Posted in Knowing the Character of God, Lessons from the Holy Bible, Living in Today's World, Photography, Truth

God is love–but He is MORE!

The Glory of the Lord Paul spoke of in Acts 20:29-31 “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.  Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.”  Peter and Jude were alarmed because of the great numbers of false teachers in the churches of their day.  Jude’s letter, to whomever it was written, tells it like it is in these the final days.  I’m sharing the one and only chapter of Jude,  because I was searching for a specific verse last  evening before falling asleep.  I found what I was looking for in Jude 24 and 25.  Reading the first 23 verses is exactly why I wanted the comfort of 24 and 25.

“Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen. ”  

These last 2 verses are my prayer for “all the saints…”  Please study the Word!  Don’t believe something just because someone who is a preacher, teacher, minister, or author.  Use the HOLY WORD of God as your plumb line to keep you on the narrow road.  Lovingly in Christ  ♥ Streim

Posted in Living in Today's World, Time for Sharing, Truth

Streim’s Saturday Sharing

the TruthAbiding by God’s Word or Following the Teachings of Men ?

If someone walked up to you on the street during this season and asked you “What’s your favorite Christmas tradition?”  What would your response be?

Mark 7:1-9 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.  For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.  When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”  He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’  “For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men–the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”  He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.”

Far too many “church folk” are following those who have crept in unawares, or went out from us and are falsely teaching a gospel of error.  I will implore you once again— everything you hear or see that is supposedly coming from God; pick up the Word of Truth/Holy Bible and search, study, seek, ask for the Holy Spirit’s discernment.  If the teaching you’re exposed to is NOT confirmed in the Scriptures, take heed then run…  Your soul is at stake!  ♥Streim

 

 

Posted in Living in Today's World, The Gospel, Time for Sharing, Truth

Streim’s Saturday Sharing (repost with edits) Wake Up and Realize “there is no afterlife”

Wake Up and Realize “there is no afterlife”

OK… I know before you read any further that you may be thinking, has Streim lost her faith?  Or maybe that I’m a tad off my “spiritual” balance.  Well, neither is true.  I will tell you why I make the statement ” There is no afterlife” and the purpose for writing this post.

First, here are a few verses that describe how God Almighty views our life here on earth:

1 Peter 1:24 “… because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away”

Psalm 103:14-16 ”  For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more” 

Isaiah 40:6-8 ”  The voice said, “Cry out!” And he  said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the Word of our God stands forever.”

According to the United Nations data for 2010, the average life expectancy is 67.2 years.  This is an average based on all nations of the world.  I am fully aware here in the US some folks live well into their 90’s;  I have a dear friend who just celebrated her 92nd birthday.  However in third world countries, for example Zimbabwe the average is 31.8.

definition of eternity according to onlinefreedictionary.com  :

1. Time without beginning or end; infinite time… (time lasting forever)
2. The state or quality of being eternal.
3. a. The timeless state following death.

     b. The afterlife; immortality.

What does Almighty God say about eternity?

John 6:40 ” And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 6:27 “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

Romans 6:22 ” But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”

 We all know that at some time in our life here in earth we will die.  Old age, accidents, disease… whatever, for the most  part (*)    everyone; man, woman or child will die.  Whether we live to be 30 years or 100 years… it’s a mere “blip” in time compared to eternity.  So, technically the years we spend here on earth is “PRE-LIFE”  and when this body dies… there’s eternity.  Eternity is “LIFE”.  The real deal.  And… what we do in this pre-life determines where we spend LIFE!!!   There’s only two places, according to the Word of God, where we will spend LIFE eternal.  1)  WITH ALMIGHTY GOD AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST  or 2)  WITHOUT GOD— in a place of outer darkness filled with pain, suffering, sadness, being alone. (2 Thessalonians 1:5-9 NASB)  Forever and ever and ever and ever…..

  “…where will you spend eternity ?”

Romans 3:18-28 “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.” Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to Godbecause by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophetseven the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesuswhom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in JesusWhere then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faithFor we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. ” NASB

The Almighty LORD God created mankind out of love; wanting a personal relationship with him.  Adam (the first man) and Eve chose to disobey a simple command by the LORD. (Genesis 2-3).  Their disobedience was passed on to all, part of our DNA.  But, the LORD God provided a way to restore that loving, personal relationship through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ; the only begotten of the Father.  Jesus death paid the required price for our sin-filled heart/life to be cleansed. With that cleansing, the Heavenly Father erases our sin.  Now, one thing to note:  This atoning and cleansing IS available for “…WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”  Romans 10:13   ♥  Streim