Danger of Complaining

Numbers 11:1" And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord:and the Lord heard it; and His anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them,and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp".

Behold how easy mischief begins among the mixed multiutude,the church goer and the christian,and how the fire of the Lord burned in the utermost parts of the camp or congregation.The great danger of the church lies in her congregation, the casual followers,they actually infect the true believer. Grumbling, discontentment, ungrateful complaining these are grievous offences against our gracious God.God is displeased with a dissatisfied spirit,like us with an ungrateful, and unthankful child.There is an evil lust which accompanies our complaining, a covetousness, an ungrateful attitude which says"God you have made a mistake I would have done things different".If you believe God is absolutly always in control trust him.For we deserved to be dead yet the Lord through his mercy and grace gives us what we don't deserve,as he saved us from what we had comming, and we have the nerve to complain.He has blessed us with eternal life, feeding us bread of heaven and we will complain that we are not living like we were when we were a slave to sin.

Murmuring is quarreling with God,and making a verbal attack against Him.The children of Isreal murmurer said, that God had not dealt well with them,that they deserved better than what he had given them.When we complain about where we are and what we have or don't have we to are telling God that he could do better, like we have been so good.God will not withhold any good thing from us, but he can't bless us with them until we are ready to recieve them.Jesus has saved us from sin but we still have a sinners nature, we still think like sinners, and God is still working on us.He is creating in us a new nature, blessing us with the mind of Christ,and only he knows what is needed to complete this great work he has started.If we are selfish with the little things how can he bless us with the big things.If we to tired to clean and care for the little apartment why would he burden us with a big house.It is when you've been faithful over the little things ,that he will make you ruler over the many.

The murmurer charged God with folly,implying God might have a need to be wiser and a better God. They had manna,but complained they had no meat, but then was still not satisfied when they were given meat.Murmurering is a sin against God,and a sin which he cannot bear(Numbers14:27).God knows what he is doing, he sees the end at the beginning,if you find something in your life you don't like ,don't complain ask God to reveal his plan for your life and you will understand why he has placed you where you are and has given you what you have.The children of Isreal didn't understand that God had given them what  was best for their current situation,and it was preparing them for what lied ahead.God has blessed each of us with what we need to prepare us for what lies ahead, for the time has come for us to really trust and rely on God.Let us not complain and be content, for God's word says" contentment with God is great gain".

Opened Eyes !

2Kings 6:17 "And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee,Open his eyes, that he may see. and the Lord opened the eyes of the young man:and he saw: and ,behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha".

Faith serves as eyes to the true believer,and allows him/her to see what others cannot see.This allows the believer to remain calm and at peace when all around him might be in termoil.From today's text we might learn much about ourselves,and yet it might seem invisible to the natural eye.We have learned God is everywhere,yet sin-blinded eyes do not see him.His law touches the thoughts and intents of the heart , yet it's wonderful spiritual meaning is not understood.Mankind is evil, guilty,and fallen ,yet we do not see the danger of our actions.The danger is imminent, yet there is dancing at hell's door by many who cannot see.We are proud, thinking we know all things,but not realizing there is much we don't see. With our blind sight we cannot always see that which God has instore for us, we don't see that God has provide us with all that we need to keep us and protect us.We sometimes can't see that he gave us Jesus.

The good news is that God alone can open the eyes of man.He alone can open the eyes of man heart, to enlighten his understanding that he who once was blind can now recieve his sight. One of the saddest conditions of a man is to read God's word with an unbelieving heart, to pass blindly through all the wondrous testimonies of redeeming love and grace which the scriptures contain.If we say that we believe in and trust in Jesus, then we cannot doubt and not trust the word of God.We walk by the faith we have in the word of God, the love of Christ, and the power of his holy spirit.We might not always see a way ,but we must by faith believe that He is the way .I remember, when God  brought me across the Red Sea, so I have faith that he'll bring me over the Jordan river.

See Elisha and his servant was surrounded by the enemy,the servant was worried,because he didn't see what Elisha saw, but Elisha the man of God told him not to worry,see Elisha knew by faith the God was there.The servant couldn't see him so Elisha Prayed for God to open His eyes that he might see the salvation of the Lord.We too in this life must pray that God opens the eyes of those that are in darkness those that are lost in sin that they too might see the salvation of the Lord.That they to when surrounded by the enemy, feeling trapped,seeing no way out, might thru the eyes of faith trust in God's promises.

