"(12) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (13) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: (14) But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (15) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." - James 1:12-15 (KJV)
Showing posts with label Short But Sweet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Short But Sweet. Show all posts
November 13, 2015
Sin...Bringeth Forth Death
August 31, 2015
Not In Our Own Wisdom
The Bible does not shun wisdom as it is a good thing to have. However, when we share the gospel we all have to be careful not to be wise in our own might, but rather through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I Corinthians 2:1-5 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (NKJV)
June 16, 2015
A Prayer for Boldness
We all could use some boldness but I think the Apostles in Acts gave the perfect example prayer for it. Boldness is defined as "the trait of being willing to undertake things that involve risk or danger...the quality of standing out strongly and distinctly" (TheFreeDictionary.com/boldness). Let us take a queue from them and be truly bold for Yahweh.
Acts 4:24-30
Antoine E. Hall
Acts 4:24-30
“(24)...Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, (25) who by the mouth of Your servant David[b] have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? (26) The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ (27) “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together (28) to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. (29) Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, (30) by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” (NKJV)
Antoine E. Hall
June 13, 2015
By Their Fruit
The wise counsel of the Pharisee Gamaliel should be considered by many. The counsel was trying their best to cause harm to Peter and John for preaching in the temple but they did not stop it. Their work was from Yahweh and not from man. The same is applicable today. You can test the fruit of someone's works and if it is not of Yahweh, it will be evident in due time.
"...And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God."
http://bible.com/114/act.5.38-39.nkjv
Be Blessed.
Antoine E. Hall
January 29, 2015
The Responsibility of Wisdom
Learning is a great thing, but the one problem that some have with gaining new knowledge is the new responsibility. That means we have to be accountable for that new wisdom even when it means we have to change what we think is a major part of our lives. We could choose to ignore the knew knowledge but wisdom tells us that this action would be foolish. Which shall you be? Will you be wise or will you be foolish?
January 6, 2014
What is the Tetragrammaton?
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| Modern Hebrew for YHWH |
The word Tetragrammaton is a pretty big word. If one would look at it, it looks like it would represent some geometric shape. It also, seems as though it could be a place within the cartoon, Transformers, but it is neither of these. Tetragrammaton is "...the Hebrew name for God revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 3), consisting of the four consonants Y H V H (or Y H W H) and regarded by Jews as too sacred to be pronounced" (from TheFreeDictionaryOnline.com). The excerpt below goes into more detail on the issue.
"Keep in mind that the Hebrew alphabet did not contain vowels. Ancient Hebrew was a consonantal alphabet. This has led to some debate about the proper pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton, with opinions including Jehovah, Yahweh, Yahveh, Yahuweh, and many other variants...the name Yahweh was recorded more than 160 times in the Scriptures preceding Exodus 3:14-15. The name Yahweh should be one of the most frequently occurring words in our English Bibles today. Yet, without exception, all of the most popular Bible versions have removed the memorial name of God from the Scriptures and have replaced it with a titular substitute. In most cases, Yahweh has been replaced with “God,” “Lord,” or “Lord God.” The words Lord and God are NOT names. They are nouns denoting one who is a ruler, and a deity. They are like the word “father.” I am a father, and at times my children may call me “father,” or “dad.” However, neither of these words are my name. They describe my position in the family, but my name is Joseph." (from Joseph Herrin's Parablesblog, "Yahweh's Book - Errors in the Bible").
I've learned this recently and I wanted to share with you too! Proverbs 27:17 says, "Just as iron sharpens iron, a person sharpens the character of his friend." (CJB)
January 3, 2014
Why Worry?
http://bible.com/114/MAT6.31-34.NKJV
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Bible.com/app
November 4, 2013
Don't Get Caught Up
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| Courtesy of Commons.Wikimedia.org |
2 Peter 3:10-11 (10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (11) Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (NKJV)
Interesting right? So, I decided to venture into the entire chapter of 2 Peter 3. In it, Peter describes the Day of the Lord and what will happen when He returns. You can read the entire chapter in detail for your self and I highly recommend it, however I want to focus on the very last two verses.
2 Peter 3:17-18 (17) You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; (18) but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (NKJV)
In essence, as a Christian, we cannot get caught up in this worldly place. Many times we have heard that this earth is not our home. We are merely passing through on our way to heaven. Well, if you are not paying attention, you can take the wrong exit and be on a path to hell. Continue to grow in the Word. Read. Pray. Talk to God. Just don't lose sight of Him. It's as simple as that folks. Nothing fancy about it. You know the consequences of getting caught up and the fruits of the reward for walking the straight and narrow. Now that we know better. We can do better.
