Monday, January 31, 2011

Led Up The Narrow Road

John 11:27 "My sheep hear my voice,and I know them,and they follow me:"

Yes Jesus loves me; He is the good shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep.But the fact that he is the good shepherd, means there are some bad shepherds out there.The world has shepherds ,who have no love for the sheep. They don't pray for them, they prey on them.They don't feed them, they feed off them, they are the bad shepherd.God has given us a shepherd to protect and lead us,who has inspired and strengthened countless Christians throughout the years, to continue their journey up the narrow road.In a world full of flashy signs, misleading many to travel down the broad road of material pleasures and innumerable pains, it is easy to forget that we have a shepherd who calls us to follow him to "High Places." Too many loud sounds and too many beckoning voices compete with His words that speak to both our hearts and minds.

What must we do?First, we must step back from our engagement with the world.(We must come from among the world and its joys and toys.)Then we must fall on our knees and listen only to our Lord. Finally, we must follow His lead.We cannot do this once a year, occasionally,or every once in a while,and hope to find ourselves someday at those High Places with Him.Saints the enemy is not going to stop because you decided to make Jesus your choice.Everyday we must deny ourself, take up our cross, and follow the good shepherd. It has to be more than just a daily routine, our following Him must be a committment, a constant and integral part of our lives. (Christianity is not a religion, it is a way of life, it's what we've become, not what we do.) And when it becomes so, not only will it become a natural thing to do, but also we will recognize His voice more easily each time He speaks to us.

Our shepherd loves us and want to take us to High Places, but He won't drag us there.And we can't get there just because we wish to be there.(No matter what they thought,believed,or wanted, when the flood came, all outside the ark drowned.Are you on the outside of the Ark?)We must listen to Him, and we must obey His directions, He is "The Good Shepherd".

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Because he first loved me!

John 1:29 "The next day John seeth Jesus comming unto him,and saith,Behold the lamb of God,which taketh away the sin of the world."

This is what God did to secure forgiveness for us once and for all,so we can stay in the right relationship with him.It starts with Jesus' execution. He was lifted up in the same way that the snake was lifted up on a pole in Moses' day so that the people could look upon it and be forgiven for their sins.He was disfigured and marred beyond recognition.(Jesus allowed his flesh to be crushed, ripped and torn.)And in spite of His God-given mission to bring redemption to the world, He was despised and rejected by men, he was one from whom men hide their faces.

Jesus mission was to remove the sins off the backs of men and put them on His own.He took upon himself the punishment we deserved for our sins,and he suffered on behalf of us,suffering that included being whipped all night long by a band of soilder, he was spitt on, slapped with an open hand, mocked and pierced in his side.He endured the excruciating pain of his execution knowing that his death would result in spiritual restoration, and in some cases physical healing, for those who put their trust in him.All of us are sinners,and all are in need of spiritual redemption.Jesus secured that redemption with the shedding of his blood,for without the shedding of blood ,there is no remission of sin.

Jesus didn't open his mouth and complain about his treatment, although by many standards he was treated unfairly.Like a lamb being led to slaughter,he yeilded to his fate without resistance. He was the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus was God's sacrificial lamb, a lamb slaughtered on the altar as an atoning sacrifice. He was also the scapegoat, the one who separates sin from the sinner so God can look at us sinners and see us as sinless.Because Jesus took on the sins of all mankind and was sacrificed on our behalf, God's demand for justice was satisfied.Now he sits at the right hand of God, where he intercedes on the behalf of all believers, when the enemy makes accusations against us.What was needed to purchase redemption for man was done through Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross, where he bore our iniquities,  and poured his life out unto death to secure forgiveness."behold the love of God! 

Integrity:The Higher Standard

Proverbs 11:3 "The integrity of the upright shall guide them:but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them."

Integrity is a choice,in a society entertained and amused by deception, manipulation,seduction, and witchcraft, many people have convienced and even comforted themselves with the notion that they do not have a choice as to whether or not to engage in the same sins.(we are to lead the world, not follow it) When Elijah explained to God that he was the only God-worshiper who remained,God replied that "yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal,and every mouth which hath not kissed him." Although many people are, not everyone is living a lie,a life of compromise.It is unwise to justify your sins by your presumption of everyone else's sin.Our example must be Christ and him alone.

Christians are called to a higher standard of commitment and responsibility.Our bodies are God's temple,we bear the name of his only begotten son,dedicated solely to his service.In everything we do ,we must glorify God.We are called to a lifestyle that is higher than the world's.Using God's word as our guide for life, we build relationships of commitment,responsibility and trust,with integrity and truth.  (Saints we are a walking recommendation for Christ,and must live accordingly.)

It is more important for us to know what is important to God, than to know how doing the right thing will benifits us directly.In a world where it seems it's "every man for himself " is there any benifit to living a righteous life? God says that living a life of integrity results in a fruitful life.Integrity in this sense means living a life of high moral principles, a life characterized by honesty,sincerity, and good judgment.Those who live a life of integrity do what's right even when they can get away with doing something else.They choose to do right when it is more convient to do wrong.

Living a life based on ungodly principles and practices is destined for diffculty.Duplicitous people base their life on cunning and decption, they are driven by the pursuit of self gratification and material comfort. However, on the Day of Judgment their material wealth and gain will be of no value.Choosing a path of integrity is always beneficial in the long term,for those who walk in the integrity of God, walk in a clear path, for they walk in the light , Jesus the light of the world................

Friday, January 28, 2011

Slipping into darkness

James 1:14-15 "but every man is tempted,when he is drawn away of his own lust,and enticed.Then when lust hath concieved,it bringeth forth sin:and sin,when it is finished,bringeth forth death."

God wants to live among His people,but sometimes we don't want Him around.(let us be honest)See sometimes do to our fallen nature their are lust and desire we chose to surround ourselves in, that keeps God on the outside of our lives.Sin doesn't rush in and over take us,it is first a simple suggestion,then it becomes a strong imagination,then a delight,then it is accepted.In other words, sin at first does not necessarily appear disgusting to us.In fact sin frequently fascinates us and appeals to our fallen nature. Unless we immediately flee from it, we can easily slip into the darkness of sin.(We must reconize it for what it is, a rebillion against God.)

Despite God's faithfulness to His people,time and time again, we turn away from him and worship and serve the Idols we have built in our lives.We reject God and embrace the lust of the flesh and the worldly desires that appeal to our carnal nature.Though the Idols and the packaging of sin may appear different than it did to the Israelites,its basic nature is still the same.Sin can hide itself  so that it becomes so beautiful to look at, so wonderful to touch, and so sweet to taste, yet the end there of is still death.(Idols today are still made of wood,stone,and metal, but we call them houses, cars ,money, and the biggest Idol is the god we've made out of flesh, ourself.)As the writer of Hebrews said, its always tempting to "enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season". In many forms and guises, sin still allures and entices us and charms us to do its bidding, by offering to satisfy desires that are pleasurable to us, but violate God's truth and commandments.