Satan Among The Saints

Job1:6 "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord,and Satan came also among them".

Every time we come together to present ourselves before the Lord, Satan has a tendency to be among us. But clearly this cannot be acceptable worship,for nothing that satan does can be accepted.We must come to God by faith,or our worship is dead and unprofitable.We must learn to walk in the spirit putting to death the flesh and the lust thereof so that when we come to present ourselves to the Lord Satan is not among us.He come but to still the word, kill the spirit and destroy the soul of all he comes in contact with.He brings mischief to the sons of God by accusing them before the Lord night and day; by causing them to take their thoughts off the heavenly and they begin to worry about earthly concerns Jesus has already overcome.He causes division in the body by sowing dissensions and the people criticize one another, instead of hearing the gospel message.He causes preachers,teachers, choir singers and even a good praying deacon to become filled with pride and seek glory that belongs to God alone.He tries to quinch the spirit , silence the prayer and even chill the praise of the worship service.

He distracts the unsaved from hearing the message that might lead them to Christ,by raising doubts, putting the man before the master.He may cause them to delay giving there life to Christ,showing them all that is wrong so the enjoyment felt is now hindered, as he takes away the word sown to the heart like a bird eating up newly planted seed.You cannot destroy a hornets nest without being attacked in return. Since we know satan will enter our assemblies,we must make sure we are not the one he is riding with, and we don't give him a place to sit when he enters the congregation.

We must continue to present ourselves to the Lord, even though we know many who confess a false profession will be in attendance.But let us do a great soul searching and ask ourselves daily "Lord is it I",so that we are not the ones with the false profession. We must be more watchful as we pray, for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak,that we give not into the temptations of the flesh.Our preachers and teachers must be more faithful to the gospel truth,that the devil will not find comfort in the congregation, but will be annoyed by the truth which he hates.We must allow the truth of God's word to convict  the heart,then it will convert the soul and bring about true confessions from the mouth.(You cannot confess to something you are not guilty of.).Let us strive for the perfect assembly above where there be no mixture, but a sinless congregation.

Disowned!

Matthew 7:23 "And then will I profess them,I never knew you:depart from me,Ye that work iniquity".

One of the best test of everything is how it will appear in the moment of death,in the morning of resurrection,and the day of judgment.Here our Lord gives us a picture of people as they appear in that day.Riches, honors,pleasures,successes,self-congratulations, etc will all be set in the light of that day.This test should especially be applied  to all religious professions and excercises, for in that day they will be tried by fire.The people revealed here in the judgement light were not gross and open sinners;on the surface they seemed like regular church folks.They made an open profess to Christ as they said "Lord,Lord".They did christian service,as they habitually prophesied and worked miracles.They had done many wonders,and did everything in the name of Christ.

But note our Lord's open confession before men and angels,and especially to the men themselves:"I never knew you".I knew about you; I knew that you professed great things; but you had no relationship with me;and whatever you knew about me,you did not know me.I was not of your company, and did not know you.See had he once known them he would not have forgotten them.Those who accepts Christ invitation to "come unto to me", shall never here him say,"Depart from me".Workers of iniquity may now come to the Savior for mercy;but if they put there hope in themselves and what they can do,and ignore the Savior, he will tell them to depart to endure the rigors of his justice.Is it not strange that preachers and those who cast out devils,and perform many wonders ,can still be workers of iniquity?They may work miracles in Christ name and yet have no part of Him.

See the tongue can be betrade by the hands,they say Lord,Lord, but they don't do the will of the Father. They can use the name but not possess the nature of an obedient servant.They prophesied but didn't pray. They cast devils out of others, but held on to the devils within themselves.They spent time on the marvels but failed to do the essentials.They worked wonders but were also workers of iniquity.So the Lord said "depart from me" a fearful sentence, a terrible separation."From me",said Christ,who made himself man for our sakes, that shed his blood for our redemption."From me" that invited us to mercy and we would not accept it, that purchased the kingdom of glory for all who would believe on Him,and will honor our heads with crowns of eternal joy."Depart from me" my friendship,my fellowship, my paradise,my presence,my heaven,"Depart from me".

