OUR BIBLES, BUT WE SEE OURSELVES IN IT TOO, AND FOR SOME THEY DO NOT LIKE THAT.
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Aug 7th, 2007 03:12 pm |
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Some Vitamin B From Psalm 32
emerald001
By Pete Macinta
Most people know that vitamins are essential for human growth and development. Some people "religiously" consume vitamin supplements each day.
How about the Word of God? When it comes to our spirit, the Bible is full of nourishment. Here are some vitamin "bes" from Psalm 32, but keep in mind the first portion of the opening verse: Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity ..." Simply put, if we really want the full benefit from the following vitamins, we need to be committed to Christ.
Be Guided - v.8 "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will guide thee with Mine eye." God knows what lies ahead, and we should endeavor to listen to His Holy Spirit speaking to our spirit. What the Holy Spirit speaks will never be contrary to the Bible so, if you are not already doing it, read the Bible. The passage also points out that Christ should be living with us, with our eyes giving way to His eyes.
Be Growing - v.9 "Be ye not as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they not come near unto thee." Instead of walking away from the Bread of Life, Jesus, we need to feast upon His Word each day in order to become like Him, and learn His ways.
Be Guarded - v.10 "Many shall be the sorrows of the wicked; but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about." Bad things happen to everyone, but He who fully trusts in the Lord will have less sorrow, for the God of comfort will strengthen and encourage him.
Be Glad - v.11 " Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, ye righteous; and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart!" Though this is hard to do in times of trouble, this is a command, and upon our obedience we receive the rich blessings of His peace within our hearts.
These, and many more vitamin "bes" from the Bible, help the one that trusts in God to be strong through all sorts of adversity. The key is to have Jesus Christ Himself living inside of us and living through us.
Indeed, if you don't know Christ as your personal Savior, the Word of God will still help you, but there is abundant life in Christ that no person should miss.
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© 2007 Macinta Ministries
All rights reserved. Each Bible GemLight is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be singularly reprinted by individuals or organizations on paper or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author; there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta; and its distribution is without charge. Newspapers and similar media, may publish Bible GemLights. Bible Gemlights remains the property of Macinta Ministries.
Last edited on Tue Aug 7th, 2007 03:14 pm by Pete Macinta
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brett504
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Posted: Wed Aug 1st, 2007 06:49 pm |
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Hello Pete,
But what is so amazing is God loves us unconditionally, no matter what we do wrong.
And came to this earth in the flesh and died for our sins. That is real love. And at time brings me to tears, of how much he loves me.
brett504
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Wed Aug 1st, 2007 05:56 pm |
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Greetings Brett504,
Yes Adam and Eve learned Good and Evil from eating the Apple.
We do not know it was an apple. The Holy Bible does not say "apple" in this case my friend. The reason why I make this point is so we all take what the Holy Bible says as what It says, and not what we hear from others.
He ...made the rainbow as a covent saying he would not destroy the world anymore after the flood with Noah
More correctly, He did not say He would not destroy the world again, but that He would not destroy the whole earth with a flood:
Genesis 9:11 "And I will establish My covenant with you: Neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth."
But I must admit we are a piece of work.
Aye!
I offened wonder why God ever created us after the flood of Noah, he knew what we where going to do.
Love. He saw us in Adam and loved each and everyone of us enough to provide redemption in Him, if we accept it.
Yet he did. Personally I think We are a totally disappointment to the Lord.
Nay, for He Himself said ...
Mt 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
Mt 10:31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Mt 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
...and many other such things.
And it must break his heart to see what we have done to the world he created.
Aye, sad to say. It also sorrows Him when people do not commit to the Provision He has made in His Son for our salvation.
