Things Above Thoughts

TAT 131 The Inch

In Revelation 13:11–18 we read of one who has worldwide control over all humanity. Without their approval no one can buy or sell anything! While they have control of the entire world they are also the enemy of God. How is it possible that such a person could obtain such control over this earth? Possibly because of fear!

Most of us believe that if someone put a gun to our head and said “deny Christ or I will shoot” we would not fear, we would say “pull the trigger.” But the greater problem, a lest fearful problem, is a problem of inches. Back in the early 1900s the government tried to implement a Social Security program which would require everyone to receive a specific, individual, number. It was met with such resistance the government had to first implement it as a voluntary program and stated, in writing, that the numbers would not be used for identification purposes. My Social Security card, obtained in the 60s, has, in writing, in capital letters, the statement “FOR SOCIAL SECURITY AND TAX PURPOSES – NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION.” The government has “inched” its way along to its present position with required Social Security and identification. Another example of “inching along” is realized in treaties the government made with some Native American tribes: “as long as the grass grows and the water flows.” Therefore it is true, it is not the gun we need to fear the most but the inch.

In this time of fear let us not establish a flimsy framework of control which can inch along into a worldwide system of control that can be used by a future antichrist.

On the bright side, it might be nearing the time for us to say – “just pull the trigger?”.

Tradition or Biblical Fact

On September 19, 2016   /   Traditions  

Things Above Thoughts
TAT #92 Human Traditions or Biblical Fact

Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men. (Mk. 7:8)

In 1 Corinthians 14:26 Paul reminds us that when God’s family is gathered together it is to be an interactive meeting with individual participation. What do your church meetings look like? Participatory? Interactive? Sit and receive? While church meetings are good for receiving don’t neglect the commandment of God by neglecting His Family, your Family, for your church.

“Traditions are handed down in innocence and accepted in ignorance.”

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Labor

On September 5, 2016   /   Work  

Things Above Thought
TAT # 91 Labor

On this Labor Day holiday, in the USA, please let me share the below verses:

In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty. (Proverbs 14:23)

He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. (Ephesians 4:28)

For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. (2 Thessalonians 3:10)

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Sin

On August 29, 2016   /   Sin  

Things Above Thought
TAT # 90 Sin

Sin has been describe in many ways, for example:

Sin is
“rebellion against God”
“rebellion against God’s laws”
“rebellion against God’s authority”
“adding to God’s Word”
“going beyond what is written in God’s Word”
“missing the mark”
“falling short of God’s mark”
“turning way from God”
“choosing to please self rather than God”

and

“Sin is choosing the temporal over the eternal.”

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Institutions or Heart?

On August 22, 2016   /   Character  

Things Above Thought
TAT # 89 Institutions or Heart?

All NT commandments are given to people to carry out, not to denominations, not to religious churches, not to governments. We cannot pay our churches or politicians to obey commandments given for us to obey. Political programs don’t fix moral problems and churches don’t have the authority to change God’s laws. In short: “You cannot fix Babylon with Babylon.”

Do you trust man made institutions and their laws or God’s heart and your Bible?

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Good Things

On July 18, 2016   /   Blessing, Prayer  

Things Above Thought
TAT # 88 ASK FOR GOOD THINGS

Oswald Chamber’s July 16 devotional was great as usual. He wrote on Matthew 7:11; “How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?” I would like to take it one step further and ask: What are “good things”?

When was the last time you asked: “Please don’t bless me with earthly blessings but with eternal blessings.” Which of the two is more important? Which blessing is better?

Ask for Good Things—Godly Things.

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Our Countries Freedoms

On July 4, 2016   /   Christian Basics, Faith  

Things Above Thought
TAT # 87 MY COUNTRIES FREEDOMS

Today, July 4th, we celebrate our country’s freedom.

I love the saying “Freedom is not free.” Many people died to bring us the freedom we enjoy today and for over 200 years we have fought and struggled to retain this freedom. I love my freedom and I love this country and it always brings me great joy to think about and compare many freedoms.

In this country many died to set us free.
In God’s country one died to set us free.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free . . . (Gal. 5:1)

In this country we depend on many for our continued freedom.
In God’s country we depend on one for our continued freedom.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free;
therefore keep standing firm
and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
(Gal. 5:1)

In this country we continue to fight and die for our freedom.
In God’s country we continue to fight and live in our freedom.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live,
but Christ lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Gal. 2:20)

In this country we have been free for over 200 years.
In God’s country we are and will be free forever.

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God;
for He has prepared a city for them. (Heb. 11:16)

I LOVE MY COUNTRIES FREEDOMS!

