Proper Vision

On August 11, 2017   /   Faith, God Satan Conflict  

Things Above Thoughts
TAT # 111 Proper Vision

Christ told Paul to:
open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me. (Acts 26:18)

When we live in darkness we do not “see” God’s light – nor do we “see” the content of Satan’s darkness. But when we live in God’s light not only do we “see” God‘s light but we also “see” …….. our forgiveness and inheritance. Do not let the content of Satan’s darkness overshadow God’s forgiveness and eternal inheritance.

Back to Top

Eat Well

On August 4, 2017   /   Bible, Darkness & Light, Faith  

Things Above Thoughts
TAT # 110 Eat Well

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom. 12:2)

The only way to transform our minds is to have a proper and consistent mental diet of the bread of life, God’s Word (John 1:1; 6:35). Without this diet we are spiritually anemic and can not know the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. As the old gardener said: “It’s important to know the difference between mulch, manure, and oatmeal.”

Without a proper and consistent diet of the Bible we will never know what we are swallowing. Eat Well!

Back to Top

Know and No Trust

On July 6, 2017   /   Faith  

Things Above Thoughts (TAT)
TAT # 109 Know and No Trust

Oswald Chamber’s May 31st reading was so good I am including the first part of it here:

“Put God First in Trust. Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, … for He knew what was in man. John 2:24–25.
Our Lord trusted no man; yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, never in despair about any man because He put God first in trust; He trusted absolutely in what God’s grace could do for any man. If I put my trust in human beings first, I will end in despairing of everyone; I will become bitter, because I have insisted on man being what no man ever can be—absolutely right. Never trust anything but the grace of God in yourself or in anyone else.
Put God’s Needs First. Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. Hebrews 10:9.
A man’s obedience is to what he sees to be a need; Our Lord’s obedience was to the will of His Father.” (Underlines added)

Many see the need for a better world and think politics and or religious systems are ways to achieve that need. So they become obedient to them or promote them. BUT — all of God’s commandments in the New Testament are not to governments or religious organizations – they are to His chosen people. They are to be carried out by me and you no matter what government systems or religious systems say. We are to trust only God and His written Word and we are to know the frailty of all humanity, yes even our own.

Know God, know our hearts, and put no trust in man (John 2:24–25; Hebrew 4:12)

Eternal Blessings
ScVerlin Barton

Back to Top

Limping & Living

On May 9, 2017   /   Endurance, Faith, God's Will for Me  

Things Above Thoughts
TAT # 107 Limping & Living

In Genesis 2:16–17 the Lord tells Adam not to eat the fruit from a specific tree or he would die. In Chapter three Adam eats the fruit but does not drop dead (Genesis 3:6). When the Lord comes upon the scene, naturally Adam is afraid, of the only thing he has to fear – death, and tries to hid himself from the Lord (3:8–10). The Lord examines the events of the eating of the fruit and starts handing out punishment to the parties involved (3:11–14). The Lord then curses the serpent and makes it crawl on its belly but He does not kill Adam and the woman nor does He even bring up the subject of the death which He has promised (3:14). At the point where we would expect the death penalty to be applied the Lord reveals that the humans are going to stay alive for awhile longer and fight the one who empowered the serpent (3:15)!

“And I will put hostility between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring; her offspring will attack your head, (*rulership) and you will attack her offspring’s heel (*an element needed for walking).” (Genesis 3:15 with *clarification NET)

Rather than applying complete and total death God left humanity on this earth to destroy Satan’s rulership (Genesis 3:15; Romans 16:20)!

Therefore with your injured heal, keep on limping through life, being obedient—not to Satan and his dying rulership but to God and His living, eternal rulership!
See also Philippians 3:8–16.

Back to Top

Proper

On May 1, 2017   /   Bible, Faith, Maturing  

Things Above Thoughts
TAT # 106 Proper

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, (Rom. 1:28)

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil. (Isaiah 5:20)

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the person of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

I pray that I do not live my life by popular human standards but properly by the Lord’s standards.
Therefore I keep asking myself: How well do I know His Scriptures?

Back to Top

Truth, Testing Intimacy

On April 17, 2017   /   Character, Faith, Maturing, Strengthing, Suffering  

Things Above Thoughts
TAT 104 Truth, Testing, Intimacy

Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Do not add to His words
Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar. (Prov. 30:5–6)

Our opinions do not create, establish, or validate truth.

When we add our opinions to God’s word we become liars—enemies of Christ.
But when we obtain accurate information from God’s written word we can take refuge in Him—intimacy with Christ.

When God’s word in me is tested then my lies are revealed and my intimacy with Christ can grow.
Don’t fear testing it can lead to intimacy.

Back to Top

Adjustment #2

On March 27, 2017   /   Eternal, Faith  

Things Above Thought
TAT 102 Adjustment #2

One of the benefits of living the eternal life is that when “the living” go to heaven there will not be an enormous adjustment.

Was that a hard thought to grasp? Consider these:
1. The New Testament is an eternal covenant (Isa. 55:3; Eze. 37:26; Heb. 13:20)!
2. Today we are to live by faith (Rom. 14:23; Heb. 11:6). Faith in its most simple definition is knowing God’s word (the Bible) and living by God’s word—know the Bible and live the Bible.
3. For all eternity we will live by faith, knowing God’s word and living by God’s word.
4. For those who learn to live by God’s word in this life, it will not be an enormous adjustment to live by God’s word for all eternity.

Just think about it, we can live the eternal life now!

Back to Top

Adjustment

On March 20, 2017   /   Faith  

Things Above Thought (TAT)
TAT #101 Adjustment

One of the benefits of living the eternal life is that when “the living” go to heaven there will not be an enormous adjustment.

Back to Top

Focus

On February 28, 2017   /   Faith, Goals  

Things Above Thought (TAT)
TAT 100 Focus

Now faith is the assurance of things assured of , the conviction of things not seen. (Heb. 11:1)

I seem to focus on the good old days and on my earthly goals. BUT, I tend make the past better than it was and my earthly goals are seldom met. Hebrews 11:14–16 and Phil. 3:13–14 make it clear that God’s people focus on the His assured goals in the eternal future—the things He has assured us of but that we do not yet see.

As I now think about it, there is little, if any, assurance for me in the good old days, and zero assurance concerning my earthly goals. I think I need to adjust my focus to things with more assurance—the only things with any real assurance.

Back to Top

Solid Faith

On February 13, 2017   /   Faith  

TAT Things Above Thoughts
TAT #99 Solid Faith

Is your faith strong? Maybe you don’t know much about the Bible but no matter what reasoning, arguments, or persuasions, you encounter you hold on to your faith. Consider this:

Obstinate: Perversely adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion.

Faith: “So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17)

How many words of Christ do I know?

Back to Top