Once sin has won one victory in our lives, it will be even more persistent in securing greater victories. Therefore, we give it power over our lives every time we surrender to it, until sin no longer has to hide its true hideous nature.But by then we are already firmly locked in its grip.Let us not dabble in sin and slip into darkness.But if we find yourself in the darkness of sin ,remember Jesus the light of the world, will save you from the grips of sin.Seek him and be saved...................

Thursday, January 27, 2011

A committed relationship

Joshua 24:24"And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord God will we serve, and his voice will we obey."

Joshua didn't sigh in relief when the Israelites responded to his challenge to serve the Lord and him only.Instead, he questioned them to say,"Do you really mean what you say?"He wanted them to make a conscious decision for God,and he even presented the alternatives so they could make a clear choice.(saints without conviction there is no real conversion or committment,distractions will draw us away from God.)He then presented to them the consequences of failing to follow through on their commitment.

This was wise on Joshua's part. Sometimes people are made to feel that choosing God is simple and easy, so they choose to serve Him,but then wonder if they knew what they were doing.Or they choose to follow God,but then don't think much about it. They allow their days just to flow without a focus on serving Him.

Those who haven't chosen to serve God, need to hear Joshua's challenge."This day", right now is the time to choose to follow Him.See this is a serious lifetime commitment, that involves putting Him in charge of your life.Even if we have already chosen to serve God, we choose everyday whether we will honor that commitment in the things we do and say.It is through conviction that we will cleanse ourselves of the things in life that might distract us from our committment to God.God has lead us through life and with his shepherd's rod, he has pulled us out of ruts and fought off the enemy.

God still calls us to follow Him by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.Once we have made that commitment, we must still choose to keep our lives free of those things that can keep us from feeling the joy of his presence, or that divert our attention away from a single-minded devotion to him.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

My inner me, my enemy

Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

A giant idolatrous pitfall for many of us is our appetite for the praise and approval of fellow human beings.We like for them to notice and praise our strengths,to admire and award our abilities, to think well of us and be on our side.We don't like to be unpopular,unnoticed, or underated.We love the approval of people.

Today's lesson we find that Aaron fell to this temptation.When it came down to pleasing God or people, he caved to the will of the people.He put their desires and priorities over God's clearly revealed commands.(Many in our pupits today have also giving in to the will of the people, afraid the collection plate might dry up if they tell the truth of God's word.)

As we do a "search and destroy" mission for the idols that would stir up God's righteous jealousy, this is one that we need to look for carefully. It has the ability to "fly under the radar" because it's not tangible in the way that relatioships or material things or even hobbies and activities are.But it can so drive our motives and actions that we are continually "bowing down" to it.It's the idol of our own desire to be worshiped, and we often serve it at the expense of honesty, integrity, and humility.(Saints let us be honest, some of these self-righteous names and title we bear is so people will think more of us than needed,because they serve no purpose in the building of God's kingdom.In God's kingdom it is about the work not the title.)

In Jesus day there were some men of influence who didn't want to let loose of their clutch on this idol in their lives. It created a big dilemma for them.The bible says "many even among the leaders believed in Jesus,but because of the pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;for they loved the praise from men more than praise from God"(John 12:42-43) What a sad documentary, afraid to speak up for Jesus, because of  something somebody might say or do to you.Let not the same thing be said of us,as ones who believe in Christ.Let us at all times seek the will and praise of God  over our own self interest in all that we do, trusting that he will protect and provide for us.It seems our pride and fear continually try to rise up and build idols for us to worship. What is a christian to do, the only answer is to get rid of them! don't let nothing come into your life that will hinder your walk with Christ, not even your own self, for we must die daily to self ,to live for Christ........

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The blessing of obedience

Exodus 19:5 "Now therefore,if ye will obey my voice indeed,and keep my covenant,then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people:for all the earth is mine:"

When the Lord called Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, one of the signs of that calling was that he would worship God on the mountain where he was called.But this was just the beginning of his promised blessing for the nation.If the people would obey Him, they would be God's "treasured possession" out of all the nations on the earth.God promised that they would continue to see deliverance from their enemies, along with His miraculous provisions, if they would continue to obey Him.It's all too easy for us to neglect issues of obedience as we get mired in our day to day living.And yet if we haven't been faithful to do what He last told us,how can we expect additional guidance to benifit us?(Saints if we can't be faithful over the little, how can we expect to be trusted with the many.) We need to be diligent to obey.

When we give God lordship over our lives, we are committing to a life of obedience to Him, to His will,and to His ways.How often we tend to renegotiate the terms of our commitment to him as soon as His will cramps our style or dents our pride. How good we are at justifying disobedience, down playing it as we try to draw attention to our attempts at "sacrificial" Christian living. "To obey is better than sacrifice," Samuel told Saul, when Saul tried to invent a better plan to honor God than the one he had been told to follow.We need to be careful not to fall into Saul's mentality of creating a sacrifice that suits us,in lieu of plain obedience to what God has told us. Obedience is not an option,if we want the blessing of God Almighty,and want to enjoy a relationship with him, we must obey and learn to trust that He always have our best interest in His heart.

Just as it did on Mt.Sinia, God's covenant with His people today contains a simple correlation: Obedience brings blessing.God knows how a life works best, and walking in his ways, obeying His direction is the only way that we can expect to experience true and lasting blessings.

Monday, January 24, 2011

A living sacricife

Romans 12:1 " I beseech you therefore,brethren, by the mercies of God,that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,holy,acceptable unto God,which is your reasonable service."

The servant Jesus, was the perfect representative of God's character.But it was God's intent for Israel to serve that same purpose.It is also something that God wants to accomplish through Christians today. People should be able to look at a Christian's life and see what God is really like.Christians should share the Gospel with the way they live their life, as well as with the words of their life.(Our walk and talk should be the same)Christians should focus on living in a way that glorifies God at all times as well as use every oportunity to tell a dying world the good news of salvation. Our lives should tell the truth about God, and our words should communicate God's truth.(This will at times require us to put aside our thoughts ,opions, Ideals, likes,dislikes and desires, that a lost soul might experience the love of God through us.)

Sometimes it might seem useless, the complaint that "I have labored to no purpose" could have crossed Jesus' mind as he was nailed to the cross, and those who watched this event, may have thought His mission was comming to an end and his life a failure. But when Jesus died,He knew his death was not to be his end. Three days later, when he rose from the dead, he proved that He is the  Son of God and ultimately convinced His diciples that his death served God's purpose.We too today might voice these same concerns,wondering if we are labouring in vain, as it might sometimes seems when we talk about Jesus to an unbelieveing world, our words seeming to fall on deaf ears. But God wants us to know, even though it seems to be in vain, to  keep on being a living sacrifice for him, keep on lying down your will that his will be done, keep on telling the story of salvation, and it will eventually bear spiritual fruit.( For his word will not come back void,it will do just what it says).

