Tag: Judgment

Repent

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Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“Turn back from your wicked ways and walk to God.”

TB

Fat

The world has become like lazy, indulgent sheep ripe for slaughter. You build, renovate, and glamorize your lives pretending your accomplishments are made by your hands alone. Because you are blind to the Truth, God will be blind to you.

Trim

A wayward nation is reaping a long overdue harvest because it doesn’t listen. If you have ears to hear, listen! If you have eyes to see look around you! Do not be so arrogant to believe that you are above the will of God. Fat reduction is coming, don’t get trimmed.

Today’s Question

Why won’t you repent and turn from evil?

Enjoy the reading

Deuteronomy 9

1 “Listen, O Israel! Today you are about to cross the Jordan River to take over the land belonging to nations much greater and more powerful than you. They live in cities with walls that reach to the sky! 2 The people are strong and tall—descendants of the famous Anakite giants. You’ve heard the saying, ‘Who can stand up to the Anakites?’ 3 But recognize today that the LORD your God is the one who will cross over ahead of you like a devouring fire to destroy them. He will subdue them so that you will quickly conquer them and drive them out, just as the LORD has promised. 4 “After the LORD your God has done this for you, don’t say in your hearts, ‘The LORD has given us this land because we are such good people!’ No, it is because of the wickedness of the other nations that he is pushing them out of your way. 5 It is not because you are so good or have such integrity that you are about to occupy their land. The LORD your God will drive these nations out ahead of you only because of their wickedness, and to fulfill the oath he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 6 You must recognize that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land because you are good, for you are not—you are a stubborn people. 7 “Remember and never forget how angry you made the LORD your God out in the wilderness. From the day you left Egypt until now, you have been constantly rebelling against him. 8 Even at Mount Sinai you made the LORD so angry he was ready to destroy you. 9 This happened when I was on the mountain receiving the tablets of stone inscribed with the words of the covenant that the LORD had made with you. I was there for forty days and forty nights, and all that time I ate no food and drank no water. 10 The LORD gave me the two tablets on which God had written with his own finger all the words he had spoken to you from the heart of the fire when you were assembled at the mountain. 11 “At the end of the forty days and nights, the LORD handed me the two stone tablets inscribed with the words of the covenant. 12 Then the LORD said to me, ‘Get up! Go down immediately, for the people you brought out of Egypt have corrupted themselves. How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live! They have melted gold and made an idol for themselves!’ 13 “The LORD also said to me, ‘I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. 14 Leave me alone so I may destroy them and erase their name from under heaven. Then I will make a mighty nation of your descendants, a nation larger and more powerful than they are.’ 15 “So while the mountain was blazing with fire I turned and came down, holding in my hands the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant. 16 There below me I could see that you had sinned against the LORD your God. You had melted gold and made a calf idol for yourselves. How quickly you had turned away from the path the LORD had commanded you to follow! 17 So I took the stone tablets and threw them to the ground, smashing them before your eyes. 18 “Then, as before, I threw myself down before the LORD for forty days and nights. I ate no bread and drank no water because of the great sin you had committed by doing what the LORD hated, provoking him to anger. 19 I feared that the furious anger of the LORD, which turned him against you, would drive him to destroy you. But again he listened to me. 20 The LORD was so angry with Aaron that he wanted to destroy him, too. But I prayed for Aaron, and the LORD spared him. 21 I took your sin—the calf you had made—and I melted it down in the fire and ground it into fine dust. Then I threw the dust into the stream that flows down the mountain. 22 “You also made the LORD angry at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-hattaavah. 23 And at Kadesh-barnea the LORD sent you out with this command: ‘Go up and take over the land I have given you.’ But you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God and refused to put your trust in him or obey him. 24 Yes, you have been rebelling against the LORD as long as I have known you. 25 “That is why I threw myself down before the LORD for forty days and nights—for the LORD said he would destroy you. 26 I prayed to the LORD and said, ‘O Sovereign LORD, do not destroy them. They are your own people. They are your special possession, whom you redeemed from Egypt by your mighty power and your strong hand. 27 Please overlook the stubbornness and the awful sin of these people, and remember instead your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 28 If you destroy these people, the Egyptians will say, “The Israelites died because the LORD wasn’t able to bring them to the land he had promised to give them.” Or they might say, “He destroyed them because he hated them; he deliberately took them into the wilderness to slaughter them.” 29 But they are your people and your special possession, whom you brought out of Egypt by your great strength and powerful arm.’

