Dear Friends. The end of my stay in California is in sight and I have a feeling that I might never be back here , I am kind of melancholic because California is such a beautiful state and I made several friends here . The lord has laid it on my heart to move closer to my Children and Grandchildren in the Eastern part of our country. Therefore On May 5 I hope to start driving back to Cincinnati and then to Virginia. My son Johan lives in Harrisonburg and most likely I will live close by there. Tonight he had a prayer request for some friends whom I also know. Chris and Phillip . She is pregnant and they have detected a heart abnormality in the baby boy. He might also have other problems. They are conducting more test right now. Please pray for that couple and their unborn baby.
I most likely will not send you any more E mails until I get to Cincinatti with my daughter Judy there. Hopefully , by May 10. Please pray also for me, it is a long drive . Greetings in Jesus's precious name Johannes
Friday, April 28, 2006
Presumption
PRESUMPTUOUS.
PRESUMPTUOUS is an interesting word, which is used only twice in the KJ Bible. [Pslm 19:13 and 2Peter2:10] It comes from the verb to presume and in that form it appears 3 more times, Deut18:20, Es7:5 and Numb 14:14 . PRESUMPTUOUSLY is used 6 more times and I would encourage you to use a Young's or a Strong's dictionary to look them all up. Because , it seems that our Heavenly Father does not like it and is warning strongly against it .
The Webster dictionary seems to say that it is not always bad to presume something, although it can be. My own definition would be :
Acting on or saying things on the basis of our own conclusions, which are not always correct.
In Pslm.19 verse 13 King David, a man after God's own heart prays " Keep Thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me, then I shall be upright and shall be innocent of the great transgression" The Lord is pointing out here some very important things and we should take a close look at this .
First of all , the multiple word sins is used and talked about as them . This indicates to me that presumptuous sins can be the cause and the root of many sins, Secondly , notice that it can have dominion over us . Thirdly, it is saying then that we can not be upright, unless we are free from presumptuous sins, which is the cause of great transgressions.
In 2 Peter2:10 our Lord sheds some more light upon presumptuous sins. Talking about the " unjust ' in verse 9, God says in verse 10 " But chiefly them walking after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities."
Notice here that it has to do with walking after[or in] the flesh. And not walking in the Spirit as we are told to do . When I combine lust and uncleanness in my mind, I think of wrong and bad sexual behavior. Then it gives a picture of selfwilled [selfish] peoples who are very rebellious, despise government and badmouth dignities. It is certainly a clear picture of what is going on now in these last days !
You might think that these presumptuous sins only concern bad and unbelieving people. But notice that David a man honored by God prayed for this type of sins .I have concluded that God's Warning against Presumptuous sins is very much directed to people who think themselves to be very spiritual. For instance one like myself. Specially people who have been given the gift of prophecy .
Because it is very easy to be deceived in thinking that you always know what God is saying and know what He want you to say . But pride and your own heart is deceiving you .
In Deut.18:20 and 22 the Lord speaks about presumptuous prophets and warns the people against them. Even to day Prophets remain prone to speaking in the flesh and therefore we must judge their prophecies. It is clear that God hates presumptuous sins because they are rooted in pride and cause many other kinds of sin.The unbeliever commits this sin when he concludes that there is no God. God calls the fools .Pslm. 11;11
The believers are also prone to commit this sin because of our pride and the tendency to feel that we are better and more advanced than others
To have the Fear of the Lord and the practice of humility is a strong antidote for presumptuous sin and let us pray the prayer of King David often,
'Lord keep this servant from presumptuous sins " Amen !
PRESUMPTUOUS is an interesting word, which is used only twice in the KJ Bible. [Pslm 19:13 and 2Peter2:10] It comes from the verb to presume and in that form it appears 3 more times, Deut18:20, Es7:5 and Numb 14:14 . PRESUMPTUOUSLY is used 6 more times and I would encourage you to use a Young's or a Strong's dictionary to look them all up. Because , it seems that our Heavenly Father does not like it and is warning strongly against it .
The Webster dictionary seems to say that it is not always bad to presume something, although it can be. My own definition would be :
Acting on or saying things on the basis of our own conclusions, which are not always correct.
In Pslm.19 verse 13 King David, a man after God's own heart prays " Keep Thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me, then I shall be upright and shall be innocent of the great transgression" The Lord is pointing out here some very important things and we should take a close look at this .
First of all , the multiple word sins is used and talked about as them . This indicates to me that presumptuous sins can be the cause and the root of many sins, Secondly , notice that it can have dominion over us . Thirdly, it is saying then that we can not be upright, unless we are free from presumptuous sins, which is the cause of great transgressions.
In 2 Peter2:10 our Lord sheds some more light upon presumptuous sins. Talking about the " unjust ' in verse 9, God says in verse 10 " But chiefly them walking after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities."
Notice here that it has to do with walking after[or in] the flesh. And not walking in the Spirit as we are told to do . When I combine lust and uncleanness in my mind, I think of wrong and bad sexual behavior. Then it gives a picture of selfwilled [selfish] peoples who are very rebellious, despise government and badmouth dignities. It is certainly a clear picture of what is going on now in these last days !