God wants to restore His relationship with all people, a relationship broken by sin and compounded by people's rebellion against him.God dosn't intend to cut off his creation, Jesus death, burial and ressurection provides a way for fallen man to be reconcilled to a Holy God.Our misision in life, is to share the truth about God with others, so that they know what they have to do to have a right relationship with God.God's servants are to be the light that penetrates spiritual darkness and leads others to Jesus.It is through dedication ,self denial, and committment to the truth in this mission ,which will glorfy God as we bear fruit, and fruit that shall last.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Gifted for God's work

1 Corinthians 12:7 "But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal."

Spiritual gifts ae special abilities bestowed upon Christians to empower them for service to the Lord and His Body the Church. All Christians have at least one spiritual gift.Every gift is beneficial to the Body of Christ so that no one christian is of greater importance than another.(The same amount of blood was shed for you as it was for me.)Spiritual gifts are not given for the benefit of the one gifted.They are for the good of the Church, to edify, or build up the Body of Christ. All gifts are given as the Holy Spirit sees fit, and are not meant to be sought after as marks of superiority over other.

Paul used the analogy of the human body to teach the function and aim of spiritual gifts,to create unity with in the body of Christ.Even though the human body is made up of many different parts, it is a single unit.The same spirit who imparted spiritual gifts to believers, is the one who baptized and placed each Christian into the Body of Christ, and no gift is unimportant or unnecessary.( Clip your nails then get an itch, you 'll see the value of your finger nail) All Christians should be satisfied with the gift(s) they have been given, knowing that they were given according to God's own will.

God never intended the church to be a one man show.Indeed, He provides numerous spiritual gifts throughout every congregation so that the church operates as "the body of Christ, to which each one of us are a part."

Many believers dismiss their God given talent, skill,and aptitudes, their spiritual gifts,because it dosn't seem to be as important as someone elses. Every gift is significant and needed.They are bestowed on Christians to equip them to serve God and his church.we all have at least one special gift for the edification of the body.It is vital that we exercise our gifts so that the ministry is complete and God is glorified through them all.

Esteeming others higher than self

1Corinthians 8:9 "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of your's become a stumblingblock to them that are weak."

Paul taught the Corinthians that being lovingly responsible to other believers was more important than showing off their spiritual knowledge.They were not to eat meat or do anything else that would cause a weaker brother to stumble.In his Letter to the Philippians,Paul said that Christ laid aside His priviledges as God to become a human being:"Taking the very nature of a servant,(He was) made in human likeness"
When we limit our freedom for the sake of others, we are showing a similar kind of love.

We must realize that love not knowledge, is the most important aspect of Christian relationships.(We sometimes get so caught up on the me aspect of salvation we forget about the other sheep that might be following us.)Exercising our freedom in Christ matters less than strengthening the faith of a spiritually weak believer.It's not a matter of who's right and who's wrong on a certain issue, since Christians may have differing convictions.Instead, Paul is calling us to look out for those with less spiritual maturity, who may be harmed by our actions.(Saints it is not good for us to argue over foolishness, what is important is the building up of the weak and lame sheep of the Lord.) Consideration for other believers often involves restraint.Would you play golf on Sunday if you knew that a less mature Christian friend would misunderstand your actions?Would you stay home from a movie or concert if your attendance would harm your christian witness?

The holy spirit can help us to be sensitive to questionable things.Remember, younger believers are walking behind us,and we should be careful of the footprints that we leave.Self sacrifice involves giving up doing what it is you want to do, for the growth and maturity of another;like not watching your favorite T.V. show, to spend some time with a new convert going over the bible or helping them with a Sunday school lesson.Christians should avoid anything that would harm another believer, In every flock there are also weak and lame sheep, they to belong to the shepherd, he gave his life for them also............

We who profess Christ should be careful what we post on the walls of social networks for everyone to see, not that it might be wrong, but it could hinder the walk of one not as strong as you. Going to a party may not hurt you,but to a weaker christian it could be a stumblingblock.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Built for Jesus

1Corinthians 3:9 "For we are labourers together with God:ye are God's husbandry,ye are God's building."

"They don't build'em like they used to!" It's a common refrain among those who remember when quality was something builders took pride in.There was a day when a person could earn a living and a good reputation by taking time to get the job done right.Today, time is money,so speed(not quality craftsmanship)seems to be the hallmark of a lot of modern home construction.

In a similar way we may be enticed to take shortcuts in God's character-development phases of building our lives.We may be tempted to skirt issues of honesty,integrity,and purity in our hearts.We may decide to shut out the voice of the spirit as we reach for the goal of what we want,in our timing instead of his. That's a recipe for spiritual disaster.

Consider the time God took to develop godly people,such as Moses(40yrs hiding in the wilderness), David (tending sheep and running from Saul), and Elisha (yrs of faithful service to Elijah).As they submitted themselves to God to be His servants,God trained and empowered them to be ones who glorified Him in great ways.Can we really expect to build well on the foundation of Christ without submitting to God's ways and process in our lives?

In fact,this the great advantage that we have as belivers today:the gift of God's Spirit is available to all men and women now.We have all the resources of Heaven at our disposal to help us build better and stronger than ever on the foundation of Christ.

Now that you've taken time to examine what kind of building materials you are using in your day-to-day life,it's a good time to call on God for the help you need with any areas of weakness.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Hold on, Jesus is comming !

Mark 13:26 "And then shall they see the Son of man comming in the clouds with great power and glory."

The daily headlines are never very hopeful, they are filled with stories like:mother of 5 killed in gang crossfire;mom charged after baby found neglected in basement;peace talks in middle east break down. All this bad news make it difficult at times to have hope, to hold on,to believe things will ever get better, but there is good news.What we see in our world, does not reflect the ultimate plan God has for it.Our God is a God of peace, love,and joy.God created this world to be a wonderful garden full of people who love him.We are part of God's pleasure.

Upon completetion of each intricate part of his creation, God said,"it is good!"Each element of creation was brilliant! Today's headlines are but a representation of how the evil designs of satan, and our own sin have taken the beauty of God's creation, and changed it into a distorted world of chaos and dispair. Hatred, plagues,murder,and hunger are not God's will for His creation.Jesus, our blessed hope, will  come and set things right.