It's In The Blood!

Zecharich 9:11-12 "As for thee also,by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoner out of the pitwherein is no water.Turn you to the strong hold,ye prisoners of hope:even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee".

Here we behold a description of our Savior,we see his Kingdom,his character,his power to save,his lowliness,  and the weapons of his conquest.Because of Him and through Him there is mercy for the oppressed and troubled ones in Zion.This is a wonderful text for all those who are in the lowest possible state of mind.Those prisoners bound in servatude,freedom gone,trapped in the power of another, where escape seems impossible,the darkness intolerable and your fate seems unavoidable.You are comfortless feeling like you are dying of thirst,for there is no comfort in sin.The many oppressed souls helpless in the power of despair until the Lord comes and rescues them.

He has an all seeing eye, He alone has the power to set you free from the bondage you feel.He is the light the shines in the darkess hours of our lives,he saves us by the blood,the blood of the covenant made between Zion and her King.True redemption is in the blood.All the temporal, spiritual, and eternal deliverances which we enjoy, they swim to us through the blood of that covenant that is passed between the Father and the Son.By virtue of the same blood of the covenant,the shed blood of Christ, we are reconciled,justified and saved.We who were in the dungeons of life,trapped in the despair of darkness, thirsting for the freedoms which evade us, while being bound by the ones which inslaves us, were all set free by the blood of the Christ.

Look as all the choice mercies, the high favors, the noble blessings that we enjoy and lay claim to,they are all purchased by the blood of Christ.What ever desperate situations, or dangers,we the children of God may find ourselves falling into,we can hold on to the fact that we are prisoners of hope,and should look forward to delieverance,because it is all in the blood of the lamb.Jesus died on the cross and rose on the third day with all power that we might be made the righteousness of God,if we only believe.

Blessings in His Hands!

Luke 24:50 "And he led them out as far as to bethany,and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them".

Jesus having spoiled the plans of the grave,and sanctified the earth,now purified the air as he passed through it on His way to heaven.The earthly work of the Redeemer is over; the work which his time on earth was designed to inaugurate is now ready to begin. Here we are in the presence of the one who said"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth"; and again," Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world".He he is reaching out with blessings in His hands for all who will take hold.

The wonderful hand of Christ! It was that same hand which had been so quickly stretched out to rescue peter when he was sinking in the waves of the sea, it now reaches out for those sinking in sin.It was the same hand which had been shown to the disciples,after they had seen it in the borrowed tomb, and he now wants to show it to you in faith. It was the same hand that doubting Thomas wanted to see before he would believe in the resurrection,and it was extended to him not only to see but to touch the nail prints in the palm, and blessed ar ethe many who will believe and haven't seen.And it is this same hand the disciples last saw uplifted in a parting blessing when the clouds took Him on up to Glory.But it was later that they realized the fullness of blessings which came from the extended pierced hand of Christ.

The blessing in His hands,Christ hands,showing the price of the blessing.His crucifixion has purchased continual blessings for all his redeemed.The blessing comes from those human hands through those sacrificial wounds.By those hands we have a pardon and an invitation to eternal life.The entire action is the summary of the gospel.His hands with it's nail prints now stands at the door of every heart, knocking, with its deep marks of love, seeking all the lost that they might receive the blessing in His hands. Jesus through suffering and death, has the power to bless us out of the highest heavens.The spirit and the bride say come,put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water.There is a blessing in his hands!

He Has Risen!

Luke 24:5 " And as they were afraid,and bowed down their faces to the earth,they said unto them,why seek ye the living among the dead"?

The resurrection of Christ is the foundation to the integrity of Christianity,and of course the truth of God's word.For if Christ had not risen then our faith would be in vain.Yet many still don't believe that he lives.The soilders  guarding Jesus tomb said the disciples came by night and stole him away.But he was seen by many, and he rose in many.When the women arrived at the tomb the angels asked,why seek the living among the dead.Let us now show that He has risen,as he is alive within us, let us  walk in a newness of Life.Let us live with the power he rose with, the power to overcome the world.Let us love with the love he shared, "for greater love has no man than this ,to lay down his life for a friend". Let us give all as he gave all, he with held nothing from us, like the woman with the two mites, he gave all he had.And let us forgive others with the same mercy Jesus shared with us,forgiving inspite of ,for we know not what we do.Let us proclaim His resurrection by living a resurrected life.

