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Undespised Youth

05 Aug

1 Tim 4:12 “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

How many times in your life has someone looked down on you for your age? I used to hate it when I was little & wanted to ride a cool looking roller coaster only to find out that I was “too little”. I just couldn’t wait till I was a BIG KID! Then as my age got older my features didn’t get older, so even as I begin to reach adult hood there are many times when I am looked at as a kid because of a youthful appearance. (Gonna be a great thing when i’m 50!)

Nobody likes to be looked down on as one who doesn’t have ability or capability because of their age. Nobody likes to feel inferior.

As I read 1Tim 4:12 I see Paul is dealing with Timothy who was a young man, & was admonishing him not to allow his youth be something that hinders him from being effective in the work of God.

The principle I believe Paul was trying to instill in Timothy & in our generation is this:

  • If you don’t want to be looked down on,
  • Not acknowledged,
  • Not respected,
  • Not taken seriously,
  • Not have the gift God has given you be overlooked because of your age.

Then DO NOT live, talk, or conduct yourself in a way that would CAUSE people to look down on you for your age.

So often I see so many young people with talent, potential, & the call of God on their lives be wasted.  Rather then pursue things that will help fulfill God’s call, they spend all of their time & energy building their life up with frivolous things that gives them a Name of one who hasn’t grown up & makes others look at them as a child rather then a vessel God is using.

Don’t let your lifestyle give people reason to have negative things to say about you! Don’t get frustrated because nobody takes you seriously if you don’t take how you conduct yourself & what God is wanting to do in your life seriously.

I encourage you as Paul encouraged Timothy, let everything in your life be an example of the goodness & Holiness of Jesus! Be an example of the believers! We claim to possess His Name, We talk about how His Name has power. I don’t want anything in my life to make my name & especially His Name look bad.

  • Let your words be clean,
  • Let your conversation be clean,
  • Treat people with love & don’t be the cause for contention.
  • Keep your spirit right, the worst example of Jesus is someone who claims to have Him but has a rotten attitude!
  • Keep the faith, don’t waver on truth. Be a shining example of God’s true undefiled word.
  • Strive to live a pure & clean life.

Ask yourself before you let the ears hear it, before you let the eyes see it, before you let your feet take you there, before you let your mouth say it, ask yourself: Will this make me look good or bad, & more importantly will this make my God look good or bad?

Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good!

Young people we are not like the world!

  • We don’t talk like they do
  • We don’t live like they do
  • We don’t look like they do
  • We don’t behave like they do

We are not a denomination governed by a man, we are people of Holy Ghost experience governed by God!

The world does not set our standard for living, they are not who sets the bar of what’s right or wrong. God’s word alone has the final say so! WE are to be a clean, shining, Godly example in every area of our life. We are to set the standard by following the word of God of what’s right & wrong.

Young people don’t be infected by the world, but influence your world with RIGHT & RIGHTEOUS living!

Let’s be a generation that’s NOT Despised, we are not the church of tomorrow we are the church of TODAY!

  • Preach it!
  • Walk it!
  • Talk it!
  • Live it!
  • Be it!

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;…”

Romans 12:1-2

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

This is our time, let’s GO!

-A Young Perspective

-Nathan Cox

 
4 Comments

Posted by on August 5, 2011 in Christian, Uncategorized

 

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Build the Lord’s House FIRST!

28 Dec

Hag 1:2-11
2 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built.
3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?
5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.
9Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.
10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.

Here Israel has just been freed from captivity, they return to their city and find it utterly destroyed. So they begin the re-building process, which was fine and rebuilding was Gods will! But the Bible notes one problem with what they did.
Instead of first building the Lords temple again. They spend their time worrying about their house and their personal gain.
The Lord becomes angry with them, for he had just delivered them from captivity and has brought them back to their land. Instead of showing thankfulness and building his house first, they first began to worry and try to build there own comfortable spot. In the midst of their excitement to be free, they failed to make a dwelling place for the spirit of the Lord.