Dominion

tarynbarnesLeave a comment

Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“Don’t give man dominion over your life.”

TB

Just

There is not one person on this planet today who is as just and fair as Christ. No, even the most virtuous of person falls short. Yet many would jump over a bridge if someone of influence or importance asked us to. Think carefully before you place man over God.

Submit

When you give someone dominion over your life, that means you submit to their judgment and authority. Friends, historically we can see that man’s judgment does not hold a candle to God’s. Study the Truth so that you may make an informed decision on whom you follow.

Today’s Question

Do you know who you’re following and why?

Enjoy the reading

Numbers 20

1 In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried. 2 There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the LORD ’s presence with our brothers! 4 Why have you brought the congregation of the LORD ’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock? 5 Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!” 6 Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to them, 7 and the LORD said to Moses, 8 “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.” 9 So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD . 10 Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill. 12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!” 13 This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the LORD, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them. 14 While Moses was at Kadesh, he sent ambassadors to the king of Edom with this message: “This is what your relatives, the people of Israel, say: You know all the hardships we have been through. 15 Our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived there a long time, and we and our ancestors were brutally mistreated by the Egyptians. 16 But when we cried out to the LORD, he heard us and sent an angel who brought us out of Egypt. Now we are camped at Kadesh, a town on the border of your land. 17 Please let us travel through your land. We will be careful not to go through your fields and vineyards. We won’t even drink water from your wells. We will stay on the king’s road and never leave it until we have passed through your territory.” 18 But the king of Edom said, “Stay out of my land, or I will meet you with an army!” 19 The Israelites answered, “We will stay on the main road. If our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. Just let us pass through your country. That’s all we ask.” 20 But the king of Edom replied, “Stay out! You may not pass through our land.” With that he mobilized his army and marched out against them with an imposing force. 21 Because Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their country, Israel was forced to turn around. 22 The whole community of Israel left Kadesh and arrived at Mount Hor. 23 There, on the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 24 “The time has come for Aaron to join his ancestors in death. He will not enter the land I am giving the people of Israel, because the two of you rebelled against my instructions concerning the water at Meribah. 25 Now take Aaron and his son Eleazar up Mount Hor. 26 There you will remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on Eleazar, his son. Aaron will die there and join his ancestors.” 27 So Moses did as the LORD commanded. The three of them went up Mount Hor together as the whole community watched. 28 At the summit, Moses removed the priestly garments from Aaron and put them on Eleazar, Aaron’s son. Then Aaron died there on top of the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar went back down. 29 When the people realized that Aaron had died, all Israel mourned for him thirty days.

Vouch

tarynbarnesLeave a comment

Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“Get to know God personally because when the time comes, no person can intercede on your behalf.”

TB

Rep

The world makes it seem like who you are within it is of much importance. Don’t get too caught up in defining a reputation tailored to this world. Those that know the world, don’t know very much about God.

Develop

No one can vouch for your relationship with God. That is between Him and you. Develop a character that is pleasing to the Lord. So, on the day, He will know you and gladly welcome you home.

Today’s Question

Do you know God, and more importantly, does He know you?

