picture - Author unknown
music - "I'm Too Busy Following Footsteps" by Darlene Neptune
Heavenly & Earthly by Frances M McCrory-Meservy 2/20/2014
God created us as humans. He gave us feelings (peace to guide us with) and a guide in how to live. Scripture is a letter to each individual from God and God guides each individual in understanding what He has to say. Since He created us, He knows what each individual needs to do what he calls them to do. But only each individual can discern what that is.
So with this in mind, we know that scripture is not for the masses; but for the individual. We are not supposed to apply what God shows us to others. We are supposed to apply what he shows us to ourselves. We in doing will develop a personal relationship with God. That is the most important thing we can do.
If we are walking in a relationship with God, people will come to us and want to know why we are the way we are. When they do that, we can successfully share what God showed us.
I love the saying: It's our job to catch the fish and God's job to clean them. We would do well to remember that.
If we walk in self righteousness, no one will come to us and ask why are you this way? In fact the will be offended by your prejudices against people who don't conform to your way of life.
Over righteous: pass laws that are prejudicial to a certain group of people, judging other people as to whether they are Christian or not, being so proud of ones godliness that others can't approach you.
If we walk in sin, we have become so worldly that there is no difference in us and anyone else. We are obviously not walking with God.
Over worldly: sorcerers, perjurers, exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, turn away an alien, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, sodomites, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortionists, cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, liars, murderers
Do not be so heavenly that you are no earthly good nor so earthly that you are no heavenly good.
Some Christians think they not only have to commit themselves to righteousness; but they also feel the need to force their beliefs on the rest of the world. They are overly righteous.
Other Christians think that they can continue on in their sinful ways and God will not hold them accountable for their actions.
Both are wrong. God gives us freewill and we should do the same for others. And if we love Jesus, we will obey Him.
If we see our brother (Christian) sin, we should go in love and talk to him about it. Past that it is between the person and God. We are not to ostracize them or bad mouth them to others. We should not be prejudiced against them. We are supposed to pray for the person.
So in this we find that narrow gate that Jesus talked about. Are you able to enter?
Eccl 7:15-18 I have seen everything in my days of vanity: There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness. Do not be overly righteous, Nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself? Do not be overly wicked, Nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time? It is good that you grasp this, And also not remove your hand from the other; For he who fears God will escape them all.
Mat 7:12-14 "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Mat 23:4-10 "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. "But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. "They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, "greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.' "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. "And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.
Mat 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Mat 7:3-5 "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Mal 3:5 And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers, Against adulterers, Against perjurers, Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, And against those who turn away an alien; Because they do not fear Me," Says the LORD of hosts. 1 Cor 6:9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists will inherit the kingdom of God. Rev 21:8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Psa 119:108-109 Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, And teach me Your judgments. My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law.