God’s Plan

On October 30, 2015   /   Bible, Christian Basics, Faith, God's Will, God's Will for Me, Heavenly Witness, Satan, Victory, Witnessing  

Things Above Thoughts
TAT #43
Understanding God’s Plan

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. And the  LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the  LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” (Job 1:6–8)

If you think you’ re only one, unimportant, person and that what you do makes little impact, then you have a problem. You have a problem of a lack of understanding. When you think you are small and unimportant you do not understand all the facts. When you understand God’s designed witness to the angels you realize you are important:

Through God’s spiritual family the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms. (Eph. 3:10 NET, clarification added)

They are watching our daily lives to understand God’s wisdom and by this we glorify God!

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Improvement or Perfection

On October 30, 2015   /   Character, Christian Basics, Christian Values, Darkness & Light, Endurance, Eternal, Satan, Strengthing, Trials  

Things Above Thoughts
TAT #37
Improvement or Perfect?

Paul lived under a dictator who demanded that the citizens revere him as a god and killed all who disesteemed him. To improve on that problem Paul wrote volumes on government improvement? No he wrote:
Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, (Titus 3:1)

Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. (Romans 13:1)

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. (1 Peter 2:13–14)

Paul suffered much for his faith—many imprisonments, close to death several times, 195 lashes, beaten with rods three times (number of lashes unknown), stoned, three times, shipwrecked and drifted for 24 hours, in frequent danger from and in the environment, in the cities, also from robbers, from his own countrymen (Jews), from Gentiles, and from false brethren. He labored through hardship, many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst (often without any food), and without proper clothing to protect him from the elements. Apart from all that, there was the daily pressure of concern for God’s spiritual family (2 Corinthians 11:23–28). To improve on that problem Paul wrote volumes on the “getting even” aspect of faith? No he wrote:

malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.
(Titus 3:2)

It seems to me that Paul had a “hidden” agenda:

“for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11–13 emphasis added)

Paul’s “hidden” agenda was equipping us so that we could work in the service of building up (perfecting) other saints, helping each other mature to the fullness of Christ.

So how’s all our “building” coming along today? Are we working for human improvement or godly perfection?

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Darkness or Light

On October 30, 2015   /   Darkness & Light, Eternal, Satan, Sin  

Things Above Thoughts
TAT #36
Darkness or Light

to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God (Act 26:18)

I love Paul’s call. He was sent to the Gentiles to free them from the darkness of Satan’s rulership so that they may turn to God. But how was he to do that? He was to “open their eyes.” Today we have a rampant problem with this and it is an ancient one:

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;  (Isaiah 5:20)

Peter had this problem: after the Lord told him about His coming suffering, death, and resurrection, Peter rebuked Him because he held the “light” of a worldly view of suffering and death. So the Lord said to him:

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” (Matthew 16:23)

Where is your mind today? Is it on the “light” of human interest or on the “darkness” of God’s interest?

Let us set our minds on things above and live in God’s wonderful true Light.

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No Fear

On October 28, 2015   /   Christian Basics, Darkness & Light, Satan, Trials, Victory  

Things Above Thoughts
TAT # 23
No Fear

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for You are with me (Psalm 23:4)

David did not fear anything evil had brought or could bring upon him because God was with him.

If we are not living with our eternal Lord Jesus Christ, then we are in fear for and of  “today’s self”. God has made daily eternal life available to us in which there is no fear of evil.

(Now if I can just get over my own stupidity. Back to His Word!)

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Songs

On October 28, 2015   /   Christian Basics, Darkness & Light, Satan, Suffering, Trials, Victory  

Things Above Thoughts
TAT #22
Songs

The information about the conflict between God and Satan is not new. Ever since this hidden information was revealed to Paul it has been readily available to us (Acts 26:18; Ephesians 3:9–10; 2 Corinthians 2:11). Our mothers and fathers even sang about it!

“For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe”
(A Mighty Fortress Is Our God)

“Though the wrong seems so oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.”
(This Is My Father’s World)

“The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for low, his doom is sure;”
(A Mighty Fortress Is Our God)

“Jesus who died shall be satisfied, and earth and heaven be one.”
(This Is My Father’s World)

“Sure I must fight, if I would reign; increase my courage, Lord”
(Am I a Soldier of the Cross?)

“Let earth adore, let angels minds inquirer no more”
(And Can It Be That I Should Gain)

“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here’s my heart, O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above.”
(Come, Thou Fount)

Stay strong and keep singing, you are in good company (Hebrews 12:1)!

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Our Country

On November 6, 2014   /   Bible, Christian Basics, Christian Values, Darkness & Light, Eternal, Faith, God, God's Will, God's Will for Me, Kingdom, Satan  

Things Above Thoughts (TAT)
Heavenly Citizen

I’m glad we have a day to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we might live free in this country.

We should be proud of our country and be good citizens and hopefully our parents are proud of us for this:

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. (Hebrews 11:16)

Let us remember the – One – who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we might be free from Satan’s rule. And may our desire for our – heavenly country – make the Father proud of us.

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Glory to God

On July 31, 2014   /   Bible, Christian Basics, Darkness & Light, Faith, God, Satan, Suffering, Victory   /   Leave a comment

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Do we really believe this?

When you get in a dispute with your spouse, your children, your boss, your friend, or a complete stranger do you stop in the middle of that dispute and think of Ephesians 6:12 and realize that there is more going on than just a dispute with another person? One of the reasons we are here is to have a witness to the heavenly host (Ephesians 3:10; 6:12; Job chapters 1–2). Our struggles can start in the heavenly places but always glorify God in the heavenly places (Job).

In the book “from a DARKNESS to the LIGHT” the door to this situation begins to open and His light is shed on this long ignored biblical truth.

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Devoured by Satan

On June 23, 2014   /   Bible, Christian Basics, Darkness & Light, Faith, God, Satan, Victory   /   Leave a comment

Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter  5:8)

Where does it say that Satan is a defeated foe? If he is defeated why did the risen Christ tell Paul “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God,” (Acts 26:18)? If he is defeated why does God the father say: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20)?

Turn your back on a roaring lion and he will devour you.
Poke fun at him and he will devour you.
Make believe he does not exist and he will devour you.

In the book “from a DARKNESS to the LIGHT” the only defense against Satan that God has provided is broken down into five (5) simple actions. These actions are taken from the books of James, Ephesians, 1 Peter, and Hebrews. May God bless you as you read and have victory.

If you think that since you are a Christian you don’t need to worry about him then you have already been devoured and you more than anyone else need to read this timely book.

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Back to Basics

On June 17, 2014   /   Bible, Christian Basics, Darkness & Light, Kingdom, Satan, Suffering   /   Leave a comment

Back to Basics
When you win the Super Bowl what do you do when you get back to training camp? You’ve just gone as far as you can go what can you learn in training camp? When you’ve just won the world championship in your sport what do you do next year? Sometimes it’s good to get back to the basics; go back to the starting point and revisit the fundamentals and see if you are still on track or if there is anything you can improve on. This will make you a winner again.

Christianity has been around now for close to 2,000 years, we’ve come a long way and compiled a lot of biblical information so much so many of us are drowning in biblical information. So where do we go from here? Back to the basics.

I wrote “from a DARKNESS to the LIGHT” to get Christians back to the basics. It helps to clear the fog on all this compiled biblical information and simplify our faith and our life. Christ came to bring us His light and His light always clarifies. If you want to know the simple message of Christianity then “from a DARKNESS to the LIGHT” is an excellent place to start. (Find the book on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, just type in “scverlin barton”)

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