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Death Stare

On June 20, 2016   /   Eternal, Goals  

Things Above Thought
TAT # 86 The Death Stare of a Dead Camel

Remember the rich young man in Matthew 19? He was rich and he had also kept the OT law but he knew he was “dead” so he asked Christ: “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” He did not like the answer and walked away. Do you like all the answers Christ gives you in the Bible? If not why?

Who do you think the rich man was trying to please? Certainly not Christ.
What did he consider to be valuable? Certainly not eternal life.
Who are you trying to please?
What do you consider valuable?

When our goals are not eternal then we have the death stare of a dead camel.
The rich young “dead camel” had that stare (Mat. 19:16–24).
If you are staring at your earthly riches and also at the eye of the needle then you have the same death stare of a dead camel.

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Happiness

On June 13, 2016   /   Character, Endurance, Joy  

Things Above Thought

TAT # 85 Happiness!

 

Much is being said, written about, preached on, televised, announced, blogged, and tweeted about how God wants Christians to be happy. It’s almost as if Christ came, suffered, and died to make us happy. But I wonder what made Paul so happy that he was –

 

imprisoned, beaten so many times the number is not recorded, in danger of death, given 195 lashes, beaten with rods three times, stoned, three times, shipwrecked and adrift for 24 hours,  frequently in dangers from natural disasters, robbers, Jews and Gentiles, and dangers in the city, the wilderness, on the sea, and even those clamming to be brethren but were not. He even labored with hardship through many sleepless nights, went hungry and thirsty, was often cold and exposed and on top of all that he lived with the daily pressure of concern for all the churches. (2 Cor. 11:23–28) ☺

 

And what made Christ soooo happy that He –

 

started His ministry not with an ordination ceremony and then a celebration and a parade but by spending 40 days alone in the desert without food and then tempted by the devil? After that He suffered rejection by His countrymen, His handpicked disciples, and the religious leaders of the religious system handed down by His Father. And if that were not enough He endured the shame and suffering of a trial by those same religious leaders and then the government also turned its back on Him and handed Him over to the worst death any human has ever faced. ☺

 

So what made them happy? How about –

 

. . . Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. 12:2 emphasis added)

 

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4 emphasis added)

 

Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see. (Heb. 11:1 GWN emphasis added)

 

When God’s heavenly, eternal goals don’t make us happy we might need to spend a little more time with Paul and Christ. ☺

 

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Dead or Alive?

On May 31, 2016   /   Endurance  

Things Above Thought
TAT # 84 WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE?

Some estimate that over a million people followed Moses out of Egypt. But it is known that only three men from the original adult generation made it into God’s promised land. Not even Moses made it! The great and obedient warriors Joshua and Caleb did enter the promised land. While Joshua was just as strong as he was when he left Egypt the third man had to be carried in. Even though the third man had lost his physical strength his witness to Israel is one of the greatest in the entire history of Israel.

The third man was a slave! But yet he was carried out of Egypt! He never spoke a word to anyone that left Egypt! He never even spoke a word while they were in the wilderness for 40 years! But yet his witnesses to Israel was great!

The third man was Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. He became second in authority in Egypt and answered only to his master, the Pharaoh but he remained a slave. He saved his family and the entire future nation of Israel, by bringing them to Egypt and feeding them during a severe famine. But all that is not the great witness of Joseph. When Joseph died he ordered that he was not to be buried in Egypt but only in God’s promised land. Therefore Joseph’s body was embalmed and placed in a coffin (Genesis 50:24–26).

For 400 years Israel did not have a Bible, they did not have a written Word from God, they did not hear God speak to them, and they did not have a prophet – they only had Joseph’s coffin (Joshua 24:32)!

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of (dead) witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (Heb. 12:1 clarification added).

WANTED: ALIVE AND DEAD!
Will you join the cloud?

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IF

On May 25, 2016   /   Endurance  

Things Above Thought
TAT # 83 IF

As the old saying goes: “Dynamite comes in small packages.” In the Bible the small word “if” is dynamic, it reveals great actions and great challenges.

SOME GREAT ACTIONS:
If – I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:3)

I am the door; – if – anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. (John 10:9)

For – if – we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, (Rom. 6:5)

So – if – the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36)

SOME GREAT CHALLENGES
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “– If – you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; (John 8:31)

Jesus answered and said to him, “– If – anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. (John 14:23)

for – if – you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but – if – by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Rom. 8:13)

If – we endure, we will also reign with Him; (2 Tim. 2:12)

To read 1500+ more of these please refer to your Bible.
And remember:
If – we make up our own rules we are living for ourselves and our pleasure.
If – we live by His rules the world will hate us, we will suffer, and we will store up great treasure in heaven  (John 15:18ff; Luke 12:33–34).

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All TATs can be found at www.things-above.org under “Blog”

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