Christianity

Day Two Hundred Sixty and Seven

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What do I want for Christmas?

On this LORD’S Day I want the Word of God to come into my heart, my soul, my mind with the power of the Spirit of God; to do the work God has sent it with His Spirit to perform in me and the people who will hear it; and I want us to see what God can do when His redeemed people hear, and yield to His Word and His way and His will.

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” Philippians 2:14-16 (KJV)

 

Day Two Hundred Sixty and Eight

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want my friends, and sister’s in law parents; Denny and Linda Ball to have a wonderful day celebrating their fiftieth Wedding Anniversary; On this day in 1966 Denny and Linda were united in marriage.

May the Lord give them many more years together.

And He answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Matthew 19:4-6 (KJV)

Day 270

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want you to know the love, peace, joy, grace, and power of God in your life; I most of all just want you to know God through His Son Jesus Christ; that you might have His mind and heart.

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 (KJV)

Day Two Hundred Seventy and Three

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What do I want for Christmas?

Just in the past two weeks there have been two horrendous, murderous, terrorist attacks. Just yesterday March 27, 2016 there was an attack in Iran while a number of Christian brethren were celebrating Easter.  There were 67 murdered, and hundreds injured.

What I want is that these murderers  be stopped, to be silenced by Holy God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and I want them to know they will answer to GOD, not Allah, that Allah will crumble and fall before the face of Almighty Jehovah; and that every knee, even that of all those who worship Allah will fall before Jesus the Christ, worship Him, and if they are without repentance and faith in Him now will die eternally in the Lake of fire; I want all Muslims to know that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, He was buried, and He was raised from death, and came out of that grave; believe Him, and be saved.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11 (KJV)

Forgive my error.  It was Pakistan not Iran where the terrorist murderers killed.

Day Two Hundred Seventy and Four

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What do I want for Christmas?

I know that it is Easter Sunday for Christians around the world; however, I want to better understand the love, grace, mercy, and power of God through the cross, burial and resurrection of Jesus; and I want you to know that this same Jesus who was born in a manger came to die for the sins of the world, that He did, was buried, and He arose from the grave; and He is soon returning.  Make sure you are on His side.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 (KJV)

“For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 3:17-19

 

Day Two Hundred Seventy and Five

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want you; I want the world to know that God is still greatly offended by our sins; that judgment’s hell fire is what you and I deserve, because of our offense toward God; but God has loved us so much that He gave us His only begotten Son to die for our sins, paid our redemption price with His own life, was laid in a tomb taking our sins, shame, guilt condemnation away in death, then bodily arose alive from that grave; and whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life with Him.

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2 (KJV)

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Day Two Hundred Seventy and Six

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want everyone to understand the true meaning of Easter; that it is about the death, burial and bodily resurrection of the Lord and Savior of all creation; that the only hope for our world is Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, eternally alive, and reigning as the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

Fear not; I am the First and the Last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” [Jesus Christ] Revelation 1:17b-18 (KJV)

Also see Isaiah 41:4 and 44:6

Day Two Hundred Seventy and Nine

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want the people, the families of victims in the bombing in Brussels, Belgium to be comforted, strengthened, and to be drawn near to the Lord Jesus Christ through these horrible events.

Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3-5 (KJV)

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28

Christmas – Day 281

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What do I want for Christmas?

On this Palm Sunday, remembering the last days in the life of our Savior before His death on the cross, burial, and bodily resurrection; I want to grow more in love with my Lord and Savior, and to appreciate everyday as a day He has given me to celebrate Him.

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the Mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto Me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set Him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when He was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.” Matthew 21:1-11 (KJV)

Day Two Hundred Eighty and Five

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want people to know that there is no peace to the wicked.

There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.” Isaiah 48:22 (KJV)
“God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” Psalm 7:11

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…” Romans 5:1

Day Two Hundred Eighty and Seven

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want to hear my King’s shout, and His trumpet call, for all His people to gather to Him; preparing for that day when He will come to judge the world and put an end to sin.

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 (KJV)

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Day Two Hundred Eighty and Nine

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Everyday is Christmas – What do I want for Christmas?