When we as soilders in Christ's army, live true Christ like lives, it is then that the world will know that he has risen, because they will witness his resurrection in the lives that we live.So let us walk worthy of the name we behold, and go out and proclaim to a dying world the good news.He Has Risen!

Believe !

John 20:29" Jesus saith unto him,Thomas,because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed:blessed are they that have not seen,and yet believe".

Those who saw and did not believe,are not being blessed,those that saw him and believed, no doubt were blessed.Those who have not seen,and yet believe are emphatically blessed.This is our blessedness this is our place in the gospel history,we have not seen,and yet we have believed.What a comfort that so high a degree of blessedness is open to us,if we only believe.We are blessed in having a believing heart; blessed in the instrument of our belief,blessed in having an evidence that we are passed from death to life:"whom,having not seen,we love".It is a much better blessing to believe than to see,because it put more honor upon God's word.He that can trust an unseen Savior,may trust him in all matters: Lock him in prison,shut him in total darkness,it matters not,because he walks by faith, he has always a heart to believe,and he rest upon a rock that shall never be moved.The same faith that takes hold of an unseen, risen Savior, takes hold of every other truth in the gospel.

Faith makes invisible things visible,absent things present,things that are very far off to be very near unto the soul.The religion of unbelief is one of darkness,filled with plagues and wrath; but the religion of faith is as the floor of heaven for brightness.Christ righteousness shelters it, the grace of the spirit beautify it and the eternal smile of God comforts and glorifies it.

O think of this,Christians, again and again,by our unbelief , we bear false withness against God!When we as his children doubt him ,we in fact tell the world his world is not true and that he is a liar.If we his children can't have total faith in his word, if we don't believe that Jesus rose with all power,if we think there are some things that God can't do,that he will not prvide for his own ,and look after his own,if we don't believe,how can we convience a unbelieving world.IF you believe in your heart the Lord Jesus,then confess with your mouth that God has raised him from the dead,live your life like he rose with all power,so that those who haven't seen might believe, because they see this truth in you.

The Glory on the Cross!

Galatians 6:14"But God forbid that I should glory,save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,by whom the world is crucified unto me,and I unto the world".

It is a subject of rejoicing and glorying that we have such a Savior.The world looked upon Him with contempt,and the cross was a stumbling-block to the Jew and folly to the Greek.But to the Christian,that cross is the subject of glorying.The place where I first saw the light. It is so because;  of the love of Him who suffered there; of the purity and holiness of his character,for the innocent died there for the guilty;of the honor there put on the law of God by his dying; of the reconcilliation there made for sin; of the pardon there procured for the guilty; of the fact that through it we become dead to the world and are made alive unto God; of the fact that it purchased us admission into Heaven, a title to the world of glory.All is glory around the cross.It was a glorious Savior who died;it was glorious love that led him to die;it was a glorious object to redeem a world; and it is unspeakable glory to which he will raise lost and ruined sinners to have life by his death.Who would not glory in such a Savior.

If you have not yet found out that Christ crucified is the foundation of the whole volume,you haven't been studying God's word.Your religion is a one without a foundation of truth,like a lamp without light,you will be left in darkness,and your religion will not deliever your soul from Hell.Don't get hung up on the traditions of man and his religious ritual, and miss the glory on the cross.The glory of the cross is that it was not only to Jesus the path to life,but that each moment it can become to us the power that destroys sin and death, and keep us in the power of the eternal life.Faith in the power of Jesus dying on the cross and His victory over sin and death, will daily kill off the deeds of the body, and the lust of the flesh.

Look at the glory on the cross;Christ crucified,as he accepted for us the wage paid by sin.The world was crucified, as he took on the sins of the world, like a felon executed upon the cross,its character condemned,its judgments condemed,its teachings despised, its treasures,pleasures, joys and toys all rejected by the Savior as is the glory of the cross. The believer crucified, as we by faith accept the death of the Savior and walk in a newness of life."Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,that the body of sin might be destroyed,that henceforth we should not serve sin".(Rom.6:6) Let us glory in the light seen at the cross.