Jesus is comming back,and when Jesus returns to earth,He will return as our triumphant King,and all eyes will see him.Every knee will bow to him, and every tongue will confess of him, that he is Lord.He is greater than anything on earth and anything occuring in the earth, so be not discouraged. He is our reigning Lord, Savior and conquering King.When Christ returns, the sun shall be darkened,and the moon shall not give her light, as the true light will take center stage,Jesus the light of the world. And then they shall see the Son of man, in the clouds with great power and glory.(ride on king Jesus) Then he shall gather His elect from the four winds,from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

But until he returns, we have his Holy Spirit to comfort us,and his word to assure us and to hold on to.
His word tells us"we wait in hope on the Lord he is our help and our sheild" :"But now,Lord, what do I look for?My hope is in you":"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior,and my hope is in you all day long".So saints hold on for "we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior,Jesus Christ." He is comming back again!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Jesus! Gods answer to our prayers

John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled:ye believe in God, believe also in me."

The preceding chapters of John reveal many things that must have discouraged to the disciples. Jesus told them he was going away,he was going to die, there was a traitor among them, that peter would deny him three times and the other disciples would abandon him on the night of his betrayal. Sensing the disciples distress, he gave them words of encouragement,( We too can find comfort in these same words) he said"Let not your heart be troubled: Ye believe in God, believe also in me."Saints if you believe in God trust God for his word. God knows the way of a life, and that way is Christ.He alone is the way to have everlasting life with the Father,Christ in us leading us to the Father.Such a tremendous honor,that God chooses to dwell not only among, but within all who believe!

"Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find if". There is one path that leads to God and life,and that path is Jesus.Despite the world's insistence that there are many ways to God,and no matter how moral or good a people or a religion appears to be, Jesus is the only atonement and reconciliation between God and man.It is solely according to his mercy he saved us.

"There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Next to the decption of richest, human pride is perhaps the second largest stumbling block to salvation.People often believe that they are good, and use the failings of others to justify their own sins.We are to make no provision or excuses for our flesh. The only perfect standard for life is Christ:all others have missed the mark:"for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." So  don't be troubled for Jesus not only knows the way but he is the way.Jesus God's answer to all of mans problems.

Monday, January 17, 2011

When all seems hopeless

Job 14:14"If a man die,shall he live again?all the days of my appointed time will I wait,till my change come."

Job lived with an expectation that even when he died, a change would come;that's hope.Hope in God is more than a wing and a prayer,more than a wish for God to do something for us.Hope in God is a trustful waiting when nothing makes sense,when everything is dark,when there seems no end in sight.This kind of hope places its confidence in God's goodness,even though everything in life seems to shout to the contrary.

But how do we remember to hope in God, when all of our circumstances seem to be tearing us apart? Here are somethings to help us remember God when things seems hopeless.We must remember to cry out to him in our day of trouble,instead of excluding him because of anger,mistrust,fear, or neglect.He tells us "call upon on me in your day of trouble and I will deliever you". We must remember to speak truth into the lies of our enemy. When doubt and fear tells you God don't care about your situation,rebuke the lie with the truth of God's word"to cast all your cares upon him, for he cares for you." Then remember God requires times of thanksgiving.We must give thanks in all circumstances.If all seems hopeless,everything falling apart,if we have nothing else in life,our God has made a way for us to have eternal life through his only begotten son.

Friends may try to offer explanations for our suffering and struggles. Many will have word of advice or insights,some of it good, some will be bad, but only God knows the content of our heart.It is his presence and revelation we need to seek.As we look to him and call out to him,as we read his word and meditate on his promises, we will find hope rising up in us, and this is the hope that will carry us through.

Remembering God during hopeless times will carry us through them,but learning to remember him before those times come, will strengthen our hope in him, and prepare us for the "dark nights" of our lives. "For we know that all things work together for the good,to them who love God,to them who are the called according to his purpose."

What If God was truly the head of my life

2Chronicles 7:14"If my people,which are called by my name,shall humble themselves and pray,and seek my face,and turn from their wicked ways;then will I hear from heaven,and will forgive their sins,and will heal their land."

There was once this young boy, he went into a store ,using the phone he called Mr.Smith, he asked "do you have someone to do your yard" .Mr smith replied yes, the boy said "is he doing a good job, are you happy with his work," the man said yes.The owner of the store over heard the conversation, feeling bad ,said don't worry son, you'll find a job. The boy said "oh I have that job, I just wanted to know if he felt I was doing a good job".

 How would God feel about the job you are doing? We often talk about how important God is in our life, but is he really?Have you ever just really sat down and thought about it. When was the last time you sat with your child and went over sunday school home work, or the last time you and your family,read the bible, attended sunday school, or bible study together.When was the last time you made preparations for God, like you do for school, for work, or even to go out on a date.

If we really look honestly at our relationship with God ,we will see it has actually deteriorated some.( Now I know church folks are the holiest and hardest to point out short commings with, Jesus had the same problem with the church folks of his time.) But God has chosen us to be reprentatives of his character, an example of his Love,a reflection of his caring,sharing and concern for a lost world.But over the years we have drifted away from God, and have become less like the holy people God wants us to be.(Truthfully, would you want God to treat you like you treat him,love you like you love him .)We still worship God,but we also worship the things God has blessed us with, and we no longer serve God.We have become self focused, self absorbed, and we don't seem to care as much for the less fortunate,the way Jesus wants us to.Jesus shedded just as much blood for that homeless beggar , as he did for the greatest person you know in this world,and he loves him just as much. The bible says "as you do to the least of these, you do to me".How many times in this new year, have you said no to God, when he was hungry, naked,in prisioned, or thirsty.Saints let us take our love of the Lord, off of our lips, and put it into action, that the world might see it,that's how Jesus said the world would know we are his.Let us become the true christians we claim to be.It is when we truly do our part that God will heal this land. For the text says"If My people ,which are called by my name,shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face,and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will heal their land." Saints the world is dying to see the God in us that we claim to posess, let us truly make him the head of our life.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

A treasure worth seeking

Proverbs 3:13"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,and the man that getteth understanding"

Wealth in wisdom:If we pursue wisdom with the same fervor that we pursue wealth,promotion and reputation,then the fear of the Lord would keep us from sin.sadly, our confidence is often in our education,experiences, and resources, all of which are limited and fleeting.Behold the  fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;and to depart from evil is understanding.

Human knowledge sometimes wears the mask of truth.Searching for information or gaining an advanced degree does not produce a godly life.World views which dishonor or reject God are all around us, quietly calling us to accept and follow them.God is the source of all true wisdom.The path to godliness is narrow and strenuous,but spiritual growth will result from the quest,the seeking of God; God rewards a secure and persistent search for real wisdom.

We know God's wisdom is practical.The phrase"common sense" refers to the type of knowledge that works in life's difficult situations.Many people with advanced college degrees,though intelligent, have no real sense of right and wrong,cannot control their tempers, and fall to pieces in a family crisis.God's wisdom gives power that works in daily life.