Antoine E. Hall
July 2, 2013
The Narrow Gate
Matthew 7:13-14
13 “Go in through the narrow gate; for the gate that leads to destruction is wide and the road broad, and many travel it; 14 but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
June 12, 2013
Watch What You Say
Ephesians 4:29
Let no harmful language come from your mouth, only good words that are helpful in meeting the need, words that will benefit those who hear them.
April 3, 2013
Can't Is Not An Option
In my household, our daughter knows that the words "can't" or "cannot" are not options for use. Now, we are teaching our younger son the same concept. It dawned on me that my wife and I are in such the habit of correcting it, that we do not realize when we do it. This is actually a good thing!
This morning while on the way to dropping the kids off at school, I told my son that he should to learn how to whistle, so we all can whistle together. His next statement was, "I can't." Immediately, I found myself correcting him. I am a stickler about this subject because many people will quickly say that they "cannot". Unless there is some sort of disability affecting that person, most people can do just about anything if they put forth the effort. It may take them a little longer to learn due to the individual, but they can get there.
So, adults, I encourage you as well to stop saying that you cannot do certain things. Instead change your statement to "I do not know how" to do _________. By saying this, you give yourself room to learn and and grow.
Be Blessed.
Antoine E. Hall
This morning while on the way to dropping the kids off at school, I told my son that he should to learn how to whistle, so we all can whistle together. His next statement was, "I can't." Immediately, I found myself correcting him. I am a stickler about this subject because many people will quickly say that they "cannot". Unless there is some sort of disability affecting that person, most people can do just about anything if they put forth the effort. It may take them a little longer to learn due to the individual, but they can get there.
So, adults, I encourage you as well to stop saying that you cannot do certain things. Instead change your statement to "I do not know how" to do _________. By saying this, you give yourself room to learn and and grow.
Be Blessed.
Antoine E. Hall
April 1, 2013
Doing Wrong To Do Right
This morning as I drove in to work, I listened to David Jeremiah and he talked about Daniel in his sermon. As, I listened he said something that really stood out to me.
"It is not right, to do wrong, in order to do what is right."
Now, this may not be the exact quote, but I am sure it is just about right. The lesson that I learned is that we as people sometimes justify things that go against the will of God in order that we may get to a position to do what is right....or at least we think. Let me give you an example.
When it comes to the 9-11, this is a hot topic of discussion about who caused it and whether or not it was an inside. Regardless of what happened the claim was put out that this was the work of Osama Bin Laden. The US, felt that the "right" thing to do was to track down and kill (at any cost) the people who were responsible for knocking those buildings down (paraphrasing President George W. Bush). In the end, during President Obama's presidency, Osama Bin Laden was killed.
Now, first and for most, it is wrong to kill any one. It was wrong for the people to die in those buildings. However, it was also wrong to hunt someone down and kill them in order to "right the wrong" that was done to the nation. This example is at a national scope, but think about how in the past you may have wished ill-will on someone so that you can "do what was right". Even if you are at church and people are doing things wrong, it is not your position to do what will violate God's Word in order to get into a position to "right the ship" for God. If God wants to right a ship, he can do so without you or any one else causing sin to themselves.
Noodle on that for a while....
Antoine E. Hall
"It is not right, to do wrong, in order to do what is right."
Now, this may not be the exact quote, but I am sure it is just about right. The lesson that I learned is that we as people sometimes justify things that go against the will of God in order that we may get to a position to do what is right....or at least we think. Let me give you an example.
When it comes to the 9-11, this is a hot topic of discussion about who caused it and whether or not it was an inside. Regardless of what happened the claim was put out that this was the work of Osama Bin Laden. The US, felt that the "right" thing to do was to track down and kill (at any cost) the people who were responsible for knocking those buildings down (paraphrasing President George W. Bush). In the end, during President Obama's presidency, Osama Bin Laden was killed.
Now, first and for most, it is wrong to kill any one. It was wrong for the people to die in those buildings. However, it was also wrong to hunt someone down and kill them in order to "right the wrong" that was done to the nation. This example is at a national scope, but think about how in the past you may have wished ill-will on someone so that you can "do what was right". Even if you are at church and people are doing things wrong, it is not your position to do what will violate God's Word in order to get into a position to "right the ship" for God. If God wants to right a ship, he can do so without you or any one else causing sin to themselves.