Enjoy the reading

Zechariah

1 Then the angel who had been talking with me returned and woke me, as though I had been asleep. 2 “What do you see now?” he asked. I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts with wicks. 3 And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl.” 4 Then I asked the angel, “What are these, my lord? What do they mean?” 5 “Don’t you know?” the angel asked. “No, my lord,” I replied. 6 Then he said to me, “This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 7 Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’ ” 8 Then another message came to me from the LORD : 9 “Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has sent me. 10 Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” (The seven lamps represent the eyes of the LORD that search all around the world.) 11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand, 12 and what are the two olive branches that pour out golden oil through two gold tubes?” 13 “Don’t you know?” he asked. “No, my lord,” I replied. 14 Then he said to me, “They represent the two anointed ones who stand in the court of the Lord of all the earth.”

Drift Away

tarynbarnesLeave a comment

Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“Let your old life drift away as you embark on a new life in Christ.”

TB

Definition

It’s not wise to believe that old schemes will bring forth new fruit. So whatever you partook in during your life before must cease when you decide to follow Christ.

One-Way

Following Christ is not a penalization of your old life. No, it is the realization and the Truth of a life with Christ. It’s ok to mourn who you were, just be sure to accept who you are in Him

Today’s Question

Are you drifting away from your old life or drifting away from Christ?

Enjoy the reading

Zephaniah 2

1 Gather together—yes, gather together, you shameless nation. 2 Gather before judgment begins, before your time to repent is blown away like chaff. Act now, before the fierce fury of the LORD falls and the terrible day of the LORD ’s anger begins. 3 Seek the LORD, all who are humble, and follow his commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the LORD will protect you— protect you from his anger on that day of destruction. 4 Gaza and Ashkelon will be abandoned, Ashdod and Ekron torn down. 5 And what sorrow awaits you Philistines who live along the coast and in the land of Canaan, for this judgment is against you, too! The LORD will destroy you until not one of you is left. 6 The Philistine coast will become a wilderness pasture, a place of shepherd camps and enclosures for sheep and goats. 7 The remnant of the tribe of Judah will pasture there. They will rest at night in the abandoned houses in Ashkelon. For the LORD their God will visit his people in kindness and restore their prosperity again. 8 “I have heard the taunts of the Moabites and the insults of the Ammonites, mocking my people and invading their borders. 9 Now, as surely as I live,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, “Moab and Ammon will be destroyed— destroyed as completely as Sodom and Gomorrah. Their land will become a place of stinging nettles, salt pits, and eternal desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them and take their land.” 10 They will receive the wages of their pride, for they have scoffed at the people of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 11 The LORD will terrify them as he destroys all the gods in the land. Then nations around the world will worship the LORD, each in their own land. 12 “You Ethiopians will also be slaughtered by my sword,” says the LORD . 13 And the LORD will strike the lands of the north with his fist, destroying the land of Assyria. He will make its great capital, Nineveh, a desolate wasteland, parched like a desert. 14 The proud city will become a pasture for flocks and herds, and all sorts of wild animals will settle there. The desert owl and screech owl will roost on its ruined columns, their calls echoing through the gaping windows. Rubble will block all the doorways, and the cedar paneling will be exposed to the weather. 15 This is the boisterous city, once so secure. “I am the greatest!” it boasted. “No other city can compare with me!” But now, look how it has become an utter ruin, a haven for wild animals. Everyone passing by will laugh in derision and shake a defiant fist.

Eye Sore

tarynbarnesLeave a comment

Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“Don’t get too obsessed with what’s in your brother or sister’s eye as we all have something in our own.”

TB

Obvious

It’s easy to look at the problems of others, acting as if we could live their lives better than they could. But friends, remember that if we desire God’s grace, we must learn how to give it to one another.

Oblivious

It’s not so easy to clean up your own mess because you’re too busy looking at your neighbors. So, instead, let us consult God, examine our own lives, and make improvements so that we may grow closer to Him.

Today’s Question

Are you obviously oblivious to your own eye sore?

