Tradition

One of the few things my father told me before I was to marry was"now you can make your own traditions." I wondered about that statement, what are our family traditions? Was it stopping at a certain Foster's freeze for an ice cream? Was it stopping at a hamburger place that specialized in chili burgers? These things we did year after year when we made trips in our car. Was it our traditional Friday night gathering to play cards with my father and brothers? One tradition he passed down was to work hard and to be thankful for a job. My mother was a homemaker, always home and my father worked very hard, but was always home for dinner. They were faithful and our extended family was always together for thanksgiving and holidays. My family did not come to Jesus until I was nineteen. My affliction with cancer and being touched by God brought the family together to be baptized. After this God was in our traditions. My family loves the Lord Jesus Christ and the word of God. 

Mat 15:1  Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
Mat 15:2  Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
Mat 15:3  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

The dictionary defines a tradition as a way of thinking, behaving or doing something that has been used in a particular group, family or society for a long time.

The Strong's Concordance

Tradition, paradosis: of the body of precepts, esp. ritual, which in the opinion of the later Jews were orally delivered by Moses and orally transmitted in unbroken succession to subsequent generations, which precepts, both illustrating and expanding the written law, as they did were to be obeyed with equal reverence.

Bad thinking and sin can be passed down.

Exo 20:4  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 

Exo 20:5  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 

Exo 20:6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 

There are good traditions that define the character of a nation. Godly laws that honor God, such as our motto, in God we trust.  Now these traditions are under attack to be replaced by lesser values and ungodly laws. Churches have traditions, ways of doing things, but our traditions are not to take away from God's truth. When a tradition goes against the commands of God, they will not prosper. A nation that turns from God is headed for destruction unless they repent. A church must teach and practice truth by faith in God and the Lord Jesus Christ as savior or their traditions are a hindrance. Traditions can become habits, so be sure that your traditions are acceptable to God.

Pleasure in our weakness

When I was playing the trombone I noticed that I am only hearing well from one ear, and yet God gives me grace to play in my older years and I truly enjoy it. My eyes are dim now, but using glasses I can see God's creation and marvel at all he has done. By faith I can marvel at his promises and all he will do, not by my power but by his grace through faith.

2 Cor 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

When we are weak and trust in God, then we are truly strong, under the anointing of the spirit, by the grace of God. We prepare by filling our hearts with God's word and promises. 

Heb 13:5... for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

infirmities...weaknesses, distresses, As a dear friend says: short is the suffering, eternal the joy.

reproaches, insults,

Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

necessities, needs, and we know that God meets all our needs.

persecutions,

Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

distresses, calamities and difficulties

1 Pet 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

When we are at our weakest, we acknowledge we are only strong in the Lord. We give up our flesh strength and give in to God. Only in Him can we truly be strong. Flesh can not even be accounted for when one walks in the Spirit. When we are sick we cry out to the Lord, when we are distressed we cry out to the Lord, when life becomes difficult, we cry out to the Lord, when calamity hits home, we cry out to the Lord. It is in the suffering for Christ we are able to submit and draw on His strength to sustain us in our weak moments. (Camille)

We are not alone, Jesus is with us in the Spirit that dwells within. Living by faith is trusting in God's strength in us to enable us to be triumphant Christians. Thank you Jesus.

Woe to the Unjust

Isa 10:1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;

Another woe of judgment of God on Israel; upon those that write wicked laws or rulings to oppress the people, or to exalt that which the Bible condemns.

Isa 10:2 To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

Jesus spoke of these matters when he taught.

Mat 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

Mat 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Isa 10:3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?

If you deal wrongly with one another, who will you turn to when the Assyrians come? Jesus spoke of how doing evil in good times, when Jesus was present, would make it almost impossible to survive in bad times.

Luke 23:28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
Luke 23:29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Luke 23:30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
Luke 23:31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

Our everyday walk with the LORD prepares us for surviving the bad times. If we say we are a victim, and cannot get through a small problem in good times, what will happen in evil times to our faith? Be strengthened now by trusting the Lord, reading his word with prayer and good works.


Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

Eaglewings Ministries

Much ado about nothing

Just driftwood

Perhaps others are tired of these posts. At times I feel that I have nothing to say. In myself is no good thing and it is when I realize this that I trust more in the Lord. Music or the word of God are his doing. We are given certain gifts and abilities to develop through complete trust in him. We do not become lazy or neglect practice or the reading of God's word, we do have to be faithful and diligent and to remember that victory or praise belong to him, for when we accept accolades and awards,  pride comes to destroy our anointing. Some have skills of their own to move a congregation or even to manipulate them by personal power. Watch out for this, it is not of God. It is a good thing to encourage someone if their faithfulness has blessed you as the spirit directs you, it helps them to continue. The walk in the spirit often staggers as the flesh wants to dominate. Stay humble and stay the course. Follow Jesus until your salvation is complete in him at his coming.

1Co 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Light Overcomes Darkness

The world is becoming a place of sin and darkness, but we have overcome the world.

 

Jer 13:15  Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
Jer 13:16  Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

 

God can cause darkness to come to a people because of pride and by not giving God the glory he deserves. Spiritual darkness can be described in four words.  Violence, anger, confusion and fear.

 

Violence can be replaced with peace. Jesus gives us peace through the Holy Spirit.

 

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 

Anger can be replaced with calmness.

 

Eph 4:31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

 

Peace, be still

 

Mark 4:39  And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Confusion is replaced by trusting in God.

 

Psa 71:1  In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

 

Jas 3:16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

 

1Cor 14:33  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

 

Fear is replaced by God's perfect love.

 

1Jn 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

 

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

 

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

 

Are you trusting in Jesus? Are you a Spirit filled blood bought son of the most high God?

 

Isa 60:1  Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
Isa 60:2  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

Let the people of God bring light and His glory to the darkness. Let the people of the world turn to God and be saved from sin and darkness. Let them come to Jesus who loves them and who can save them. Turn away from the darkness of sin and turn to Jesus, the light of the world. 

Avoiding the ladder

Proverb 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

I have learned to no longer use a ladder to climb up on the house. I may get up there but getting down is sometimes fearful. Some things I will leave to the younger men. When are we to use our own understanding? In Spiritual things we are to trust in the LORD, but how about day to day things? There is an "all" in this proverb. Trust the LORD with ALL of our heart. The heart is the seat of our conscience, our inner most being. Can't I just trust my own heart? Not according to Jeremiah.

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jer 17:10  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

It is best to trust God with all of our heart and all of our decisions. We reap what we sow, if our trust is in the LORD we reap wisdom and good fruit. When we get stuck on that ladder of our own actions we call on the LORD for help. Isn't it better to trust him in the first place? An older man should know this.

Strength through faith

My folks retired and moved from the suburbs in Southern California to a 10 acre farm in Northern California. I remember how fearful my mom was of this move, but my dad was right at home. He was forced to leave a farm in Arkansas during the depression. He and his brother ran the farm that included a herd of  prize Jersey cattle. They had to quit school when their father died. My father only went through the fifth grade. His sister lived in Lancaster, a hot area in Southern California and she assured my dad that there was plenty of work out there. He loaded up his belongings with his wife and two kids and made the move. When he  arrived in a hot area of California where his sister lived, there was nothing but hard labor. He bucked hay and my mom cooked for 20 ranch hands and they lived in a chicken coup.  He found a job in a better climate in Ventura County as a nursery tree pruner and caregiver. The Bible calls this in the KJV, a husbandman. My father was a very hard worker and a good husband. I was born about this time. My father had various jobs but worked and saved money owned a home and when he retired he left all to move north. It was like returning home to my father. He raised cattle and had many fruit trees and a large garden. My mother was always cooking good things. They would come to visit and bring all kinds of produce to their children who had also moved north. My mom was not very big, but a hard worker. My dad was a big strong man and she always depended on him who could do anything. Old age came and my father was the first to get dementia, he no longer recognized his family, but he remembered some of his past. Mom cared for him, was given strength that she never had before. Strength in her and wisdom from God. The LORD was with them and they survived another five years until she died. Even though my dad did not know us, he had a smile and when we would take him to church and he heard the hymns , tears would come from his heart. They are both with the Lord now and we have lots of good memories of them.  Changes will come to us all, but God will be our strength so do not fear. He promises to be with us always.