God bless,
Pete
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brett504
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Posted: Wed Aug 1st, 2007 12:45 pm |
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Yes Adam and Eve learned Good and Evil from eating the Apple. And God created man with a free will, he made the rainbow as a covent saying he would not destroy the world anymore after the flood with Noah, yet look at what man has done to Gods world, We are totally destroying it. We know how to created bombs, kill people, hate, lie, cheat, steal, curse, swear, use Gods name in vain. We know how to hate our neighbor, We know how to use our tongues to cut a person apart, as James says in the bible. We know how to show favor to some one who is rich, and look down on the poor, see Chapter 2 of James ( The whole book is a real eye opener, I personally love the book of James he tells it just like it is).
We know how to sue people for putting up an nativity scene at christmas, because we say it offends us, we know how to try and get rid of "In God we trust on our moneY". We know how to get prayer out of the schools, and God too. We know how to try to get the ten commendments out of the court houses, Man knows how to do lots of things, FREE WILL, the Lord gave us.
Now, when do we learn to love our neighbor as ourselves, as God says, when do we stop killing people, when do we stop hating, cursing swearing using Gods name in vain, when do we PUT GOD BACK IN THE SCHOOLS, AND MAKE HIM THE HEAD OF THE CHURCHES INSTEAD OF MAN. WHO IS TOTALLY DESTROYING THEM. When do we finally follow the ten commendments? When do we love God with all our hearts, mind and strenght? When do we put God as the head of our house holds? When do we read our bibles? And follow the Lord? When are we finally going to Listen to him insead of doing what WE want.
For some of us yes we are follow the Lord, we love the Lord, and we are trying very hard to make a difference in this world, and we care about people.
But I must admit we are a piece of work. I offened wonder why God ever created us after the flood of Noah, he knew what we where going to do. Yet he did. Personally I think We are a totally disappointment to the Lord. And it must break his heart to see what we have done to the world he created.
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Jul 31st, 2007 07:45 pm |
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Onyx001
The Providential Release of Knowledge
By Pete Macinta As I continue to study various things, the bursts of knowledge since the Middle Ages have not ceased to amaze me.
As humanity neared the 20th century, scientists were grappling with some results in electrodynamics that did not agree with the classical thought of that time.
Dutch physicist Hendrik Antoon Lorentz developed a series of equations, referred to as the Lorentz Transformation, that appeared to solve the problem. Albert Einstein found the Lorentz Transformation useful for the development of the Special Theory of Relativity.
It also produced more knowledge. In his discourse, "Development of Our Conception of the Nature and Constitution of Radiation," Einstein said, "Energy and mass appear as equivalent quantities just as do heat and mechanical energy."
Here, I would like to point out two things: 1.) God permitted this knowledge at a certain point of time in human history and 2.) these men, as far as I know, developed this knowledge in all innocence and from the inner yearning of man to learn.
The revelation of the relationship between mass and energy eventually led to the destruction of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, when 70,000 Japanese died, with thousands of others in later years.
Why did not these great thoughts in science come earlier in human existence? Why now?
To me, the answer is that God has a special plan, and has permitted these revelations in preparation for the day of Armageddon (which, from what I see in the Bible, is NOT the last war).
I am not saying there are going to be nuclear detonations at the geographical location of Armageddon, although there could be. My strong impression is that when it comes time for the nations to confront Israel, in the Bible it sounds very much like an army: Revelation 19:19, "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army." To me, it is reasonable ground forces would be used instead of nuclear detonations in part because of the horrific consequences of nuclear war.
I feel the advent of nuclear weapons was permitted in part to prepare the way for the literal fulfillment of God's Word. I really sense the time nears for the glorious fulfillment of the words, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." Revelation 11:15.
God wants very much for you and I to be part of that kingdom. Commit your whole life today to Him.
For my fellow true Christians, God desires us to be consumed with His will and be about His business.
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© 2007 Macinta Ministries
All rights reserved. Each Bible GemLight is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be singularly reprinted by individuals or organizations on paper or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author; there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta; and its distribution is without charge. Newspapers and similar media, may publish Bible GemLights. Bible Gemlights remains the property of Macinta Ministries.
Last edited on Tue Jul 31st, 2007 07:46 pm by Pete Macinta
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Wed Jul 25th, 2007 04:34 pm |
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Greetings brett504 and meinmd ,
I think brett meant to post his comments on the Higher Note thread since they seem to match the current discussion there instead of here, so I will copy and paste it there - with a note what I did.