Noodle on that for a while....
Antoine E. Hall
March 4, 2013
The Triune God Is Real
According to Wikipedia.com, the philosophical definition of reality states:
Have a happy Monday!
Antoine E. Hall
"In philosophy, reality is the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or might be imagined.[1] In a wider definition, reality includes everything that is and has been, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible. A still more broad definition includes everything that has existed, exists, or will exist."This very definition alone ascribes to the fact that the Triune God is Real!
Revelations 1:8 "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."
Have a happy Monday!
Antoine E. Hall
February 14, 2013
Love Is More Than One Day
One "holiday" of gifts is not a strong indicator of how much one loves another. There are 364 other days in the year and if those are ignored, then you have nothing but a nice shiny new gift until the next year's gift. It should make you wonder to what you are looking forward....is it the gift or is it love?
February 6, 2013
Sometimes Pain Is a Good Thing
Have you ever had to experience a little pain in your life? Almost all the time, we try to do all within our power to avoid pain. However, there are times in our lives where it is unavoidable. Look at this example. When our family drive to and from North Carolina we have to drive through the mountains. Now, in order to get through a couple of the ranges, we have to drive through tunnels. If you are that person who is scared to drive through tunnels you have no choice but to continue your current route. Because you are on the interstate, you cannot turn around, but you have to drive through. You could stop at the tunnel's entrance, but then you have no where else to go but to push on through to the other side. In some cases, we have to grimace, wince, and push through pain in order to succeed at some things in life. It could be that you are exercising for strengthening to be a better athlete or rehabbing from a surgical procedure so that you can get your body back to normal. In both instances, you have to drive through the pain to appreciate the end results. So really in some ways, pain can be a good thing.
Be Blessed!
Antoine E. Hall
Be Blessed!
Antoine E. Hall
September 30, 2010
When They Say How Bad, Ask for the Good
Every day, I'm pretty sure some of us run across people who seem to have nothing good to say. They complain about everything and they never seem to find any optimism in all that they do. My daughter's school gave them a verse to remember out of 2 Philippians 2:14 which says, "Do everything without complaining or arguing". I think some of us adults should learn a little something from this verse as well.
The next time someone complains to you about something (or if you find yourself complaining), ask them this question: "Now what positive can you learn from this situation?" You'll get one of two responses: 1) They will be wondering why you asked them something like that when they were laying all the bad complaints on you thick or 2) they will honestly think about the positive points of their situation.
Either way, you have done your part and probably have avoided feeding into their downward spiral of negativity.
Regards,
Antoine E. Hall
Blog: http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall
"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33
The next time someone complains to you about something (or if you find yourself complaining), ask them this question: "Now what positive can you learn from this situation?" You'll get one of two responses: 1) They will be wondering why you asked them something like that when they were laying all the bad complaints on you thick or 2) they will honestly think about the positive points of their situation.
Either way, you have done your part and probably have avoided feeding into their downward spiral of negativity.
Regards,
Antoine E. Hall
Blog: http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall
"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33
August 13, 2010
Learn Something From All Experiences
As we pass through life we have to learn that we will have good experiences and bad experiences. It is how we react to those experiences that defines our character. It is easy to be cool calm and collective when things are going good. It is easy to take away positive experiences from good situations, however, when we have those bad experiences we struggle to put a positive spin on it.
Learn something from every experience that you have. Even if you learn not to do it again, then you've learned something. I would hope that you could pull something more out of your experiences to apply to the rest of your life, but sometimes simple is all you need.
Be blessed folks.
Regards,
Antoine E. Hall
Blog: http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall
"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33
Learn something from every experience that you have. Even if you learn not to do it again, then you've learned something. I would hope that you could pull something more out of your experiences to apply to the rest of your life, but sometimes simple is all you need.
Be blessed folks.
Regards,
Antoine E. Hall
Blog: http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall
"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33
July 28, 2010
Drink from the Brook
What are you thirsty for today? I suggest you to thirst after God, so come on down and drink at the brook. Psalm 42:1-2 says,
Stop wasting time on those lame drinks and get yourself some Living Water.
Regards,
Antoine E. Hall
Blog: http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall
"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33
(1) As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. (2) My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
Stop wasting time on those lame drinks and get yourself some Living Water.
Regards,
Antoine E. Hall
Blog: http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall
"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33