Jesus Is The Christ!

1Corinthians 2:2 " For I determined not to know any thing amoung you,save Jesus Christ, and him crucified".

Everything God  wanted to say to man, he said with Jesus.Everything God wanted to give to man ,he gave it through Jesus. Everything man needs, lies within Jesus,He is our everything.There is enough in Jesus Christ to serve us all.If two,men are thirsty,and they go to drink out of a bottle, while one is drinking,the other envies,because he thinks there will not be enough for him too; but if a hundred be thirsty and go to a river,while one is drinking, the other envies not,because there is enough to serve them all.

All the spiritual blessings wherewith the Church is enriched are in and by Christ.Our election is by him,as he chose us ;our adoption is by him,our redemption and remission of sins are both through Him. All the gracious transactions between God and his people are through Christ.God loves us through Christ;He hears our prayers through Christ;He forgives us all our sins through Christ.Through Christ he justifies us; through Christ he sanctifies us; through Christ he upholds us;through Christ he perfects us.All His relations to us are through Christ;all we have is from Christ; all we expect to have and/or be hangs on Him.He is the golden hinge upon which all our salvation turns.

Paul tells us in our text that nothing else matters but Christ and him crucified.The fancy titles we give ourselves don't matter.The size of our congregations don't matter,our denomination don't matter.The Pastor or Bishop you sit up under dosn't matter,the only thing that matter is Jesus Christ and Him crucified.Man was lost in sin on his way to hell, God stepped out of eternity into time, wrapped the best part of Him in the worst part of man, and accepted for man the wage paid by sin.Jesus,whipped for our transgressions,and hung on a cross where he suffered, bled and died,that we might live.Then he rose with all power in his hands that we might walk in a newness of life,if we only believe. So let our conversation be about Jesus Christ and him crucified........ 

My Stronghold!

Nahum 1:7 "The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him".

The safest place in the whole wide world is in the will of God.The only place of safety in this world is the one in which we are sure to meet God,and be under the shadow of his wing.The Bible speaks of a great fortress which the righteous run to and is safe, a strong tower,a place of refuge for the children of God.Tamar may disguise herself,and walk a different path,so that Judah may not know her;Issac, half blind,might bless Jacob and pass over Esau; Joseph may forget or be forgotten by his brothers; Solomon might doubt to which mother the child rightfully belongs; and Christ may come to his own,and not be received: but the Lord knows them which are His,and his eye is always on them.Time,place,speech,or the way we dress cannot obscure his vision or dull his hearing.He can discern Daniel in the den; Jonah lodged in the belly of the fish,Peter in prison, Lazarus wrapped in rags, or Abel rolled in Blood,He can call them by name,and send his angels to comfort them, for God knows those that are His, and are known of His.Ignorance and forgetfulness may cause love and knowledge to leave his creation,but the Lord is not subject to either,for His eye is on the Sparrow,so I know he watcheth over me.

Many talk about trusting God when indeed they know nothing of real faith.How are we to know who is, and who is not a believer?This question is hard to answer in times of prosperity, but not in the day of trouble:then the true believer is calm and quiet in his God,and he takes refuge in His strong tower and the mere pretender is at wit's end.Our Text seems to hint this point.Everybody can find a bird's nest in the winter when the trees are bare, but the green leaves hide them;but believers are put on displayed by adversity.The true believer shines in times of tribulation,for His trust lies within the Lord. One thing, however,should never be forgotten:whether we know believers or not,God knows them.He does not include one hypocrite in the number, nor exclude one sincere believer,even though he may be of little faith.Ask yourself, "does he know me as one of those who trust in him?The Lord knows them that are His, and they know him as their stronghold.It might sometimes rain on a true believers life,but it never rain in his life,for his faith is in the hand of the man who stills the water. God is my stronghold......

Reaping and Sowing

Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked:for whatsoever a man soweth,that shall he also reap".