I want to put my complete trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for the problems I personally face, for the problems of my family, and the problems of our Nation (the U. S. of A.); to realize that our trust must be in Him alone, not in politics or any political, deceptive so called leader.

Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!”  Isaiah 31:1 (KJV)

“It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.”  Psalm 118:9

Day Two Hundred Ninety

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What do I want for Christmas?

Before I begin with my “want” for today I will clarify something;  I have never been a business owner, but I do know the law of “Sowing and reaping”…

I want Business owners all over the U. S. of A. to know and understand that when you take care of your employees; from the bottom to the top; from the top to the bottom; they will take care of you and your business. If you do not understand what that means then, maybe we need Union and/or Government intervention.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.” Galations 6:7 (KJV)

Day Two Hundred Ninety and One

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want to meet someone who is lost and condemned by their sin; knows they are lost and condemned by their sins; will listen to the Lord’s word concerning their lostness, and condemnation; hear the gospel of Jesus Christ – that He died for our sins, was buried, and He rose again bodily from the grave – and by the Spirit of God lead that individual to saving faith in Christ Jesus.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believes on Him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:14-18 (KJV)

Day Two Nine Four

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want to live my life in the fulness and power of the Holy Spirit of God; that others might see the power and work of God, His Word and His Spirit in me.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”  Galations 5:22-26

“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”  2 Corinthians 3:17 (KJV)

Day Two Hundred Ninety and Seven

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want my friends, family, neighbors all around the world to know that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and bodily arose from the grave; that He is the Son of the Living God, and God the Living Son.

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 (NKJV)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:1-5

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Also see Colossians 1:16-19;  Isaiah 41:4; 44:6;  Revelation 1:17

Day Two Hundred Ninety and Eight

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What do I want for Christmas?

Since the last Sunday of March is the annual day of celebrating Easter or Resurrection Day; I want every Christian, and all people to realize that we celebrate His resurrection every Sunday, every Lord’s Day, and that it has been said, “Easter is the exclamation point to ‘Merry Christmas'”.

“Jesus is risen.  He is risen indeed.”

“But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”” Matthew 28:5-7 (NKJV)

Standing Fast In Liberty

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Points from this mornings sermon (2/28/16).

Galations 5:1 ff

  1.  [When we..] Hold fast, stand pat in the liberty of Jesus Christ (Gal. 5:1-6)
  2. We will walk in love (vv. 7-15).
  3. We will walk bearing the fruit of the Spirit (vv. 16-26).
  4. We will be compassionate toward others (6:1-5)
  5. We will be generous in our Sowing, and God’s blessing in Reaping of the Spirit (vv.  6-10).
  6. We will boast only in the Cross of Jesus Christ, and give Him the glory (vv. 11-15).
  7. We too will bear in our bodies the “marks of the Lord Jesus” (vv. 16-18).

-Tim A. Blankenship

Liberty at Risk

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These are notes,  the main points of a sermon I preached February 14, 2016 at Shiloah Baptist Church of Jenkins, MO.

Liberty At Risk

Galations 3:1-18

Ref  – 2 Corinthians 3:13;  Galations 5:4

  1.  The liberty we have in Jesus Christ through His death, burial and bodily resurrection is denied by those who would add works to grace – it is a bewitched thing.
  2.  The Holy Spirit is given by grace through faith , not by the Law.
  3.   No one has ever been justified by the Law, but we are all condemned by the Law.
  4.   Faith and grace were before the Law (John 3:18).

-Tim A. Blankenship

A Matter of Liberty

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These are thoughts from a sermon I preached on February 07, 2016 at Shiloah Baptist Church of Jenkins, Missouri.

Galations 1:1-2:10

Explain the true Gospel of Jesus Christ as given by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

On the matter of “…or an angel” (1:8) Mohammed – saw an angel he called “Gabriel”, and he spoke of perverted scripture  570 A.D. at the age of 40.

Joseph Smith saw an angel (Moroni), was shown some “golden plates” and wrote from those plates “The Book of Mormon”

Both of those angels taught another gospel, another Jesus, and speak ill, evil of the cross of Jesus Christ the Son of God and God the Son.

Any religion which adds a work – baptism [sacraments], communion, circumcision, keeping the Sabbath day, any of the holy days, etc. – in order to be saved perverts the grace of God.  It is legalism not grace.