God bless,
Pete
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meinmd
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Posted: Wed Jul 25th, 2007 03:26 pm |
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| Very well said brett504.
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brett504
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Posted: Wed Jul 25th, 2007 03:17 pm |
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God created us all with a free will, he did not want us to be a robot. He wants to have a relationship with us. And be involved in every aspect of our lives no matter how big or small. He loves us totally and completely, and will never leave us nor forsake us.
And that totally at times over whelms me. But its so wonderful to that when others leave us flat in our darkest moments in life God is always there.
God created hell for Satan and all his followers, not us. He wants all man kind to go to heaven and be with him. But for some people they believe that they are not good enough for that. And God will not forgive them of there sins, they cannot understand how someone could love them that much. They think they are not good enough to be forgiven. But they are. And believe that they have to be someone special to go to church too, and have special clothes, inorder to go. But church is a HOSPITAL FOR SINNERS, NOT SAINTS. For we are all sinners, even christians. No one is perfect. We all pray to the Lord to forgive us of our sins in which he does, totally.
I often wonder WHY the heck Adam and Eve did not ask God to forgive them for eating that apple on the tree of knowledge. And if Judas is in hell or heaven.
I know I am glad I am going to heaven for one thing I am allegic to sulfa, so I would end up with the hives, and I cannot stand heat, it would be to hot. So my life would be not good from the start. down there.
But heaven, well I cannot wait to see that. I know my room will be in the basement, but thats ok, I will leave the judging to God, I want no part of that, I have done that to much here on earth at time. I think I would rather sing in choir, of millions and billions, and eat grapes, and be with the only person who really loves me and understands me totally. We do not get to heaven by our good deeds, nor by our works, we are saved by grace by what Jesus did on the cross, so we cannot brag or boast.
It amazes me though, how many people, have time for what they want to do, but when it comes to God he is just for Christmas, and Easter. And that is it. Are you a visitor, or an explorer, when it comes to the bible and God? AS THE SAYING GOES WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS READ THE INSTRUCTION BOOK, AND THAT IS THE BIBLE, ALL THE ANSWERS TO EVERYTHING IN LIFE ARE IN THERE.
OK I did my preaching for the day, and I might have offened some, but if this message just touches just one person it was well worth it.
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Jul 24th, 2007 09:41 pm |
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Carnelian001
We Need The Unchangeable In Changing Times
By Pete Macinta I have been over a half-century old for a few ("a few" I said) years and have seen many changes over those decades. Some are good, some are bad, and some are just not fair.
If you are curious about that last phrase when I was a tyke I had to wait until those who were older had finished speaking before opening my mouth. Now the tables are turned and despite my slightly (I said "slightly") gray hair I can't get a word in edgewise as those younger than me blatantly interrupt a few milliseconds after my lower jaw drops from its counterpart in my attempt to speak. I will save the rest of that for another time.
Nonetheless, I remember the days when we were told "Eat eggs. They are good for you." Years later we were cautioned to restrict our consumption of them, and now a middle-of-the-road approach has been presented to society.
Speaking of food, have you seen the Food Pyramid lately, if the health wizards have not done away with it? That geometric guide keeps changing.
Ah, here is another one. This GemLight was composed when the hype drummers were sending out dire warnings about global warming, and God forbid if you disagree with some that state the earth is warming up. I distinctly remember in High School (late 1960's) my class was told we could expect another ice age around 2015! Honest! There are even a few scientists that warn this still hold true. (If you were told about an impending ice age in our time please e-mail me the details at petemacinta@yahoo.com or pastortalk@iname.com.)
These examples are just part of the reason why I am very dubious when I hear what the "experts" say.
No wonder I found great comfort when I committed my life to Christ, became born-again, in 1970!
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." -- Hebrews 13:8 KJV21
Though things around us constantly change, all that Christ is stays the same: holiness, vindication, authority, love, mercy, forgiveness, and more. What an anchor for the soul in the tumultuous sea of life!