The Lord tells them to consider their ways, and begans to let them know that as long as they are putting their house, their life, their stuff first. He is not going to bless them! He ask them the question: “You wonder why when you build something up I blow upon it? Because my house lies in waste, and yet you run into your own houses”

Ever wonder why sometimes it seems like God is not listening? Or you can’t seem to get that prayer answered? Or wonder why God hasn’t blessed you with the finances you need? Why it seems a struggle sometimes to make it?
Could it be that its because God is not coming first in our life? Could it be that our flesh desires are coming first? God doesn’t want part of us, he wants all of us! He wants to be our only God. He doesn’t want anything to take his place in our lives. He is a jealous God!

Let us frequently examine our lives, see how much time we really give to God. Is he really first before our entertainment? Does he come before our strive for personal gain? Is he more important then our social status? Do we really find enough time to pray and create him a dwelling place in our lives?
Matt 8:20
“And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”

He said these things (Foxes, Birds) have dwelling place, but I don’t even have a place to lay my head!!
I dont want Jesus coming to me to find rest, and when he looks at my life can’t even find a place to lay his head. I don’t want to get my life so busy, and get so worried about personal gain, and the cares of this world that I forget to make a dwelling place for the spirit of God to rest!
I don’t want to make dwelling places for other trivial things in my life, but fail to make him a place to dwell.
How can we expect him to bless us and lead us, when we don’t make room for him to dwell in our lives?

He made it clear to Israel that if they wanted him in their midst, they must create him a dwelling place first, and then he would bless their house.
Did not he say in Matt 6:31-33
31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

He said seek FIRST the kingdom of God, and all these things (your worries, your financial need, your job, your school, etc..) he will add them to you, or take care of them for you and bless you!

Stop worrying about how the money you need will come, stop trying to fix your situation on your own. But instead build the Lords house in your life and let him take care of the rest! As long as we try to run our lives by ourselves, he said it would be like earning wages and putting it into a bag with holes in it. But when he is put first, he takes care of us!

He started us out writing our life story. The BIble says he is the author and finisher of our faith! The problem is too many times we try to take the pen out of his hand and write our life ourselves. And when we do we get our lives so tangled and messed up!

We need to put the pen back in his hand, and let him write the story of our life for us. Don’t sweat the small stuff! We got a God bigger then us to take care of it, but we have to put him before everything else!

Lord let your prescence always find a dwelling place, a place of rest in my life!

I wonder if I could encourage those who read this to take a moment and examine themselves, and their lives, and ask yourself: “Is God really put first in my life? Have I made him a place of rest in my busy life?”

Are you feeling bound? Depressed? Life is a struggle it seems? Build his house first, find places of prayer, make him a dwelling place in your daily life. Because the Bible says where the Spirit of the Lord is, there IS LIBERTY!!

-A Young Perspective

-Nathan Cox

 
1 Comment

Posted by on December 28, 2010 in Uncategorized

 

Our God is ONE!

16 Jul

The Old Testament Proclaims God is the ALMIGHTY

Gen 17:1
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the ALMIGHTY GOD; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Isa 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, THE MIGHTY GOD, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
(Note this Child Jesus is the Mighty God AND the FATHER!)
Rev 1:8 – Jesus Speaking, saying He is the ALMIGHTY! (If he is Separate from God, one of the two lied)
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, THE ALMIGHTY.

Matt 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, ALL POWER (He is almighty) is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Old Testament Jehovah says “I AM HE” also claims to be the First & The Last!
Isa 48:12
Hearken unto me(God), O Jacob and Israel, my called; I AM HE; I AM the FIRST , I also AM the LAST

New Testament same claims made by Jesus:
John 8:24 – Jesus Speaking
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I AM HE, ye shall die in your sins

Rev 22:13 – Jesus Speaking
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the FIRST and the LAST

Either He is ALL God or they didn’t ask each other before making these statements.

Next Question: If one is to truly believe the Trinity then they would have to preach that Jesus’ Father is the Holy Ghost, Read these verses:

Matt 1:18, 20-21
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save HIS people from their sins.

According to the above verses, the Holy Ghost impregnated Mary. This would mean the Jesus is the Father’s adopted son? NO! The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God, God is a spirit! The Father, Son, & Holy Ghost are the same spirit. Those are the titles of what HE IS to his people. He is our Father, He Became the Son, Today he is the Holy Ghost dwelling in us! (God wrapped HIMSELF in flesh and became A Son, He was letting us know He isn’t another man but He was from Above!)