They that would mock God mock themselves much more.It is not an open question at all whether we shall sow or not today,the only question to be decided is, shall we sow good seed or bad? Every man is always sowing for his own harvest in eternity,either tares or wheat.According as a man soweth, so shall he also reap.He that sows the wind of vanity shall reap the whirlwind of wrath.If a man dyed rocks to make them look like wheat and sowed it in his fields in spring,hoping that he would reap a crop of wheat like his neighbor who planted real wheat.He would be a fool to think he could trick the laws of nature and mock nature's God.Yet just as foolish is the conduct and far heavier the punishment of the man who sows seeds of wickedness and evil now, and expects to reap eternal life with Christ in the end times.Sin is not only profitless and disastrous; it is eminently a deceitful work.Sin cheats a sinner out of his soul.

But sowing righteousness is never a lost labor.Every act done by God's grace and at his bidding is living and fruitful.It may appear to go out of sight, like seed beneath the ground; but it will rise again.Sow on Christians!"Whatever a man soweth,that shall he also reap". So it is with all temptations and lust,they are like ever scattering seeds,like weeds.They spead and grow every where, as they are carried in every decietful thought and act.What a power there is in seeds! They live long,as it is with the seeds of weeds,so it is with every evil propensity and habit.It reproduces itself, and spreads over the whole soul and goes down from generation to generation.

When you sow your seed, do you think you will lose your seed;If the farmers trust the ground, shouldn't you trust God? God is a better paymaster than the ground,grace gives a larger return than nature. From the ground you might receive forthy grains for one,but in heaven( by promise of Christ) a hundred fold: a measure press down shaken together and running over."Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you";there is the harvest.We can't fool God by sowing to the desires of the flesh and expecting to reap the rewards of the spirit, God knows the heart and the intent behind every action we do even when we don't.If you sow to the lust of the flesh you shall reap corruption. But if you sow to the spirit, you will reap the fruit of the spirit.God is not mocked! 

Is Jesus Welcome in your Life

Mark 11:9 "And when they that went before,and they that followed,cried, saying,Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord".

Jesus' entry into Jerusalem was one of the last steps on His journey to the cross.The parade which proceeded was not by accident,His ministry had been building to this moment.To the crowd Jesus was much like a visiting celebrity,the fulfillment of their hopes for freedom from the Romans.(Many today seek him to set them free from the bondage of a bad relationship, addictions, and financial woes).But like the people of Jesus day,they don't understand the kind of messiah He is or the salvation He brings. See when he died on th ecross the cheering crowds were gone.We often abbandon Christ when a witness is what is needed.They cried "Save now" yet he was not welcome in their lives.WE want to be saved from the enemy on the outside, but he came to save us from the enemy inside.

To many people Jesus is just a curiosity.Every Easter season books, movies,and TV specials stir up interest about Him.Church attendance temporarily increases as people express interest in a all too familiar story, or attend to show off new clothes, or celebrate the season as a family tradition. After Easter, however, attendance declines; the crowds curiosity has been exhausted.Many don't want to take the risk of welcoming Jesus into their lives.

Risk results in change through choice.Jesus had already explained the risk of following Him.See you must deny yourself daily, take up your cross to follow him.This is not a casual decision to join an organization or follow a parade. Instead the risk-taker gives the Holy Spirit permission to change old thought patterns, habits, and relationships, they actually invite Jesus into their everyday lives.Is Christ a curiosity for you, are you a week-end worrior, or are you ready to risk a total commitment,placing Him at the center of your life and permitting His power to change you completely? A large crowd followed Jesus on Palm Sunday, but His following faded at the foot of the cross.Think about your relationship with Christ.How welcome is Jesus in your life?Are you a casual follower who leaves when the going gets tough? Or are you taking risk for Him, placing your life in His hands and following His will? Is Jesus welcome in your life? 

A Fruit Bearing Life!

John 15:8 "Here in is my Father glorified,that ye bear much fruit;so shall ye be my disciples".

We bring glory to God when we live a life before men that bears fruit,real fruit that will last.God's spirit working within us helps us change and begin producing right fruit in our lives.Galatians 5:22-23 list the fruit of God's Spirit, which becomes increasingly evident in us as we grow spiritually. Producing the fruit of righteousness is important,it is also important for us to understand that the credit for that fruit goes to God.We must strive to be acceptabled to God, not by our own righteousness,but with the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God.We must trust God to produce righteousness in us,for "it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure".Yet there is a part we must also play.

