Are You For Real?

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“I call heaven and earth to witness against you.” This very interesting phrase caught my attention recently, so I started searching it out in God’s Word.

Deu 4:26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed.

Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

Deu 31:28 Gather to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to witness against them.

It’s Truth That Is Called On As A Witness Against Us

Psa 146:6-9 Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever, Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.

No One Can Hide From The Truth

Jer 23:24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD.

God Is Possessor Of Heaven And Earth

Gen 14:19 And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;

Gen 14:22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth,

Conclusion

What I learned wasn’t really anything new, but it is so much more powerful to see it spelled out in God’s own Words. Being ‘real’ and truthful with ourselves and God is a very important decision we need to make on a daily basis.

Keeping it real,

Photo courtesy of: PhillipC.

The church becomes irrelevant when it becomes purely a human creation … apart from the work and presence of the Holy Spirit.

~Forgotten God, (More Quotes) (Order)

Forgotten God, by Francis Chan

Keeping it real,

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Without [the Holy Spirit], people operate in their own strength and only accomplish human-size results.

The world is not moved by love or actions that are of human creation. And the church is not empowered to live differently from any other gathering of people without the Holy Spirit.

But when believers live in the power of the Spirit … the church cannot help but be different, and the world cannot help but notice.

~Forgotten God, (More Quotes) (Order)

Forgotten God, by Francis Chan

 

Could it be that we’ve forgotten the One who distinguishes us from every religion and cult in the world?

Keeping it real,

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Instead of speaking meaningfully and insightfully into the culture, we [believers] have capitulated and in many cases look no different from the world.

~Forgotten God, (More Quotes) (Order)

Forgotten God, by Francis Chan

 

Could it be that we’ve forgotten the One who distinguishes us from every religion and cult in the world?

Keeping it real,

I’m always involved in a Bible study of some sort. I love focusing on a particular subject like that … but I also feel that it is important to read through the entire Bible to get the bigger picture. Because of time limitations, I am not able to read it every day, so I keep a sticky note on the last page I read, and I move it every time I read a bit more.

By using this method, I managed to read through the entire Narrated Chronological Bible in three years. I have learned SO much more about God’s character and how He deals with His people by reading through the Bible this way. I think that most believers are missing out on the benefits of reading God’s Word in full.

I’d like to encourage you to try my method. Place 4 or 5 stick notes inside the front cover of your favorite translation, read as much as you can, as often as you can, and place a sticky note where you left off. When that sticky note loses it’s sticky, pull another one off the inside cover and carry on! It may take a couple years, but eventually you will have read the FULL counsel of God.

Keeping it real,