It would be a great help to anyone to listen to the voice of Christ through the Word of God instead of permitting one's mind to be badgered by things that change. Trust what He says. Rate what you hear from others by what the Bible says.
I am so glad that Christ can dwell within us if we let Him. In this constantly changing society where yesterday's good is declared by men to be evil today, it is great to have the unchangeable Christ within.
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© 2007 Macinta Ministries
All rights reserved. Each Bible GemLight is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be singularly reprinted by individuals or organizations on paper or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author; there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta; and its distribution is without charge. Newspapers and similar media, may publish Bible GemLights. Bible Gemlights remains the property of Macinta Ministries.
Last edited on Tue Jul 24th, 2007 09:42 pm by Pete Macinta
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Jul 17th, 2007 01:44 pm |
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rhodonite001
The Best Way To Encourage Yourself
By Pete Macinta
It was apparent he had made a serious error. David and his band of men had been following Achish, the Philistine King of Gath and his army, but had failed to leave any fighting men behind in their city of residence, Ziklag, rendering it defenseless.
When David and his men returned to Ziklag, they found the city burned and their wives and children taken captive. The Amalekites, long-time enemies of the Jews, had made a raid on the southern border of Philistia and Judah
The deep sorrow David's men had, turned to hatred of David for not having the foresight to protect their families. They started talking about stoning him. Now David really felt bad.
What did David do? "...but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God." (1 Samuel 30:6c) The Bible does say this, but in my mind I see David, at this point, on his knees, eyes shut, hands raised above his head, and I can hear his mouth uttering praises unto God, worshiping God. I can picture him in my mind, as his countenance changed from sorrow to strength.
Whether this is the way it occurred or not, I do not know. Regardless, I am sure his encouraging himself in the Lord took effort within, no matter how he did it.
More importantly, David turned to God. He did not yell out, "Is anyone on my side?" Nay, but he went directly to his heavenly Shepherd.
People that do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ often turn to the wrong sources for comfort when they are hit with a heavy problem or problems. A variety of actions might be manifested: cursing, drinking, smoking, gambling, violent actions, and list can go on. We can develop just as large a list for those of us who say we are Christians. We might throw our own pity party, spend money for momentary happiness, blame others, call others to ask their opinion - hoping that they will side with us. We might even look for a lawyer.
Why does God have to be last?
That is a good question, especially for us who say we know Christ, that we have been born-again. We should be the example, and habitually turn to God first when confronted with a problem.
Worshiping our creator will endow us with strength to release that grace, the very life of His Son, to direct us in handling the trials that roll our way.
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Bible GemLights is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be reprinted on hard copy or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author and there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta.
Last edited on Tue Jul 17th, 2007 01:47 pm by Pete Macinta
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Jul 10th, 2007 09:11 pm |
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Amazonite001
Webo, The Thirsty Dog
By Pete Macinta
The text for most of the Scripture passages for this Bible GemLight will be listed at the end.
A few weeks ago on one of the first toasty-warm days of summer I kept hearing certain sounds from our neighbors just on the other side of our driveway. Glancing out the kitchen window I saw the young man next door unraveling a water hose, and his dog, Webo, excitedly prancing back and forth. Once the hose was a sufficient length began to try fill and old refrigerator container with water, but Webo kept jumping up, attempting to nip at the nozzle. The young man finally succeeded to aim the hose, press the nozzle and start filling the container.
Webo just couldn't wait. The dog nipped at the stream of water, and then stuck his head into the container as it started to fill. That still was not good enough. Webo wanted a goodly drink at that moment, and eventually had his head and both front paws in the container.
That made me think of how we are to be when it comes to things of God. God is a spirit (John 4:24). We are body, soul, and spirit (1Thessalonians 5:23). Our spirit is designed to desire God, to thirst after His Spirit (Psalm 31:5).
Some get a taste of the Water of Life, then walk away. Others, might just drink occasionally when they perceive they have a need. However, everyone that comes into the world needs the regeneration of God's Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). If one really drinks, not just taste, they will thirst no more.