Enjoy the reading

Jonah 1

1 The LORD gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” 3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the LORD . He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the LORD by sailing to Tarshish. 4 But the LORD hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. 5 Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. 6 So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.” 7 Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. 8 “Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?” 9 Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.” 10 The sailors were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them he was running away from the LORD . “Oh, why did you do it?” they groaned. 11 And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?” 12 “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.” 13 Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. 14 Then they cried out to the LORD, Jonah’s God. “O LORD,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O LORD, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” 15 Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! 16 The sailors were awestruck by the LORD ’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him. 17 Now the LORD had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.

Judgment

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Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
“Judge your own actions so that they may align up with God’s purpose and continue in the faith of love or be destroyed.”~ Jon Barnes

Destruction

Don’t let your childish, inconsiderate, selfish behavior ruin your life by not following God’s message. God’s judgment will be upon your head and your family with the pride of your heart.  Humble yourselves with the truth to break your spirit of confusion, entitlement, and delusional disorders about God’s Words, Laws, and Commandments.

Restoration

Restore these Commandments and Ways back into your mind and heart so that your soul will not be lost.  Take this time right now to clean your own house, teach your children, and study the bible stories to practice what you should be preaching, teaching, and doing every day.

Preparation

You will never be prepared for God’s Wrath, being apart from the connection of God’s Spirit.  Your motives, tricks, greed, lust, selfishness, and lack of true love will haunt you in hell with fire, brimstone, and gnashing of teeth.
Today’s Question
Ask your parents for the help that you need, learn from their mistakes, before God Almighty smites your family with the curse you brought onto them, by not following God’s Plan!
Enjoy The Reading

Jeremiah 29

1 Jeremiah wrote a letter from Jerusalem to the elders, priests, prophets, and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. 
2 This was after King Jehoiachin, the queen mother, the court officials, the other officials of Judah, and all the craftsmen and artisans had been deported from Jerusalem. 
3 He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah when they went to Babylon as King Zedekiah’s ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiah’s letter said: 
4 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 
5 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. 
6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 
7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” 
8 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, 
9 because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the LORD . 
10 This is what the LORD says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 
12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 
13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 
14 I will be found by you,” says the LORD . “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” 
15 You claim that the LORD has raised up prophets for you in Babylon. 
16 But this is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all those still living here in Jerusalem—your relatives who were not exiled to Babylon. 
17 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: “I will send war, famine, and disease upon them and make them like bad figs, too rotten to eat. 
18 Yes, I will pursue them with war, famine, and disease, and I will scatter them around the world. In every nation where I send them, I will make them an object of damnation, horror, contempt, and mockery. 
19 For they refuse to listen to me, though I have spoken to them repeatedly through the prophets I sent. And you who are in exile have not listened either,” says the LORD . 
20 Therefore, listen to this message from the LORD, all you captives there in Babylon. 
21 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says about your prophets—Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah—who are telling you lies in my name: “I will turn them over to Nebuchadnezzar for execution before your eyes. 
22 Their terrible fate will become proverbial, so that the Judean exiles will curse someone by saying, ‘May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned alive!’ 
23 For these men have done terrible things among my people. They have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have lied in my name, saying things I did not command. I am a witness to this. I, the LORD, have spoken.” 
24 The LORD sent this message to Shemaiah the Nehelamite in Babylon: 
25 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: You wrote a letter on your own authority to Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, the priest, and you sent copies to the other priests and people in Jerusalem. You wrote to Zephaniah, 
26 “The LORD has appointed you to replace Jehoiada as the priest in charge of the house of the LORD . You are responsible to put into stocks and neck irons any crazy man who claims to be a prophet. 
27 So why have you done nothing to stop Jeremiah from Anathoth, who pretends to be a prophet among you? 
28 Jeremiah sent a letter here to Babylon, predicting that our captivity will be a long one. He said, ‘Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce.’” 
29 But when Zephaniah the priest received Shemaiah’s letter, he took it to Jeremiah and read it to him. 
30 Then the LORD gave this message to Jeremiah: 
31 “Send an open letter to all the exiles in Babylon. Tell them, ‘This is what the LORD says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Since he has prophesied to you when I did not send him and has tricked you into believing his lies, 
32 I will punish him and his family. None of his descendants will see the good things I will do for my people, for he has incited you to rebel against me. I, the LORD, have spoken!’”

