Sadducees, The unbelief.

Sadducees, The Unbelief
by Heather Collver

Can you actually believe in God and not Jesus? Can only part of the Bible be true? Have you ever read something that contradicts itself in the Bible? Which is more important to you: a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ or a religion? Is believing in a resurrection really all that important?

Sadducees: Jewish religious leaders. One of the two major parties of the Jewish High Council.

The Sadducees believed only the Pentateuch alone (Genesis - Deuteronomy) to be God's Word. This party of religious leaders descended mostly from priestly nobility. John the Baptist criticized this group of leaders for using religion to advance their political position.

Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize,[a] he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

The Sadducees were a lot like I was before I accepted the Word of God. They thought that they could pick and choose what was God's Word and that if they were good, then that was all that mattered. How can we know God's word and be fruitless? It happens all the time. Something gets in the way. Either an alternative motive or we truly don't believe. God changes us by his word, he transforms our lifeless limbs to fruitfulness. When the Sadducees came to be baptized it was more for show. They did not really believe in the coming wrath of God, nor did they care. Their outward appearance was more important.

Has there ever been a time when you have used your religious standing to gain more power, advance your political position, or to seem like someone you are not?

Check out this video clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl40wVuCJUA

Dear Lord, I praise you for your Word today. I find the peace that I need when reading it, but feel called to action at the same time. You are the King of all Kings and deserve our praise today. I am reminded of what you went through, the persecution, to save us from our own selves. You have to know each of us by name to do that. To willingly give up your life as our ultimate sacrifice. What an amazing gift. I only pray that I will be fruitful, a sweet aroma to you. Praise God. Amen.

Please pray with me today for those who have not yet heard the Word of God. Who have no idea that we are loved beyond our circumstances, that we can serve a mighty and powerful God who will part the seas for us, who sacrificed his own son on our behalf so that he could spend eternity with us.

and He said.....

They changed the course of history. They taught us to love and value each other. They guide the very lives we desire to live.

Jesus' words.

I meant to fill this entire week with words that Jesus spoke but essentially it has come down to this one day and a passage that I hold on to. It brings me hope, joy and a reminder that the Word of God is a living promise of my salvation.

^{Matthew 9:20-22}Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."

Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

I can picture myself in her shoes. Desperate.

She had probably been taught from a young age the promises of the coming Messiah. She believed. In all her agony, she knew all she had to do was touch him. I admire her faith and desire it daily.

To know his promises so deeply. To trust the knowledge of his words to reach out for Him. There is so much in this life we all need healing from, be it spiritual or physical. What are you reaching for? Where is your faith?

I pray you learn to know His word and write the promises on your heart. He wants to heal you, to love you.

Acceptable

Proverbs 10:32
The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted.

How do we know what is acceptable?

Things that you and I find appropriate come from where we have been and what we know. When I first became a Christian, I didn't know anything acceptable. I wanted so badly to get it right but I didn't know how. Thank goodness we are all a work in progress.

As we finish up Proverbs 10 it seems to mean that one thing is very clear, our words speak for our knowledge and wisdom. If you question the things in your life, there is once source for the answer, The Word. If you find yourself wondering if your frame of mind, your choices, your words are lined up with God, Read the Word. I can't say it enough.

Romans 12:1-3 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present
your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

Please Pray for Janice J this week.

Lacking

Proverbs 10:13 (NASB)
On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,
But a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding.

If you don't mind bearing with me...I am going to get on all of our cases for a minute. As Christian Americans, we spend a lot of time going to church, serving God, loving people (now these things aren't bad) and spend very little time in relationship. Even Jesus took time to be alone with God, to be fed and grow deeper roots. Isn't Jesus our example? How much time do you spend in your Bible? How much time do you spend praying (alone, and not while doing something else)?

As a society of people we have been taught for generations that we are not smart enough to understand God's Word. Have you ever said that....I just don't understand it, it is to hard to read, I just don't think that way, I'm not smart enough, I grew up in church and I know enough, I didn't grow up in church and I just don't get it.......Okay, people....time for a reality check.....Do you believe that the Bible is the divine Word of God? Do you believe that God has promises for you? Do you think your pastor, teacher or parent can create for you an intimate relationship with God?

The same Spirit that rose Christ from the dead is the same Spirit sent to you to help you, guide you and give you discernment. You hold God's love letter to you in your hand and He wants you to read it. Where else are you going to find wisdom? In the msg v13 says "...the shortsighted needs a slap in the face" Ouch!! How do we becoming discerning if we don't know what it is we are suppose to be looking out for?

I have been reading an amazing book and everything in it has challenged me to the very core of my faith. The other night I was reading along and in the midst of the authors words he says "I am sorry this is so long", in reference to the amount of scripture he was using to make his point. Isn't that just how we work. In the midst of the teaching and learning too much of God's Word needs to be apologized for. Makes me sad.

Heavenly Father~ I praise you for the abundance of Grace and Mercy that even today falls on me as I know that I keep our relationship at arms length. Grow a hunger in me Lord to know your Word, to know your promises. Remind me that in all of my faithful works that I must quench my thirst with your Word and not the words of others. Lord, take the thoughts from my head that tell me I am not smart enough or I already know enough. Forgive me for not putting the treasure of time in your court. ~In Your Precious Holy Name

Please continue to pray for Sam Y this week.