Finally, gaining God's wisdom involes submission.The author of proverbs tells his son to lean on God, not to rely on his own opinion.The word lean, means to place your weight on God,to rest and trust in him.Submitting begins with prayer for the Holy Spirit's guidance,then we search his word for the insights that we need.Seek the advice of godly counselors, but let the Bible be the standard by which all choices are measured.Wisdom is God's gift to his children.Aware of our inadequacy, we can turn to our heavenly Father. We place our lives in his hands, search his word for answers,then confidently rest in His wisdom, a treasure truly worth seeking.

Redeemed:God sighting ahead

Isaiah 44:22 "I have blotted out,as a thick cloud,thy transgressions,and,as a cloud,thy sins return unto me;for I have redeemed thee."

The nation of Israel transgressed and worshiped idols,so God brought Israel judgement through the nation of babylon.But at the appointed time,God blotted out their transgressions.He forgave, so that his servants could fulfill the duties of a relationship with him.There is so much to be thankful for.God created us for his purpose.He created each person to serve him,but at some point everyone turns from God.However,the invitation to return and do God's will is always open(Jesus stands at the door and knocks). We have a clean slate,(as he has blotted out all our transgressions through the blood of the lamb),a new start is available each day.

Each of us can trust God's redemptive power because of what Christ did at calvery.each time we take communion,we remember Christ as our redeemer.Isaiah prophesied that Israel's God would lead his people back from babylon.The process of redemption continues throughout each redeemed person's life.
When we pray in Jesus' name, he intercedes on our behalf.Everytime God steps in to help us, we see His hand at work as He further purifies us to be His chosen people. The answers to our prayers come as "God Sightings",specific times when we see God at work to meet our needs or those of others.

As you think back over your life, what specific "God Sightings" do you remember? Each of these delieverences was our God at work in our life.Has God healed you or someone you know physically or emotionally?Has a way been made for you, when you seen no possible way? Have you sensed God's direction in your life.Has God restored a broken relationship when repentence and forgivness were at work? Because hindsight is perfect,we can now look back over our life, and understand what was not clear at our time of need.We see now so many times when there was a God Sighting in our life and the lives of others.

We can believe in God's continuing redemptive work by reconizing what He has already done in each of our lives.Because our redeemer is continually at workin us and on us,we can be assured that more God sightings lie ahead.So let us continually thank God for providing Christ,our redeemer,praise him for your personal God sightings.Trust your future to the Savior who is "the same yesterday,today and forever".And let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

Friday, January 14, 2011

I need Thee!

Isaiah 40:29" He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength."

Acknowledging our needs is just a first step on our way to receiving the strength and comfort God has for us.Once we reconize our need for God,we can bring our needs to him,trusting that He hears us and will answer us.Then we must wait patiently, knowing He will provide all that we need right when we need it.

In our culture,even within the church,there is a notion that we must be or become strong people.It is a virtue to be self-sufficient,able to do most everything for ourselves. However,the bible points again and again to our need for God.It tells us to be strong in the Lord and the power of his might.The apostle Paul,who was no wimp by worldly standards,said that he rejoiced in his weakness because,when he was weak,the power of Christ rested on him and worked powerfully in and through him.

Paul understood that our true state of being is one of unending need for God's comfort and strength in this life.It may sound harsh to say so,but we are decieved or deluded if we think otherwise.Everything we have comes from God;we may imagine that it is our savvy or our wits or our good looks that have secured some benifit or blessing for us in life.But even if this is true,God has given us our abilities and strengths in the first place,and he could take them away if he so choose to.Every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord.

He is the true vine and we are but branches,everything we have comes from God,and everything we need,God has for us.The real question is :Are we willing to be honest about our needs,and especially about the nature of our specific needs right now?God is not stingy with his comfort and strength for those who know they need these provisions, and those who will receive them humbly and gratefully.God can be counted on, to give his children strength during times of tribulation and weakness.With such a great Lord we have nothing to fear,he has the power and ability to deliever us out of any difficulty we might face. Oh Lord  I need thee every hour I need thee!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

The choice: How will you choose

Joshua 24:15a"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord,Choose you this day whom ye will serve;

To trust in God is the result of a choice. God's way of life, as today, was not the only choice our first parents faced. The serpent presented Eve with an alternative,conviencing her that his approach was the better way.He persuaded her that God had withheld important information from her,and that God was misleading her. Eve then persuaded Adam to join her in rebelling against God's instruction,by partaking of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.As a result,a new ruler introduced humanity to a different way of life. This ruler ,the devil or satan,who is a deciever, has even introduced a counterfiet religious message, a new and different gospel,that is opposed to God's plan and his purpose for us.

We must understand the significance of satan introducing to humanity a different way of life, a way opposed to God. Satan's message is cloaked in acceptable sounding language that seems right to our natural way of thinking.His message appeals to the various lust and desires of the carnal man, it feeds his fleshly needs. His message is pleasing to the eye,feels good to the touch,and is sweet to the taste.He has even convienced most people that God's ways are foolish,and impossible to travel.(The narrow ,up hill road is a hard road to travel, compared to the broad down hill road.)In doing so,Satan has become not only the ruler, but the god to many whom he has decieved, and he works in the sons of disobedience.

But  the good news is we have a choice ,in the beginning God promised hope for humanity.He promised that the appointed Seed would deliver mankind from the rule of satan. His promise of a perfect plan, to mold mankind into his own spiritual image, and to establish his kingdom, a kingdom which will produce the fruit of the tree of life, instead of the fruit of satan's deceptions.God's promise to place an enemy between the serpent and the woman,between his seed and her seed, which will crush the head of the serpent. Jesus, the promised seed, the firm promise from God, the promised Savior,  who will save us,and King, who will rule us with righteousness, and bring peace and salvation to all who receives him . Jesus the Christ, Our choice of  Life, the foundation for the building of a Kingdom. How will you choose?

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Savior, and our ever present help!

Isaiah 43:11 "I, even I, am the Lord;and beside me there is no savior"

God's promise to save,to help,and to rescue, has been extended to all humanity through Jesus Christ.The God who rescued Judah, is the same God who is with us today,and he rescues all those who call on him,and he walks with them in each hardship.The Lord looked past the sins of mankind, and seen something of value and significance,so much so that He would send His son to die on the cross for our sins.

We never outgrow our need for the Savior. As christians we trust Christ for our salvation from sin and for the promise of eternal life.When we come to Christ,we are justified,or saved from the consequence of our sin.As we walk with Christ, we are sanctified,or set apart to obey God and live for him,saved from the self-centered living, that trapped us in sin and condemed us to death.And when we go to live with him in heaven, we are glorified,realizing the full extent of our salvation,as we are made complete in every way to enjoy fellowship with God forever,face to face.