Satan enjoys putting "the heat on." He has blinded the spiritual eyes of many of those who have not committed to Christ. For those that really do know Christ as their personal Savior, he encourages them to go to another source other than God for a "drink", a poisoned source.
On the other hand, God offers us life eternal through His Son. Just as living creatures on earth need water to survive, we need to be in Him and to be drinking from His Spirit every day. We do so by spending time in His presence by reading the Word of God and worshiping Him each day -- not just in church. We can even get more through actively serving Him and permitting ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit. Additional blessings are in store for those who accept the gift of the Holy Spirit as described in Acts 2 and Acts 10.
May we endeavor to be like Webo to drink well and drink enthusiastically.
Scripture references:
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
1Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
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Bible GemLights is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be reprinted on hard copy or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author and there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta.
Last edited on Tue Jul 10th, 2007 09:12 pm by Pete Macinta
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Tue Jul 3rd, 2007 03:53 pm |
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Lapis Lazuli1
posted 070307
The Servant Who Really Became Free
By Pete Macinta
He thought it was a great idea to slip away when his master was not looking. So, at the opportune time, Onesimus fled away as fast as he could. He was now free from his master and the work he had been responsible for.
I do not believe in luck, but I sure do believe in providence, and God saw to that somehow Onesimus met the Apostle Paul. Apparently from what we read in the Bible, the runaway servant listened to the teaching of Paul who, of course, told him about Jesus Christ.
Perhaps Paul reiterated the words of the Savior, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36). Nonetheless, as he listened to the Word of God by the Holy Spirit through Paul, Onesimus realized he was not really free.
According to Philemon v. 10, Onesimus committed his life to Christ. It appears in v.11 that he told Paul he had not been a very good servant to Philemon. "Onesimus" means profitable, and Paul wrote by the Spirit in v.11, "In time past he was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me."
As you read the epistle to Philemon, you will see that it is apparent that Onesimus would have been along when the epistle (letter) was delivered to Philemon.
Here, a man who ran away from his master now does the right thing and returns to his master because he is now a child of God. That is true freedom -- doing what God wants.
You might have in your mind that freedom means doing what you want. However, if we examine life from the basis of the Word of God we will see that we are either in the kingdom of darkness or in the kingdom of God's dear Son. We are in one kingdom or the other, and there is no in between. And, "kingdom" indicates a king is ruling a given domain.
In other words, if we have not made a commitment to Christ, we are in the kingdom of darkness, and our king would be satan. Those that do not belong to Christ think they have a lot freedom, but where will it lead? It will lead to an eternity of damnation.
Don't let the devil fool you by making you think if you commit to Christ you will not free. Trust in the words of Christ that you will be free indeed.
If you have committed your life to Christ, rejoice in the fact that you are free from sin, the sin nature, condemnation and damnation.
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© 2007 Macinta Ministries
Bible GemLights is a production of Macinta Ministries and may be reprinted on hard copy or electronic media provided that Pete Macinta is noted as the author and there is a link back to the originating web site, http://www.freewebs.com/macinta. Last edited on Tue Jul 3rd, 2007 03:54 pm by Pete Macinta
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Wed Jun 27th, 2007 08:09 pm |
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Greetings Farmer.
Will do. Glad to see you back on the forums.
Was also intending to get to the Word of the day thread. I have a book here with some pretty good lines.
God bless,
Pete
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Farmer
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Posted: Wed Jun 27th, 2007 07:47 pm |
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Pete
Thanks for a great idea. In this fast-paced world, this kind of posting allows one to get a lot of good insight/direction in a few short minutes. Keep up the good work!!
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Pete Macinta
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Posted: Wed Jun 27th, 2007 07:05 pm |
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Thanks, Brett504, will do. I will keep the email notification of your post in my main email to remind me, which is my usual habit.
God bless,
Pete
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brett504
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Posted: Wed Jun 27th, 2007 06:58 pm |
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