When God calls us to be His children,He initiates a change in us from our formerly proud, and selfish, disobedient ways.He transforms us by renewing, or changing of our mind,a process to which we must surrender to. Paul said "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God"(Rom. 12:2). Transformation is not instantaneous,it requires ongoing changes in our thinking and outlook that permanently affect the way we live.We become " a living sacrifice,holy,acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service".

To bear good fruit we must have the mind of Christ, being like minded, having the same love, being on one accord, of one mind.Doing nothing out of selfish desires, or conciet, but with humility, esteeming others better than oneselfs.We must not look to our interest, but the interst of others.having this mind of Christ makes the  miracle of a transformed fruit bearing life possible.The symbolic meaning of baptism, represents both forgiveness of sins and newness of life in Christ.It should change our lives forever, especially when we recall that these blessings have come at a great price.Jesus Christ sacrificed His own life so we may gain ours through the forgiveness or our sins.We who accepts this truth are to live a fruit bearing life thus glorifying the Father which is in heaven.Let us worship him with our life and praise him with our living, that a lost soul might seek out the salvation of the Lord.

My Redeemer Lives!

Job 19:25 "for I know my redeemer liveth,and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth":

As we near the greatest day in a Christians life,resurrection Sunday, the day our Redeemer rose with all power in heaven and earth in His hands, let us remember our Savior lives.Jesus rescued us from the traps of the emeny and gave us hope and salvation."while we were yet sinners Christ died for us".Our Redeemer is worthy to be worshipped with our life, worthy of worship forever."Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord,my strength,and my redeemer".

Our Redeemer is strong and stands in the gap for us.He intercedes for us! "For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee"(prov.23:11).As the redeemer,Jesus recovered what we lost because of sin.He paid off our sin debt.He restored us to our rightful place with God.That's th eministry of our Redeemer.He is worthy to be praise with our living forever and ever.

He is the good shepherd who provided His sheep with green pastures and sweet water.He nursed the sick and he searched for the lost.And when even a single lost sheep is recovered,the shepherd rejoices.An ordinary shepherd meets the ordinary needs of his sheep.But our shepherd rose above the ranks of the ordinary, the truly good shepherd was willing to defend his sheep against any who would harm them, whether man or beast, even if it cost him his own life.As the good shepherd ,Jesus willingly laid down his life for his sheep.Our Redeemer Lives.....

Deceived by our old Nature

Romans 8:7-8 " Because the carnal mind is enmity againstGod:for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God".

There are many religions and religious groups today. In fact religion is the fastest growing organized group in the world today.But all religion is not holy,and all is not of Christ.There are many beliefs falsely labeled"Christian" and are taught under the name of Jesus Christ.His name is used as a mask for religious philosophies and doctrines that didn't originate with Him or any of His apostles.There are many teachings and followings of gospels full of lawlessness and counterfiet righteousness and is just a natural expression of what we call human nature.

Paul wrote"the mind is hostle to God.It does not submit to God's law nor can it do so.Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God". Our natural choice isn't to obey God,but to resist Him and His way of life.As a result, alternatives to the true message of Christ have been devised to accommodate the natural human unwillingness to live by God's commandmants.Most people who accept these lawless precepts are no doubt sincere.They have accepted and truly believe a fake message which has been taugh and preached for centuries.This delusion is very powerful."The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of satan,with all power, signs, and lying wonders,and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish,because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved.And for this reason God will send them a strong delusion,that they should believe the lie" (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11).

Under the influence of Satan,"the god of this age", mankind has been thoroughly blinded.The devil's unseen power so dominates huminity that "the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one"Many people have accepted a counterfeit gospel,a message full of fluff, with no conviction. There must be conviction if there is going to be a true conversion.You cannot be pardon of a crime unless you have been convicted of a crime.Don't be deceived by your nature, seek the truth of God's message.

God's Goal for us

Matthew 5:48 "Be ye therefore perfect,even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect".