We never stop needing our Savior in this journey, and He never stops being there for us. Even though as Christians we are santified, set apart to walk daily with our Lord, we find many struggles, trials, difficulties,sorrows,pains,and all manner of needs for His comfort and intervention along the way. These serve as opportunities for us to grow in our trust for the Savior,as we bring our needs to him ,and wait for Him to intervene.He is our Savior,saving us from all circumstances and situations.

We will never stop having a need for the Savior in our lives.He is here for us right now,whatever we may be navigating, wherever we may be struggling .Calling on him, trusting in his promises,and waiting for him are exactly the right things to do,today and all the time. For he alone is or Savior!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

In obedience to God!

Mark 9:7" And there was a cloud that over shadowed them:and a voice came out of the cloud, saying,This is my beloved son: hear him."

God sent His Son to provide us with an example of how to live our lives.Through his Son we are to establish a deeper relationship with the Father.He wants us to follow Jesus,that's it.It's like rebellious children being shown the proper way to behave.

Jesus was sent to reveal the truth to those who would follow Him, and those who desire eternal life.As the transfiguration demonstrated,He holds all the power in heaven and earth in his hands.The goal is for our lives to reflect His life.We have no excuses for not obeying him if we are serious about our spiritual growth.We have His words given to us in the bible,and this is our tool to study as we follow Him in our life's journey.

Jesus came to tell us what God's will is for us.We pray for it to be revealed to us,but sometimes we don't accept it,questioning His authority over our lives.This is a form of disrespect.When we listen to and obey God,we are showing respect,love,and adoration for him.Listening to Jesus includes understanding how we should pray to him.We cannot just talk to him and make request;we have to listen for His answers.Sometimes that means just being quiet and patient,waiting for an answer.Our prayers should be a conversation,catch and throw,instead of just giving Him a list of several things we need from him.

we should be reminded that Jesus has already conquered death and set us free.Knowing this,we can face the crazieness of the world with the confidence that our ruler is as powerful as God said he is.We just have to continue to consult Him and not just make decisions without his counsel.Jesus can only be heard by those who will listen to him.We must open our hearts and our minds to his control and acknowledge Him as the ruler of our lives.If we show the Father the authority He deserves,we will be rewarded.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Jesus!punished for my crimes

Isaiah 53:5 "But he was wounded for our transgressons,he was bruised for our iniquities:the chastisement of our peace was upon him;and with his stripes we are healed."

When Jesus suffered and died on Calvery's cross,the sin of the entire world hung on his shoulders.This weight He carried,we are not designed to carry.Jesus suffered enormously so that we might be saved from "the sin that so easily entangles us"and be able to run the race he has set before us easier each day,that one day we might be with him in  all his Glory.

Jesus allowed his flesh to be crushed,ripped,and torn.He suffered and died a gruesome death.He was the subsitute for our punishment,our crimes,but he was punished, that we
might be made whole, might become the righteousness of God, through his suffering.It was our sins that pressed the crown of thorns on his head,that slapped him,spitt on him ,mocked him,wounded Him in the side,and drove nails into his hands and feet.It's His bruises that bring healing to all who will surrender their lives into the Masters hands.

Because of Jesus death,lost sinners can find their way back to the Heavenly Father again. Jesus,our mighty hero who poured out his life, and his blood,for us and hung on a cross between two criminals,was no criminal himself.He was just our gentle Savior, who died for us and now intercedes for us in Heaven.God now looks upon all who have truly  committed their lives to Him, through lenses stained with the blood of Jesus Christ,and where there once stood a sinner,there now stands a saint washed in the blood of the Lamb.THANK YOU JESUS

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Crucified Lord-Risen Savior

Mark 8:31"And he began to teach them,that the son of man must suffer many things,and be rejected of the elders,and of the cheif priest,and scribes,and be killed,and after three days rise again."

After performing many miracles,Jesus now began to clarify the exact nature of his atoning ministry.If someone was to follow him,that person would have to follow the whole Christ,the crucified Lord and the risen Savior,by taking up their cross daily,and suffer as he suffered.Jesus told them what lied ahead,he was going to be crucified.He would be humiliated by the Romans not conquor them,and then he would display the power of God,by being raised from the dead.Jesus told the people if they followed him they stood to lose everything, including their life.He wanted them to place their trust in God,and Him alone.(We have to be willing to let go of things,if it means to hold on to God)

As christians ,we live daily lives around people who do not believe what we believe.We know that not everyone is going to feel the same way we do about God.Other people may not understand our passion for him, and may even mock us for it.Sometimes we might feel alone in our suffering, and that we shouldn't have to suffer at all.There is a popular message being preached by many today,proclaiming God wants success and monetary gain for all who believes,and your suffering is from a lack of faith.But suffering is and has always been the road christians have had to travel.Those Saints listed in hebrews 11 all had great faith, and suffered mightily for the Lord.Instead of being discouraged by our challenges,let us be like the hero's of faith,and be encouraged by our relationship with God.

We know life is going to be full of disappointments and struggles,but we are christians,  our goal is to be like Jesus.We know that we can overcome any hardship or burden we're dealt,For we can do all things through Christ,our strength.Our trials are to prove and strengthen our faith in God.It is our faith and dedication to the word, will, and way of God, that will allow us to endure our times of suffering,that we might rejoice in is glory.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Who do you say that he is!

Mark 8:29 "and he saith unto them,but whom say he that I Am?And Peter answereth and saith unto him,Thou art the Christ."

By the time Jesus asked this question of the disciples, He had calmed the sea,exorcised demons,raised a young girl from the dead,and fed over 5,000.Rumours about who he was ran rampant.One day Jesus pulled his disciples aside and asked,"whom do men say that I am?"Jesus used this conversation as a learning experience.Jesus wanted to be sure the disciples understood the purpose of the miracles they had seen.The disciples responded that the people thought he was John the Baptist, Elijah,or one of the prophets who had come back from the dead.

Then Jesus asked them,"But whom say ye that I am?" Saints who do you say Christ is,not only with your talk, but does the way you live your life say that he is the Christ, the son of the living God?Does your life reveal him in his full person,does he shine in and on your life?See in Peters mind and the minds of the others,Jesus was the long awaited messiah-King.He was going to overthrow the wicked Roman government,and put the Jews back in charge.

However,Jesus spoiled their visions of a conquering Messiah.Instead of telling them what seats they would hold in his new government,Jesus begin to talk about his rejection by the elders,priest,and teachers of the law,followed by his crucifixion and death.As Peter listened he responded,"No,Jesus,That can't be true." They had witnessed his great power and authority,he was going to make life better not worse. Peter like many believers today,was looking for ease and comfort and power,not the ways of God.Jesus sharply rebuked Peter and clearly stated that those who followed him would suffer greatly.As Jesus suffered,His followers would also suffer.