Not Guilty

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Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“Consider it as joy when you suffer for what is right. God will balance the scales in all things.”~TB

Through the Fire

If we believe that the Bible is accurate and true, we must accept the trouble that is a byproduct of following God’s will in our lives. When you are working for the Lord, giving Him your best, don’t be surprised when evil people seek to throw you in the fire. While it is human to want to crawl out of the pit, fearing for your safety, rest assured God is with you, keeping you from being burned.

Unscathed

In your time of waiting for man-made judgment take comfort in knowing that God has declared you not guilty on all accounts. The devil will always make your waiting time appear more dire and severe than it truly is. Looking back at certain trials of my life while the waiting period was insanely frustrating, scary, and uncertain to my eyes, I realize as I sit here today, I was never harmed! So, if you are working for the Lord, being a humble servant, opposition and persecution are par for the course but know that God has the final say in the end and He will restore all that and more to those who remain faithful.

Today’s Question

Are you not guilty or are you falsely accusing those who are?

Enjoy the reading

Jeremiah 6

1 “Run for your lives, you people of Benjamin! Get out of Jerusalem! Sound the alarm in Tekoa! Send up a signal at Beth-hakkerem! A powerful army is coming from the north, coming with disaster and destruction. 
2 O Jerusalem, you are my beautiful and delicate daughter— but I will destroy you! 
3 Enemies will surround you, like shepherds camped around the city. Each chooses a place for his troops to devour. 
4 They shout, ‘Prepare for battle! Attack at noon!’ ‘No, it’s too late; the day is fading, and the evening shadows are falling.’ 
5 ‘Well then, let’s attack at night and destroy her palaces!’” 
6 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: “Cut down the trees for battering rams. Build siege ramps against the walls of Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished, for she is wicked through and through. 
7 She spouts evil like a fountain. Her streets echo with the sounds of violence and destruction. I always see her sickness and sores. 
8 Listen to this warning, Jerusalem, or I will turn from you in disgust. Listen, or I will turn you into a heap of ruins, a land where no one lives.” 
9 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: “Even the few who remain in Israel will be picked over again, as when a harvester checks each vine a second time to pick the grapes that were missed.” 
10 To whom can I give warning? Who will listen when I speak? Their ears are closed, and they cannot hear. They scorn the word of the LORD . They don’t want to listen at all. 
11 So now I am filled with the LORD ’s fury. Yes, I am tired of holding it in! “I will pour out my fury on children playing in the streets and on gatherings of young men, on husbands and wives and on those who are old and gray. 
12 Their homes will be turned over to their enemies, as will their fields and their wives. For I will raise my powerful fist against the people of this land,” says the LORD . 
13 “From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. From prophets to priests, they are all frauds. 
14 They offer superficial treatments for my people’s mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when there is no peace. 
15 Are they ashamed of their disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them,” says the LORD . 
16 This is what the LORD says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’ 
17 I posted watchmen over you who said, ‘Listen for the sound of the alarm.’ But you replied, ‘No! We won’t pay attention!’ 
18 “Therefore, listen to this, all you nations. Take note of my people’s situation. 
19 Listen, all the earth! I will bring disaster on my people. It is the fruit of their own schemes, because they refuse to listen to me. They have rejected my word. 
20 There’s no use offering me sweet frankincense from Sheba. Keep your fragrant calamus imported from distant lands! I will not accept your burnt offerings. Your sacrifices have no pleasing aroma for me.” 
21 Therefore, this is what the LORD says: “I will put obstacles in my people’s path. Fathers and sons will both fall over them. Neighbors and friends will die together.” 
22 This is what the LORD says: “Look! A great army coming from the north! A great nation is rising against you from far-off lands. 
23 They are armed with bows and spears. They are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like a roaring sea as they ride forward on horses. They are coming in battle formation, planning to destroy you, beautiful Jerusalem. ” 
24 We have heard reports about the enemy, and we wring our hands in fright. Pangs of anguish have gripped us, like those of a woman in labor. 
25 Don’t go out to the fields! Don’t travel on the roads! The enemy’s sword is everywhere and terrorizes us at every turn! 
26 Oh, my people, dress yourselves in burlap and sit among the ashes. Mourn and weep bitterly, as for the loss of an only son. For suddenly the destroying armies will be upon you! 
27 “Jeremiah, I have made you a tester of metals, that you may determine the quality of my people. 
28 They are the worst kind of rebel, full of slander. They are as hard as bronze and iron, and they lead others into corruption. 
29 The bellows fiercely fan the flames to burn out the corruption. But it does not purify them, for the wickedness remains. 
30 I will label them ‘Rejected Silver,’ for I, the LORD, am discarding them.”