Power, Day 4

There is only one place to truly know the Power that is in your Identity in Christ. That is in the Word. Take time to learn the promises God has for you.

1 John 5:1-12
Overcoming the World

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

Please continue to pray for our ministry, Women of Worship, this week. Remember to send in Praise and Prayer for tomorrows devotional.

Sanctification/Sanctify

Day 1
Sanctification/Sanctify
(definition from Vine's Concise Dictionary)
hagiasmos, "sanctification," is used of:
(a) separation to God, 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2
(b) the course of life befitting those so separated 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 4, 7; Romans 6:19, 22;
1 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 12:14

Sanctification is that relationship with God into which men enter by faith in Christ,
Acts 26:18 18to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.' ;
1 Corinthians 6:11 11Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.,
and to which their sole title is the death of Christ,
Ephesians 5:25, 26 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,;
Colossians 1:22 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach;
Hebrews 10:10, 29 10By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 29How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Hebrews 13:12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

Day 2

I know, there is a lot of scripture this week. Try and stick with me. Today, meditate on this passage from Romans. It says all that needs to be said about sanctification. We will spend the next couple of days focusing on this passage.
Romans 6:11-23
11Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,
13and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
14For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!
16Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
17But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,
18and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
19I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
21Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
22But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.
23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Mercy Me: Sanctified


Day 3
Romans 6:11-23

Verses 11 to 15:
What does it mean to die to sin, be alive from the dead?

Verses 16- 20: Slavery. I believe that these few verses are very important, particularly to this day and age. If we follow society's rules of living, we should not have to be obedient to anyone or anything. Obedience is a bad word. Actually, in the verses here, we are shown that we all have to be obedient to something, even if it is to ourselves. Who or what is deciding your moral compass, is it you, is it society or is it God, Creator of the Universe? You are a slave to something, what is it?

Verses 21-23: What is the benefit of being a slave to righteousness, to being set apart to God? What do you need to have to be set free?

Day 4

God wants us to choose him. I have often wondered why God didn't just create us to worship him, it would certainly have made all of this a whole lot easier. God wants to be chosen by you, he wants you to freely worship him. God wants you to desire a relationship, he wants you to have passion for his love and promises.

This is the way I try and remember why God wants to be chosen. For those of you that are married or in a relationship with someone I am sure you will be able to relate. My husband and I have been married for 13 years. As time goes by we are more and more comfortable with each other. We have come to a point where sometimes we can go a while without acknowledging the other person and all that they do for us. I am going to be really honest here, so you will have to just bear with me. As a wife I have a need to be wanted by my husband. I want him to still look at me like he did the day we were married. I want him to want to love me the way I need to be loved. I don't want to tell him to love me, I don't want to tell him how to love me, I don't want to give him a to-do list of ways to love or show me love. I still want to feel chosen by my husband.

I believe God is the same way. He has brought us into relationship (reconciled) with him through the Blood of Christ. He pours out His love and blessings into our lives and waits for us to acknowledge him. I think he patiently waits for us to respond to his love by us loving others. He wants to be chosen, to be made a priority in our lives. The great thing about God is, he isn't quite as stubborn as me and he has given us his Word, His desires for our relationship with him. There isn't any mind reading here. Just pick up the Word, be in relationship, and actively respond to everything that He has given you.

John 17: 13-21
The Disciples in the World
13"But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.
14"I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15"I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.
16"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.
18"As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
19"For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
20"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;
21that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.


Day 5
"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. "~John 17:17

You and I have been set apart (sanctified) to God because of our faith in Christ. You have been chosen and have chosen God. You have decided to be in slavery to righteousness. You are covered by grace.

Heavenly Father~ I humbly write this devotional this week. I feel inadequate. Your Word amazes me, more beautiful and promised filled then any word I could write. Thank you Lord for the freedom you have given me in my life. Lord, Thank you for reminding me of the need to nurture our relationship. Forgive me for complacency. Forgive me for not being an active participant in the love you have for me. Lord, I desire the Love you have for me. May my life, my thoughts, my actions (and inaction's) be honoring to You and all believers that call on the Name of Jesus. ~In Your Precious Name.

Hope

1 Peter 1: 3-9
A Real Reason for Hope

Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on. God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear.
You have faith in God, whose power will protect you until the last day. Then he will save you, just as he has always planned to do. On that day you will be glad, even if you have to go through many hard trials for a while. Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire. And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed. They will show that you will be given praise and honor and glory when Jesus Christ returns. You have never seen Jesus, and you don't see him now. But still you love him and have faith in him, and no words can tell how glad and happy you are to be saved. That's why you have faith.

Dear Friends, May our Living Hope fill you today and throughout this year. When you are hoping for better things take time to find hope in God's promises to you. Here are a few scriptures to help you on your journey. I will list them completely here so that you may print it. Keep it in your purse or in your car as an easy reference when God's Word is what you need to help find hope.


Psalm 42:5 (New King James Version)
Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.

Isaiah 40:31 (New King James Version)
But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Psalm 119:74 (New King James Version)
Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.

Romans 8:24 (New King James Version)
For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?

Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Titus 2:12-13 (New International Version)
12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

1 Timothy 4:10 (New International Version)
(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

Romans 8:25 (New International Version)
But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Psalm 130:7 (New International Version)
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.

Colossians 1:26-29 (The Message)
This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it's out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.