In less than a week,three of the disciples would see Jesus in his glory and power on a mountain top,But they needed a picture of his suffering as well.Both are part of the christian life.Following Jesus requires us to take up our  own cross of shame, persecution and suffering.No cross,no crown, if we don't suffer with the crucified Lord,we can't reign with the risen Savior.....

Friday, January 7, 2011

The servants mission

Isaiah 49:6"And he said,it is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of jacob,and to restore the preserved of Israel:I will also give thee for a light to the gentiles,that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth".

Our mission in life, just as it was for Israel and for Jesus,is to share the truth about God with others,so they know what they have to do to have a right relationship with God.God wants to restore his relationship with all people and nations.A relationship broken by sin and compounded by people's rebellion against him.

People seems to have one or two approaches for sharing our christian faith with others.Some feel strongly,that they should live the christian life to the best of their ability,and only talk about Jesus if asked.Although others might know them to be kind and considerate, but because they seldom speak about Jesus or the gospel,few will ever know about their faith in God.The other way is to share the gospel with our words as well as our lives. Working hard, trying to live in a way that is a good reflection on God's character,but also looking for opportunities to talk about God,Jesus,our faith, and what it takes to have a right relationship with God.

Jesus said, this about the relationship between our lives and our words:
"you are the light of the world.A city on a hill cannot be hidden.Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.Instead,they put it on its stand,and it gives light to everyone in the house.In the same way let your light shine before man,that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven."

We are called to be God's light in our world today.It's through our lives that people see what God is like and hopefully become attracted to him.But it is through our words that they hear what's true about God,(For faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God)and what it takes to have a right relationship with him.God's servants are to be the light that penatrates spiritual darkness and leads others to a relationship with Jesus.
It is our dedication to this mission which glorifies God,and in the process help reconnect others to him.This is the mission of servants of the Lord.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

The one true God

Isaiah 45:22"Look unto me,and be ye saved,all the ends of the earth:for I am God,and there is none else".

God and God alone,created the heavens and the earth from scratch.In his wisdom,He fixed and fashioned the world.From darkness and emptiness,He created everything,even calling something out of nothing.He put it all to together for the enjoyment of his creatures.He also actively answers the prayers of his children,unlike the dead false gods we sometimes seem to look to.

There is only one God.Even if we recognize God as our creator and substainer
we sometimes have a tendency, to acknowledge gods of our creation as viable gods.We don't call them gods ,but we worship them,make sacrifices on there behalf, make offering to them,and often times spend more time with them than we do the true God.We pray to the true God ,but sometimes our hope is in the gods of our makings.(Be honest how many time have we prayed to God, but look to jobs,bank accounts and or friends to deliever us from our troubles)We unaware might credit both gods for our blessing and provisions. How ridiculous this sounds, for we know false gods cannot save,yet there are times we place more trust in the blessings than we do the blessor.

God will be worshiped;There will come a day when everyone is going to kneel before God and declare,"Yes,salvation and strength are in the true God." We shall stand before the judgement seat of Christ and give account to him,for it is written"As I live,saith the Lord,every knee shall bow to me,and every tongue shall confess to God".

Let us remember it is God and God alone from whence commeth our help,For he alone is God and there is none else.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The power of prayer

Acts 12:7"And,behold,the angel of the lord came upon him,and A light shined in the prison,and he smote Peter on the side,and raised him up,saying arise up quickly,and his chains fell off his hands."

The power of prayer, it is often said "if you pray don't worry, and if you're going to worry don't pray".Prayer is the lifeline of our relationship with the Father.It is the secret of Jesus's great life,and it was the one thing, the disciple ask him to teach them how to do.Prayer can revive a Church,empower a preacher,strengthen a life,and can lead a lost soul to salvation.Prayer grows out of the conviction that God is our Father and that he stands ready to help us in all situations.Prayer and tears are the arms of the church, by which she not only fights against the enemy, but also fights for her friends.


Now in our story today,James has been killed and Peter was imprisoned,he was to be killed after the passover. Now Peter was locked up,chained between two guards,with more guards at the gate,kept with great care, with no visiable way out of his situation. Saints there are situations that come upon us and to the world and those around us, it seems like we have no way out.But prayer was being made by the church,it was earnest prayer, extended prayer,they prayed without ceasing, and with the belief that their prayers would be answered. They were particular in their prayer,for they prayed that it might please God and defeat Herods purpose.(Our prayers should be to the glory of God, and the defeating of the enemy).They prayed for the salvation of a condemed soul.

Now it was the very night before Herod planned to bring him before the people, that Peters deliverence came.(He is an on time God yes he is.)The Angel of the Lord came upon him;When it seemed he was abandoned by man,he wasn't forgotten by God.The guards and gates kept his friends and family away,but they couldn't keep God away.Here he was,a prisoner in darkness, condemed to death,with no way out,but the church was praying,(There is so much power in a praying church),and it say the angel of the Lord came upon him,a light shined in the prison,(When the Angel of the Lord enters your life not only does he give you a way out,but he is a light unto your path), and Peter was set free from bondage.

Saints prayer is a powerful tool we have at our disposal.Shouting is good,preaching is wonderful, but prayer is irreplaceable,it is the one thing Jesus said a man ought to always do. Just like with Peter, prayer can set us free from our bondage,shine a light on our dark circumstances,and make a way out of no way.The word says "whosoever calls up on the name of the Lord shall be saved".We just need to trust and believe, for God will do just what he said.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Don't Let Jesus pass you by

Luke19:5"And when Jesus came to the place,he looked up and saw him,and said unto him,Zacchaeus,make haste,and come down;for today I must abide at thy house"

"Pass me not oh gentle savior,hear my humble cry,while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by".These words are more than just lyrics to a hymm,these are the words of the humble cry, from the soul of all repented sinners.A sincere heart felt cry,from every heart which desires to see the Lord.A desire so strong,that one will make haste,push through,get in front of and even rise above all that would hinder their chance at a personal relationship with the savior.

Zacchaeus was a sinner who sought to see Jesus for himself,he heard that Jesus was passing through,and he sought to see him, and to one Jesus came.(It is good when sinners seek Jesus while he can be found)It says"And when Jesus came to the place", there is a place in the life of every sinner, when they realize they are lost and in need of salvation, and Jesus will meet every sinner at that place.

Zaccaeus was at that place, he was a sinner in need of salvation and he didn't want Jesus to pass him by.He made haste to see him,not letting the crowd or anything else stand between him and his salvation.He received him with joy, he called him Lord, accepting him for who he was and not what he could give him,and he was willing to surrender all he had, to the rule of the Lord.

What the Lord saw was a sinner who not only needed,but who would accept the mercy of the lord.One willing to stand alone in his decision. Jesus looked up and saw one whose character, would make him a great witness to the grace of the Lord. Jesus saw one who would receive him with all his heart.