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

This part I wrote last night... When I see preachers on the TV using their talents to convince others to give money, using smooth words and deception I see that they have stepped out of God's anointing. Some anointed men of God are following the Spirit, powered by God to do his work. But there is a danger with success and prominence to step away from God and to do a ministry in the "self" abilities. This happened to Moses, a servant who was known by God and who spoke face to face with him . In a moment of anger he disobeyed God's will by striking the rock twice, instead of speaking to it. God still honored Moses by sending forth water to feed his people, but this kept Moses from entering into the promise land.

Two men of faith believed God and obeyed him; Joshua and Caleb. These two went into the promise land. The promise land is a picture of God's coming kingdom. You can only get there through faith. Faith in Jesus, the rock that was stricken once for our sins.

In my personal life I sometimes feel fear when new challenges come my way. God knows our circumstances and he will give us his strength and wisdom. I trust in him and he is my strength. He gives  me the strength to serve him, but not to serve my  own pride. Too many are motivated by self, pride, power, being important, no, we are to lose ourselves in Christ Jesus. He is to work in us and through us, his good pleasure. He is our strength and he cares for us always. Do not fear.

Ichabod

1Sa 4:3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. 

1Sa 4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

1Sa 4:18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he (Eli) fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. 
1Sa 4:19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.
1Sa 4:20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
1Sa 4:21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
1Sa 4:22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.

The ark of the covenant was the presence of God in Israel. Some loosely say that it was like God in a box. The ark was a point of contact with the presence of God, as was the temple that it was housed in. The temple had been defiled by the two son's of Eli and was taken by them into battle. Israel lost the battle, the ark was taken captive and judgement and death fell on the family of Eli the high priest.

Applying this to our nation, the flag may be a symbol to many of God who blessed America and fought with us. The flag alone cannot guarantee a victory. The people must be committed to God. In Israel part of the problem was the lack of respect for God in the house of God. The priests were whoring around like the worst in the world. Some of the blame for the removing of all references to God in our nation is that the church was like the world, letting anything happen. God is not gone. He lives in the hearts of the Remnant who follow him faithfully. Israel had the prophet Samuel and the ark was eventually returned. God will return to America when America turns to God. It starts with the church.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.  

Believe the true report

With so many reporting of fear and gloom, and many lies, who will we believe? If we believe God we will do well. Believe his promises and hang on to him. They are life and strength to you.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Pro 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

The children of Israel believed the negative reports of ten of the twelve spies sent in to explore the promise land. The LORD was angry at their whining and unbelief and would have destroyed them, but Moses interceded for them delaying their deaths.

Num 14:34 "'Because the men who explored the land were there for forty days, you must wander in the wilderness for forty years -- a year for each day, suffering the consequences of your sins. You will discover what it is like to have me for an enemy.'

35 I, the LORD, have spoken! I will do these things to every member of the community who has conspired against me. They will all die here in this wilderness!"

36 Then the ten scouts who had incited the rebellion against the LORD by spreading discouraging reports about the land

37 were struck dead with a plague before the LORD.

38 Of the twelve who had explored the land, only Joshua and Caleb remained alive. (NLT)

Are you speaking for God? Or from your own anger and discouragement? Put a guard on your mouth, trust God and obey him. Do not take on authority unless it is given by God. His Spirit is gentle but you do not want to oppose him and incur his wrath. If you are in Jesus, he protects us from the wrath of God. We are to share the gospel, the good news.

Rom 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

Rom 10:14  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 

Rom 10:15  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 

Rom 10:16  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 

Rom 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

If God commands something we are to believe him and obey, even if all the world is in fear and rebellion.