2 Cor 5:19 “To wit, that God was IN Christ , reconciling the world UNTO HIMSELF,….”  (The Spirit of God was wrapped in the flesh of Christ, His mission was to reconnect a fallen world back to God… HIMSELF)

Let’s talk about Emmanuel.

Matt 1:23, 25
23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name EMMANUEL, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US .
25. And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called HIS NAME JESUS. (Whose name? Emmanuel, God with US! GOD’S name was called JESUS!)

Go study El Shaddai, the Word “El” means “Deity or God”. The word Emmanuel “God With Us” has the same ‘EL’ at the end of of it that “El Shaddai” has in front of it.
Put “EL” before “Emman” and you have the “God man” (This passage is talking about Jesus, yet Genesis 1:1 calls God the creator! Glad we understand that Jesus is indeed GOD HIMSELF in flesh!)

These scriptures speak of JESUS who is GOD. The visible IMAGE of the INVISIBLE GOD!
Col 1:15-16/19-20
15 Who is the IMAGE of the INVISIBLE God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by HIM were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by HIM, and for HIM:

19 For it pleased the Father that in HIM (Jesus) should ALL FULNESS dwell;
(Jesus doesn’t dwell within the Godhead, ALL of the Godhead dwells in JESUS!)
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; byHIM, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Again:

Col 2:9
For in HIM (JESUS) dwelleth all the FULNESS of the Godhead bodily. (AGAIN, Jesus doesn’t dwell as part of the Godhead, BUT ALL of the GODHEAD “Father, Son, Holy Ghost, Counseller, Provider, Jehovah, Etc..” DWELLS IN JESUS! All of it makes up JESUS!)

That’s why He gave the answer to Philip of who he was:

John 14:7-9
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. (I’m here with you RIGHT NOW)
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father ; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Jesus made it clear, HE is the Father, He took on the form of man and became a son. Before you could not see or touch him, so HE took on something tangible, HE was the SUBSTANCE of God that you can touch & see!
Note the Jews’ response when Jesus claims he is God:
John 10:30-33
30 I and my Father are one.
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father ; for which of those works do ye stone me?
33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
Just like religion today, they had it all WRONG! He wasn’t a man making himself God… HE was GOD making himself MAN!

Want more PROOF of Jesus the God man? (Was all God & All Man)

1 Tim 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: GOD was MANIFEST(Became/Was present) in the flesh(That Flesh was Jesus), justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory

The Father, The Son, Holy Ghost all dwell in JESUS! He is the Father, He is the Son, He is the Holy Ghost! These three are ONE! All FULNESS dwells in JESUS!

What About Matthew 28:19?

Matt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the NAME OF the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Glad you brought that up. Note: “Name” is singular and not plural. Grammar will tell you that Father, Son, & Holy Ghost are not names but descriptive TITLES that are describing one person. Jesus did not ask us to repeat what he said, but to DO what he said. His Disciples finally begin to understand just who he was, that’s why: Luke 24:27 (The second place where the Great Commission is recorded) explains Mathew 28:19 and gives us direction on how to OBEY & DO what Jesus comands.
“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in HIS NAME (Whose name? Jesus! Which is the Father’s, Son’s, & Holy Ghost’s name!) among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Which is why on the day of Pentecost, Peter preached the first message of Salvation recorded after the Resurrection in Acts 2:38 when he answered the Jews on how to be saved, by saying: “….Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the NAME of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Of course after being questioned by the religious leaders, Peter goes ahead & cements the identity of Jesus by saying:
Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other : for there is NONE other NAME under heaven given among men, whereby we MUST be saved.

Go ahead, try to find ONE SCRIPTURE where any of the Apostles baptized anyone in the titles “Father, Son, & Holy Ghost”. YOU WON’T FIND ONE! But they all knew what the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost was! Over & over you will find them, not repeating but OBEYING him, by baptizing calling on the name of the Lord: JESUS!

He was the FATHER, he became a SON, today he is the HOLY GHOST living in us! I am glad I know these three are ONE! It’s all in HIM, the FULNESS OF THE GODHEAD is all in JESUS! HE is the ALMIGHTY GOD!

Deut 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Search the scirptures for MANY MORE EXAMPLES. More and more you will see the the complete ONENESS of God as you read Old Testament and connect it with the New Testament

-A Young Perspective

 
2 Comments

Posted by on July 16, 2010 in Uncategorized

 

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