So Jesus said "today I must abide at thy house".Today is the acceptable day of salvation;Jesus must abide at the house of all repented sinners,and must have rule of the house,to do what he will,to do as he sees fit,to arrange it as he wants it.We must let him mold us into the instrument he sees fit, to be used in his garden of salvation,that we might bring in the sheeves........

If you don't want Christ to pass you by, you must make yourself avaiable to him....

Monday, January 3, 2011

Christian: live worthy of the name

Isaiah 62:2"Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name."

Christian,to be Christ like: to be like the only begotten of the Father. Saints it is a priviledge to be looked upon as a christian,it is one of the highest honors there is.Our denomination is not from the name of the person,but the name of his office.Our belief is in the name we bear,Christ anointed:Jesus is the Chrsit,and we are not ashamed to let the world know this is the truth by which we are willing to live and die.But saints we have allowed those of the world to trivilize the name we bear.The world believes that everybody who attends a church or say they do,or just say they know who God is, is a christian.It dosn't matter what life style they live,or how they act and carry themselves, if they know who God is, and say they go to church they are christians .But remember, satan goes to church,and knows who God is,does that make him a christian.Now being a christian dosn't mean you will never fall down, but it does mean you will get back up.

So what does it truly mean to be Christ like? Well in the book of Acts says,they were first called christian in Antioch.What made the people call them christians.The bible says Barnabus was a good man, so a christians should be good, one of good character,of good temper,and of a good nature,not only righteous but good.He was a man of faith, so a christian should be one of faith.Full of faith,full of the grace of faith,and the fruits of that faith, which works by love.He was obliging,a man with a friendly disposition, and willing to teach it to others.A christian is one who is obliging and willing to teach others. He was encourageing,christians are encouraging,encouraging all those in the faith,teaching and preaching about Christ. Teaching not only for conviction and conversion of those outside the body of Christ,but for instruction and edification of those inside the body.He was a cheritable man, christains are givers and the business of Christ is more important to them than their own fame.Christians are forgiving,they are a people of second chances.They assemble themselves with other believers,and they are about church duty and not church business.

Christians are not ashamed to own their relationship to Christ,but glory in the teaching of Christ,laying on themselves and all who would profess to be followers of Christ ,a name worthy of the respect for whose name we bear.
Christians,to be Christ like,to live a life worthy of the name we bear that all in darkness will seek his marvelous light.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Mans' foolishness; God's power

1stCorinthians 1:18"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;But unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

The Gospel of Jesus Christ,good news to a dying world.Jesus Christ and him crucified,the foundation of belief for every christian,the food we feed on,the nurishment we grow on,and the source of life the believer lives on.
If we are going to build better a relationship in the body of Christ,it must be built on Christ and him crucified.The good news from upon high, which brings about a change in the lives of all who by faith embraces this truth.

It is these truth which reunites us to God.The Gospel don't need any additives
it is good just as it was given.The gospel calls us out of the darkness into Gods marvelous light,and its' success lies in the plain doctrine of a crucified Lord and a risen Savior.The prosperity message sounds good,and might be easy to swallow,and might change a mind, but it dosn't have the power to covert a heart.The faith message feels good on the outside,but holds no power to make you good on the inside.The simple truths of Christ and him crucified alone, has the power to turn a sinner to a saint, it is the power of God unto salvation.

Saints who will believe our report.The Gospel:The birth of Jesus; born of a virgin in a feeding tray, to be fed on by a dying world.The death of Jesus; he accepted for mankind, the wage paid by sin,that we might recieve the gift of God.The resurrection of Christ;to conquor death, and him that had power of death,rising with all power in heaven and on earth in his hands:Who will belive our report.To them that perish it is foolisness,they can't understand the nature and character, of this christian message.

The gospel,a message of a lowly man hung on a tree, for the salvation of the whole world,to them that perish it is but foolishness,but unto us which is saved,it is the power of God.It brings salvation to all who believes,for the power of God works by it.The gospel of Jesus Christ the saving truths,the crucifiction of our redeemer,and his conquest over death,saving all who believes,as believing lets the power of the gospel in.

Paul said "woe with me if I preach not the Gospel",for it was the Gospel that called him, the Gospel converted him, the gospel saved him, as it took a sinner named Saul, and made him a preacher named Paul.So proclaim the gospel, Jesus Christ and him crucified, the power of God unto salvation.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Resolution:The wage of sin or the gift of God

Romans 6:23"For the wages of sin is death;But the gift of God is eternal life,through Jesus Christ our Lord."

As we wrap up what has become the holiday season.A season full of gifts and giving,a time when presents have been exchanged, and good will wished to all, let us not lose site of the opportunity laid before us this day.Let us fully realize what christmas really means, and the choice this new year actually brings.Remember God sent us a precious gift, a gift so special, that the angels left heaven to tell the lowley shepherds the good news.A day when God sent his only begotten son into the world,that through him ,we might be saved.
We have been blessed to see a new year, so let our resolution be to take this free gift with us into the new year.God didn't give us the gift we deserved, or the gift we wanted ,but out of his love for us,he gave us the gift we needed,for we were lost in sin.

Man was in a miserable condition,working hard for sin and in sin.Some of us are still employed by sin,working overtime and double shifts,living sinfull lives, unaware of the payday that lies straight ahead."For the wages of sin is death",The compensation for sin is death.Yes saints sin pays a wage to all who work for it.The wage paid is death.Death is due to a sinner when his work is complete.This is true of every sinner,every person who has refused to make Jesus their choice,the wage they will be paid is death.

"But the gift of God is eternal life",being free from sin means to become a servant for God,and the final outcome of belonging to God is eternal life.Gods gracious gift of deliverence from sin,and transforming the sinners whole being is eternal life.Gods grace takes what was once a sinner,wrapped in sin and makes him a saint ,wrapping him in the righteousness of his precious son.Replacing the ways and desires of the natural father, with the characteristics of the Heavenly Father.The gift of eternal life, something given but not deserved,judgement said we should die,but mercy stepped in and said wait.Though the way may be up hill,and the road is narrow, even though we will be attacked on every side, everlasting life awaits us at the journeys end.

Eternal life ,no infermities to hinder it ,no death to put a period to it, just life everlasting with our Heavenly Father.Death is the wage of sin and it comes by abandoning and forsaking our savior,but the life is a gift, it comes by favor, without respect of person.We work for the wage paid by sin,but life is freely given.Sinners merrit Hell, it is what they are working for,but saints do not merrit heaven, you can't work for it , you can't buy your way in, it is a gift from God, to all who believes,through Jesus Christ our Lord........

So let us(if you haven't already done this)resolve to make Jesus our choice for 2011 and beyond.