What do you believe God requires of you?

This is not what I believe God requires of me but what does Jesus say He requires of us.  Jesus, the Lord tells us through the Scriptures what is required of me.

(Micah 6:8 KJV)  He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but

1. To do justly, and

2. To love mercy, and

3. To walk humbly with thy God?

(Deu 23:21 KJV)  When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for

4. The LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

(Deu 10:12-13 KJV)  And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but

5. To fear the LORD thy God,

6. To walk in all his ways, and

7. To love him, and

8. To serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

9. To keep the commandments of the LORD, and

10. (To Keep) his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

(1 Cor 4:2 KJV)  Moreover it is required in stewards, that

11. A man be found faithful.

There are a minimum of 11 items that Jesus requires of me, just from the scriptures with the words of require and required.  I have not even looked at a direct command that Jesus gives us, for example:

(Mark 12:30-31 KJV)  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. {31} And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

The words, “thou shalt” in the KJV is listed 1250 in 1040 verses.  Something to think about what God requires of us.  Blessings

Stephen

 

 

 

 

 

Why do Christians have sickness?

I am going to answer this from the Words of the Scripture on what our Lord and Savior taught the Apostle Paul about why Christians have sickness.  Paul said to the Corinthians:  “That's why so many of you are weak and sick and a considerable number are dying.”  This statement is to Christians, not Gentiles.  In a way, this is a very shocking statement. 

It says “many” are weak and sick.  Are there something these Christians did or not do to cause this.  Yes, in fact there is.  What were they doing to receive this type of instruction from Paul, but to celebrate the Lord’s Supper or as Jesus called it, Passover or Jesus Passover Service.  Jesus Passover was done with bread and cup on the night Jesus was betrayed, not on the night the Jews held their Passover.

This is what Paul was referring to, take the Passover in unworthy manner,  person must examine himself, because whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.  If we recognize we are unworthy and are sinners, then we need to take the Passover. If we really do not recognize this, then when we take the Passover, we bring judgment on ourselves.  Now, Paul tells us, that is why many of us are weak and sick and a considerable number are dying.  Jesus said the bread is His body.   Isaiah said by his stripes we are healed.  When we partake of the Passover each year, we are to examine ourselves.   

Blessings

Stephen

That's why so many of you are weak and sick and a considerable number are dying.  (1Co 11:30)

When you gather in the same place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.  (1Co 11:20)

1Co 11:23-29  For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you—how the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took a loaf of bread,  (24)  gave thanks for it, and broke it in pieces, saying, "This is my body that is for you. Keep doing this in memory of me."  (25)  He did the same with the cup after the supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. As often as you drink from it, keep doing this in memory of me."  (26)  For as often as you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.  (27)  Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks from the cup in an unworthy manner will be held responsible for the Lord's body and blood.  (28)  A person must examine himself and then eat the bread and drink from the cup,  (29)  because whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

(Isa 53:5 KJV)  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

How the world today treats sin casually.

No individuals who have received the Holy Spirit should treat sin casually.  First, before we can really answer this, we have to ask, what is sin?  Whomever you ask, will give a different answer to what is sin.  Did you know, the Apostle John tells us what sin is, but nobody believes it and there is a, but, or some expression like this. 

John tells us in 1^st John 3 that sin is the transgression of the law.  Therefore, John tells us that sin is breaking the 10 commandments.  What happens to a person when they break any of the commandments?  Paul tells us they then are producing the works of the flesh in Gal 5.  Since we live by the Spirit, (those who have the Holy Spirit living in and through us) will produce the fruit of the Spirit. 

We find that the world today (Satan is the god of this world or age until Jesus our Lord returns to set up His Kingdom at the start of the Millennium) are saying evil is good and good is evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness.  God said to those who do this “Woe.”  We have heard this all our life from schools, TV, movies and government and from the churches; this is how our society treats sin today by pushing and forcing the works of the flesh upon all people in all places.

Blessings

Stephen

(1 John 3:4 KJV)  Whosoever committed sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

(Gal 5:19-23 KJV)  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, {20} Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, {21} Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

(Gal 5:22-25 NIV)  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. {24} Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. {25} Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

(Isa 5:20 NIV)  Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

 

Tent of Meeting

Dah, I guess I am not very observance about the difference between the tent of meeting and the actual Tabernacle.  Never really thought about it.  The word for tabernacle (tent of meeting) is “ohel” and is different from the word for the Tabernacle that the Lord had Moses to build “mishkan.”  I have not really notice a difference before.  Reading vs. 8, explain something about the communication between Moses and the Lord (Jesus Christ).  Moses went into the tent, outside the camp, and the pillar of cloud came down and stayed at the entrance of the tent.  The Tabernacle was inside the camp.  Very interesting.  It said, Lord spoke with Moses, not at Moses, but with Moses, not one way but a two way conversation. This is why it is called, a tent of meeting. A place where Moses could talk with Jesus.  Also, if anyone wanted to inquire of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting.  My guess is, they would tell Moses and Moses would ask the Lord for them.  Could this be one of the reason why Moses father in law said it was too much for Moses and to have Moses assign other to help him.  Who knows, but interesting.

Blessings

Stephen

tabernacle (tent of meeting) :  168. 'ohel, o'-hel; from H166; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance):--covering, (dwelling) (place), home, tabernacle, tent.

Tabernacle: 4908. mishkan, mish-kawn'; from H7931; a residence (includ. a shepherd's hut, the lair of animals, fig. the grave; also the Temple); spec. the Tabernacle (prop. its wooden walls):--dwelleth, dwelling (place), habitation, tabernacle, tent.

(Exo 33:7-9 NIV)  Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting." Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. {8} And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. {9} As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses.

(Exo 33:7 KJV)  And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that everyone which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.