You might think that these presumptuous sins only concern bad and unbelieving people. But notice that David a man honored by God prayed for this type of sins .I have concluded that God's Warning against Presumptuous sins is very much directed to people who think themselves to be very spiritual. For instance one like myself. Specially people who have been given the gift of prophecy .
Because it is very easy to be deceived in thinking that you always know what God is saying and know what He want you to say . But pride and your own heart is deceiving you .
In Deut.18:20 and 22 the Lord speaks about presumptuous prophets and warns the people against them. Even to day Prophets remain prone to speaking in the flesh and therefore we must judge their prophecies. It is clear that God hates presumptuous sins because they are rooted in pride and cause many other kinds of sin.The unbeliever commits this sin when he concludes that there is no God. God calls the fools .Pslm. 11;11
The believers are also prone to commit this sin because of our pride and the tendency to feel that we are better and more advanced than others
To have the Fear of the Lord and the practice of humility is a strong antidote for presumptuous sin and let us pray the prayer of King David often,
'Lord keep this servant from presumptuous sins " Amen !
Thursday, April 20, 2006
TENACITY
TENACITY
Although this word tenacity is not in the King James Bible, it describes the concept of steadfastness. One of Webster's definitions is : "not easily pulled apart"
God's Word makes it very clear that God himself has this attribute in the greatest way and likes to see it also in His children. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to encourage you to develop and show this character trait.
Another English word, which appears only one time in the KJ. New Testament is "perseverance". Eph. 6:18 talks about persistent prayer with supplication [humbleness]. Overall, this subject of tenacity is used many times in the Bible. Under different words, like Steadfastness, stand or hold fast, endure, continue, etc.
I want to focus in on the concept of enduring because it is mentioned so many times and links tenacity with suffering and hardship. Webster states the following definition;
" To remain firm under suffering, hardship and misfortune, without yielding " .
There is no doubt about the fact that Christians also have to suffer in this world and Philippians 1: 29 states, "For unto you it is given in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake" " is given " sounds to me that it is considered to be a privilege to suffer.
To live the Christian live is not a bed of roses. Our heavenly Father will chastise us in order that we will grow more into the likeness of His son Jesus Christ.[ Hebr. 12:5-11}, verse 7 states that God expects us to endure. When we follow a desire that God planted in our Hearts, but experience suffering, most of the times God is testing and developing our tenacity. He wants us to have some starch.
However when we follow our own desire without consulting Him, we also will surely suffer tribulations. It then means that the Lord is trying to stop us. In that case our so called tenacity is actually sinful stubbornness and the result will be extended tribulations.
So if you do experience sufferings, tribulations and chastisements or hardships, ask your self and God if you are following your own fleshly desires, which are not given by God. The required action then is to stop at once. But if your hearts desires are Godly and given to you by God, no matter how much and what kind of hardship and sufferings you endure, obey 1Cor. 15:58. " Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.For as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord"
Mathew 24:13 says" But he that endures until the end shall be saved." Beloved, the end is getting close. And 2Tim. 4:5 says "but watch thou in all things, endure afflictions , do the work of an evangelist, make full prove of thy ministry". I close with James 5:11 ".Behold we count them happy which endure ".
Johannes G. Weiss
Although this word tenacity is not in the King James Bible, it describes the concept of steadfastness. One of Webster's definitions is : "not easily pulled apart"
God's Word makes it very clear that God himself has this attribute in the greatest way and likes to see it also in His children. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to encourage you to develop and show this character trait.
Another English word, which appears only one time in the KJ. New Testament is "perseverance". Eph. 6:18 talks about persistent prayer with supplication [humbleness]. Overall, this subject of tenacity is used many times in the Bible. Under different words, like Steadfastness, stand or hold fast, endure, continue, etc.
I want to focus in on the concept of enduring because it is mentioned so many times and links tenacity with suffering and hardship. Webster states the following definition;
" To remain firm under suffering, hardship and misfortune, without yielding " .
There is no doubt about the fact that Christians also have to suffer in this world and Philippians 1: 29 states, "For unto you it is given in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake" " is given " sounds to me that it is considered to be a privilege to suffer.
To live the Christian live is not a bed of roses. Our heavenly Father will chastise us in order that we will grow more into the likeness of His son Jesus Christ.[ Hebr. 12:5-11}, verse 7 states that God expects us to endure. When we follow a desire that God planted in our Hearts, but experience suffering, most of the times God is testing and developing our tenacity. He wants us to have some starch.
However when we follow our own desire without consulting Him, we also will surely suffer tribulations. It then means that the Lord is trying to stop us. In that case our so called tenacity is actually sinful stubbornness and the result will be extended tribulations.
So if you do experience sufferings, tribulations and chastisements or hardships, ask your self and God if you are following your own fleshly desires, which are not given by God. The required action then is to stop at once. But if your hearts desires are Godly and given to you by God, no matter how much and what kind of hardship and sufferings you endure, obey 1Cor. 15:58. " Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.For as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord"
Mathew 24:13 says" But he that endures until the end shall be saved." Beloved, the end is getting close. And 2Tim. 4:5 says "but watch thou in all things, endure afflictions , do the work of an evangelist, make full prove of thy ministry". I close with James 5:11 ".Behold we count them happy which endure ".
Johannes G. Weiss
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)