Drown

tarynbarnesLeave a comment

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Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“Drown out the noise of evil and fleshly desires so that you can hear His voice.”~TB

Infiltrate

In today’s world, so many voices, opinions, perspectives, and the like can overtake the mind, leading you to feel overwhelmed, confused, and off task. Choose carefully the voices you allow in your head, as they are not created equal. Some will tell you that evil is good. Some will tell you that you’ll always be your past. Some will outright lie! Friends, remember that in this world, we still have to be mindful of the things we can and cannot see. If the opinions and voices of others is a foothold for you, rest assured the devil will pour salt in that wound. Rather than succumb to it, remember the voice that truly matters.

One Voice

If you allow Him, God will reveal the tricks and traps that can snare you into neutral territory. One of the biggest things that you must do each and every day is to quiet the noise of your life so that you can hear the gentle voice of God. He will never forcefully shout to get your attention, which is why you must seek, ask, and listen. Sometimes we can get so caught up looking for our answers, we fail to listen to the best answers, His. So leave the confused thinking behind, the voices and opinions of society at the door, and rely on the voice that knows best. When you drown out the nonsense that is a byproduct of living in the world, then you can discern how to walk and live in step with God’s will for your life.

Today’s Question

Are you ready to drown out the nonsense and listen to the Truth?

Enjoy the reading

Proverbs 19

1 Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and a fool. 
2Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes. 
3People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD . 
4 Wealth makes many “friends”; poverty drives them all away. 
5A false witness will not go unpunished, nor will a liar escape. 
6 Many seek favors from a ruler; everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts! 
7The relatives of the poor despise them; how much more will their friends avoid them! Though the poor plead with them, their friends are gone. 
8 To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper. 
9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed. 
10 It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury or for a slave to rule over princes! 
11 Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs. 
12 The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar, but his favor is like dew on the grass. 
13 A foolish child is a calamity to a father; a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping. 
14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the LORD can give an understanding wife. 
15 Lazy people sleep soundly, but idleness leaves them hungry. 
16 Keep the commandments and keep your life; despising them leads to death. 
17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD — and he will repay you! 
18 Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives. 
19 Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty. If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again. 
20 Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.
21 You can make many plans, but the LORD ’s purpose will prevail. 
22Loyalty makes a person attractive. It is better to be poor than dishonest.
23 Fear of the LORD leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm. 
24 Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth. 
25 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser. 
26 Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother are an embarrassment and a public disgrace. 
27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge. 
28 A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice; the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil. 
29 Punishment is made for mockers, and the backs of fools are made to be beaten.

