GodThoughtsWired! Archives: June 2008

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Stupid Shepherds 2

Stupid Shepherds 2
Brad Reiches
Jun 26 2008 11:35AM

Thursday, June 26, 2008

GodThoughtsWired!

"Stupid Shepherds"

FRUIT FROM THE AGE OF DELUSION

"For the shepherds have become stupid

and have not sought the Lord."

Jeremiah 10:21

-57% of evangelical Christians say that multiple religions can lead to salvation.*

We live in a day much like the one that Jeremiah lived in. He declared, "Those who handle the law do not know Me (God)" (Jeremiah 2:8). Can you imagine? A pastor of a church? A minister who proclaims the Word of God each Sunday? Not even having a relationship with the One he/she supposedly represents?

"An appalling and horrible thing has happened

in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and

the priests rule on their own authority; and My

people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?"

Jeremiah 5:30-31

Can you imagine? A pastor running his church based on the principles of a best selling book rather than the Word of God? A minister or Bible school professor replacing the innerant/infallible Scripture with his own ideas and calling them "The Bible?"

Well, it happened in Jeremiah's day...

And it's happening RIGHT NOW!

*Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life Survey (36,000 people), San Francisco Chronicle, "Americans Reshape Religion," p.1.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Learning to Identify the Voice of God 2

Learning to Identify the Voice of God 2
Brad Reiches
Jun 23 2008 09:00PM

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

GodThoughtsWired!

"Learning to Identify the Voice of God"

THE WILL...TO DO HIS WILL

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,

and they follow Me."

John 10:27

For most, the voice of God is drowned out by the myriad voices competing for our attention. Most of what passes today as "prophesy," is merely a sad and pathetic reflection of this Age of delusion:

"Do not listen to the words of the prophets

who are prophesying to you. They are leading

you into futility; They speak a vision of their

own imagination, not from the mouth of the Lord."

Jeremiah 23:16

As a youth pastor several years ago, two identical twin girls began attending our church in their freshman year of high school. For the first couple of years I couldn't tell them a part to save my life! They used to trick me unmercifully!

However, as my individual relationships with each of them deepened, their uniqueness began to stand out to me. The closer the relationship, the more distinctive they became. And by their senior year...they could no longer trick me!

Such is the voice of God.

Learning to Identify the Voice of God

Learning to Identify the Voice of God
Brad Reiches
Jun 23 2008 01:08PM

Monday, June 23, 2008

GodThoughtsWired!

"Learning to Identify the Voice of God"

THE WILL...TO DO HIS WILL

"If anyone is willing to do His will, he

will know of the teaching, whether it is of God

or whetherI speak from Myself"

John 7:17

WOW! The willingness to live the will of God means EVERYTHING!

1. The sincere follower of Jesus is one who seeks the kingdom of God ahead of his own kingdom (see Matthew 6:33). Indeed, by definition, to be like Jesus is to submit one's own will and interests to the will and interests of God. "Not My will, but Thine be done" (see John 5:19,30,36; 6:38; 8:28; 12:49-50).

There is only room for One on the throne. Many a sincere Christian (myself included) have attempted to live their lives with one foot in the kingdom of God and the other foot planted firmly in the kingdom of self. Not only is this a recipe for folly and great deception, "No man can serve two masters" (see Matthew 6:24), it is also the surest way to be miserable!

2. It is only those who are willing to do the will of God who have any chance to discern the voice of God (see above verse). The multitudes intent on self-preservation, self-justification, and self-glorification wouldn't recognize God if He stood directly in front of them!

"Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you,

and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip?

He who has seen Me has seen the Father."

John 14:9

CONCLUSION TOMORROW.

Friday, June 20, 2008

The 'My Peace'!

The 'My Peace'!
Brad Reiches
Jun 20 2008 12:12PM

Friday, June 20, 2008

GodThoughtsWired!

"The...'MY PEACE!'"

HAVE YA' GOT IT?

"Peace I leave with you;

MY PEACE! I give to you..."

John 14:27 (caps and exclamation mark mine)

Wow! do you see it? We're not talking about ordinary peace here. Were talking about the peace of Jesus. "MY PEACE!" Have you got it? The "MY PEACE!," I mean. It's only available through Jesus. Only those who live in right relationship with Him experience it. "Practice these things and the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:9). The Apostle Paul said. Today's subject matter is foreign outside of Jesus (the world doesn't even know it's available, so of course, they don't miss it. Their only hope is to see it in Christians and wonder what it is, and then...BAM! Go make disciples... The MY PEACE! is universally attractive).

"These things I have spoken to you,

so that in Me you may have peace."

John 16:33

One of the greatest feelings IN ALL OF LIFE is being full of the "MY PEACE!" Are you? Are you full? Are you full of the "MY PEACE?" It is one very important element of what Jesus called, "the abundant life." "The thief comes only to kill, steal, and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). And who's the "they" that Jesus is referring to? The "they" are all who receive Him (see John 1:11-12). The "they" are those who, "take up their cross daily" (see Matthew 16:24-26). They are followers of the King. They are able to,

"Consider it all joy my brethren,

when you encounter various trials..."

James 1:2

Because they are filled with the "MY PEACE!"

The peace of God is only available

through the God of peace.

Indeed, the "MY PEACE!" is a part of what Jesus called "the abundant life." The psalmist called it, "the prosperity of the soul" (see Psalm 24:12). For me, the most amazing reality of the "MY PEACE!" is that it transcends circumstance. It isn't dependent on anything external. You can have it in the midst of great persecution (see 2 Timothy 3:12) or physical adversity (see Ecclesiastes 7:13-14).

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:7

Have ya' got it?

Thursday, June 19, 2008

The Consequences of Rejecting the Truth

The Consequences of Rejecting the Truth
Brad Reiches
Jun 19 2008 01:54PM

Thursday, June 19, 2008

GodThoughtsWired!

"The Consequences of Rejecting the Truth"

"These are things I think I see in society-

the nature of being gay is that you are forced

to challenge the general perception, otherwise

you have to accept that something is wrong with you."

George Michaels, Bay Area News Group, Timeout, D3, June 19, 2008

Indeed, life is a choice. The choice to go your own way, do your own thing, live your own life according to your own rules...or submit to the will and ways of God, as described in His word. Isn't it amazing that we always wind up dealing with the same root question,

What do you believe about the Bible?

(click on above, for an in-depth study)

The answers to all of life's other important questions will be determined by what you believe about the Bible. It says of itself, "All scripture is inspired by God..." (2 Timothy 3:16). Literally, "God-breathed." The Bible claims to be the spoken word of God. "No prophecy of scripture was ever given by an act of the human will, but men moved by the Spirit spoken from God" (2 Peter 1:20). It says, "The law of the Lord is perfect" (Psalm 19:7), and claims to be "profitable" for EVERYTHING! (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

If you believe the Bible to be what it says it is, the word of God, then you have access to the answers to EVERY SINGLE ONE of life's most important questions. If however, you do not accept the Bible to be the inerrant word of God, you have refused the one thing that can make you free (see John 8:32,36).

Those who reject the Truth are forever destined to remain in their bondage.