This freedom, this liberty we have in Jesus Christ is unbound.  We have no freedom or license to sin; we do have freedom from sins bondage.  We are free to live for God apart from sin.  There is no living for God in sin.

-Tim A. Blankenship

 

Day Three Hundred and Four

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want us; the people of the United States of America; to trust in the LORD with all our hearts, and not to lean on our own understanding, and in all our ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct our paths.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

The Proud Look

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The Proud Look

This is the first in a seven part series I call “SEVEN ABOMINATIONS WHICH GOD HATES. It is taken from Proverbs 6:16-19 as the text. I began this series on Sunday morning July 09, 2006, and I believe it covers the sins that are the cause of all the ills of the earth. Of course, sin is the cause of all the ills on earth. I pray all who read this will learn to serve and glorify the Lord Jesus for His abundant grace and mercy He has provided for us all upon the cross of Calvary.

“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,   An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,   A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Proverbs 6:16-19

A PROUD LOOK equals “Haughty eyes” or arrogant ambition.

IT IS THE LOOK THAT DEFIES GOD. “But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.” Numbers15:30. Note the condemnation of one who sins defiantly/presumptuously. Also look at the words of Isaiah to the king of Assyria because of his “High looks”. A man in the New Testament who would fit into this category could be the one who tore down his old barns to build new ones. Isaiah also says in 2:11, “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.”

C. S. Lewis said, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

THIS PRIDE WILL CAUSE THE FALL OF THE ONE WHO PRACTICES IT. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18.

King Nebuchadnezzar was brought low by the arrogance he had against God, and in the end He glorified the Lord God (YHWH). So will it be with all who exalt themselves over the will of God.

Look at this verse which reminds us of the peril of a Proud look. ” An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.” Proverbs 21:4

In the Beatitudes of Matthew 5 we find a great contrast to this PROUD LOOK. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (v. 3).

THE ‘PROUD LOOK’ IS THE LOOK WHICH SAYS, ‘I KNOW BETTER THAN GOD’. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:21, “Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.” It is the PROUD LOOK of the man which says, ‘I will not love my wife as Christ loved the Church…”, or just plainly refuses to do so. It is the PROUD LOOK of the woman who refuses to ’submit’ to her husband ‘as to the Lord’. It is the PROUD LOOK of the rebellious child or teenager who will not honor and obey their parents; or the adult who shuns and will not honor their parents; or the husband and/or wife who are not submissive one to another; nor fulfilling their godly duties to the other.

THE ANSWER IS FOUND IN A HUMBLE HEART TOWARD GOD. ” The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17. Someone once said, “Humility is a funny thing; when you think you have it, you don’t”.

Some Christians beat themselves up verbally in an attempt at “Humility”. That is really a lot of pride manifesting itself in the person to draw others attention toward themselves. How do I know that? How can I say that? Because I have been there. I have been guilty of doing it.

Humility is not trying to make yourself lower than others – true humility is not thinking of yourself at all. The humble person rest in Christ Jesus, and lives for Him and serves others without thought of reward or recognition.

Thank the Lord for those humble people of Christ’s who serve and are not seen.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Day Three Hundred and Twelve

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want to better understand Freedom; especially the liberty Christians have in Jesus Christ; and I want all to understand that Freedom/Liberty is not free from responsibility.

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NKJV)

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galations 5:1

Day Three Hundred and Fourteen

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want to better understand the prophetic Word of God, God’s judgments, and His way in the earthquakes, storms, floods, droughts, sicknesses in world; His grace and love; especially in the U. S. of A.  for all those who name the name of Christ to have that understanding.

Therefore I said, “Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they do not know the way of the Lord, the judgment of their God. I will go to the great men and speak to them, for they have known the way of the Lord, the judgment of their God.” Jeremiah 5:4-5 (NKJV)
“Hear the word of the Lord, You children of Israel, for the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: “There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land.” Hosea 4:1

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6
“When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Matthew 16:2-4

Day Three Hundred and Fifteen

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want to love my neighbor as I love myself.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”” Exodus 20:12-17 (NKJV)

“And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31

Also see Day 317