Pedastal

tarynbarnesLeave a comment

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Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“Do not put your brothers and sisters on a pedastal, as they require the same mercy and grace from God as you.”~TB

Imperfect

Even the wisest most disciplined follower of Christ does not compare to the perfection that is God. As such, do not place them in the same category. Each person who has been chosen to share the Lord’s wisdom is still a mere mortal. They bleed, feel, fail, achieve, in the same manner as anyone else. When they fail, as they will, you must give them the same space and grace as God gives to you.

Higher Standard

If you view those in power as better than yourself, you run the risk of judging them harshly when they misstep. Yes, those who are placed in positions of leadership, teaching, and the like, must be held to a higher standard. However, this does not mean perfection. Human nature dictates that no one will live a perfect life. The judgment of their shortcomings is not for you or me. God is the ultimate judge and will always rule in a perfect manner.

Direct Connection

One of the reasons why people are so willing to idolize those they consider to be wise is because it’s a great excuse to not do the work. Friends, the wise are not a substitute for our Father in Heaven. They are mouthpieces at best and examples of what not to do at worst. When you rely on someone else’s relationship/connection to Christ, it’s easy to fall into complacency, thinking that listening to them abdicates the need for you to go to God. Don’t lean on them as they are human. Instead, tap into the direct connection with God so that you know where to place your faith.

Today’s Question

Are you avoiding Christ by putting humans on an unrealistic pedestal?

Enjoy the reading

Proverbs 5

1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel.
2 Then you will show discernment, and your lips will express what you’ve learned. 
3 For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. 
4 But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword. 
5 Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. 
6 For she cares nothing about the path to life. She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it. 
7 So now, my sons, listen to me. Never stray from what I am about to say: 
8 Stay away from her! Don’t go near the door of her house! 
9 If you do, you will lose your honor and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved.
10 Strangers will consume your wealth, and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor. 
11 In the end you will groan in anguish when disease consumes your body. 
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline! If only I had not ignored all the warnings! 
13 Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers? Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors? 
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin, and now I must face public disgrace.” 
15 Drink water from your own well— share your love only with your wife. 
16 Why spill the water of your springs in the streets, having sex with just anyone? 
17 You should reserve it for yourselves. Never share it with strangers. 
18 Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. 
19 She is a loving deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love. 
20 Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman, or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman? 
21 For the LORD sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes.
22 An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him. 
23 He will die for lack of self-control; he will be lost because of his great foolishness.

According to…

tarynbarnes1 Comment

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Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“You will live according to whoever has your ear, heart, and mind. Choose wisely.”~TB

…Man

You will fail. You will disappoint. You won’t measure up. Every man on this earth is fallible, short-sighted, and operates according to their own fleshly desires and motives. Even the best of us suck! For this reason, you must never place your value or worth against the opinions of your brothers and sisters. They lack the Holy lens to assess you as our Father in Heaven can. According to humans, you will have to change your appearance, your tone, your attitude, before you are accepted. And even still, you can follow the rules right down to the letter and still not be enough! So why bother? If you know the truth– which is written down in the Bible– you will know that according to the One who made you, you are accepted as you already are.

…God

You are redeemed. You are forgiven. You are loved. You are accepted. Jesus paid the ultimate price so that we would be set apart in God’s Holy stable. Friends, take comfort in this Truth. God loves you as you are! No, you are not perfect, and yes, you will make mistakes. However, when you come to Him with your imperfections in honest and humble repentance, He will wipe the slate clean and will lovingly remind you that you are His. God’s opinion is mightier, holier, and infinitely more valuable than any man’s opinion on this earth. Remember this fundamental truth so that when people come against you with their manmade requirements and measurements, you will not bow down to imperfect standards. Don’t let foolish people rob you of your joy. You have been spared, so live in peace.

Today’s Question

Who’s will are you living according to?

Enjoy the reading

Psalm 127

1 Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.
2 It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.
3 Children are a gift from the LORD ; they are a reward from him. 
4Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. 
5 How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.