God's goal is to build spiritually mature,godly character in us in this life,making us more Christ like.We also have a part to play in  building eternal godly character, by remaining faithful to God and His word, regardless of the temptations which pulls us to the contrary.We must resist the urge to do things we know go against God's will for our life.We must ,by faith, live knowing God will strengthn us to endure whatever trials the enemy sends our way in this life.Because when we don't ,we compromise, and when we compromise we tear down  the character God is helping us to build.Every time we give in to temptations, it makes it easier to give in to the next one,and the next one and so on.Being faithful is necessary to our Character development.Compromise is especially dangerous because of the insidious way it spreads, it grows like a cancer.It comes on slowly, then spreads,before we know anything,we can find ourselves in grave spiritual danger,and in a fight for our spiritual lives.We must realize what ever is not from faith is sin (romans 14:23)If our actions are not done in faith or according to faith we are sinning.Let us be careful not to violate our conscience(1 pet.3:15-16).

We need to be sure that what we do is done in faith and confidence, that it is right and acceptable to God, or we should not do it.Our motives need to be right and our conscience clear in everything we do. Therefore it is a must that we properly educate ourselves so we are in accordance with God's word,The Bible.Our first nature is not able to know right from wrong(jeremiah 10:23).Therefore we must first learn God's ways that define right and wrong(hebrews 5:14).

God wants us to live within the boundaries and standards He has set for us,to change our values, attitudes, thoughts and actions so they are in line with His standards.The process of conversion is allowing God to work in us,replacing our standards, values and thoughts with God's standards, values and thought, that we might be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.That we might truly be Christ like in our living.

There is none Righteous!

Romans 3:10-11 "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one:There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God".

The scripture tells us all have sinned,therefore we all earned for ourselves the penalty of eternal death. Without God's intervention to help us change, we would all perish, never to live again.Without God our natural nature will always choose to do that which goes against God's word, His will and His way. But it is God's will to transform us, to enable us to repent and be converted.God provides a way to remove the sentence of death that hangs over us,without excusing or condoning our unrighteousness.He sent his son  to pay the penalty for us.If we willingly turn from a wrong way of life,God is more than willing to substitute the shed blood of our Savior for the sentence of death we brought on ourselves through our sins.

Christ solemnly warned a crowd" Unless you repent you will all likewise perish", but really, what is repentance? We rarely hear the word repent anymore,and few understand what it means.Repent refers to a change of heart,a shift in ones thinking, a transformation of purpose with emphasis on modifying one's conduct.Though Christ came to take away our sins,we still have our part to do.He didn't come to save us in our sins or while we continue in sin.If one is pardon from a crime he is expected to cease from his  criminal acts, not to continue in a criminal enterprise.Like wise Jesus death saved us from sin and we should turn away from sinful acts,deeds and thoughts.

True repentance requires both a belief and a doing.One has to by faith believe that Christ has died for their sins, and through the water baptism truly believe they have put to death the old man and his ways, and  has risen a new creation in Christ and with Christ. But having faith in Jesus is not just simply believing he is our Savior, it is  also believing his message, his promises, and His instructions and  governing ourselves accordingly. Christ once asked" why do you call me Lord, and not do the things which I say"? When we truly repent we stop doing what is wrong and start living in harmony with God's ways and laws. We stop our willful and deliberate sinning.Repentence should  include a sense of shame and sorrow, for geniune repentance our lives must change.True repentence is a gift from God,He leads us to that point if we respond positively to His working with us to open our minds,and he gives us understanding of His Word and ourselves,thus showing us the things within we must change......... 

On With The New

Ephesians 4:24 " And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness".



We are called to grow spiritually in our walk with Christ.This is a must ,like the physical body grows and matures, so must our spiritual body grow and mature.But how do we grow spiritually?Well it starts with a deeper understanding of God, His word and his will for our life.The growth process involves overpowering the pulls of the flesh, replacing them with the character of Christ, and you begin by not habitually practicing the sinful old nature.Now I'm not saying as a christian you will never sin but as a christian you will not make it your practice to sin, you will strive to avoid sin, you will resist the devil turn and turn back to God.Paul's instructions were to put off the old man and his ways, and put on the new man which was created to be like God in true righteousness.

First we must put off the old self, by realizing that the old person is our carnal,selfish nature, which is hostile to God.This is our unconverted mind and the individual acts of sin that spring up from it.But this is the self that we put to death symbolically through our baptism.We have put to death(in faith) whatever belongs to the old earthly nature.Through the study of God's word we identify wrong practices and thoughts, which hinder our walk in the newness of life, and we must as Paul said "die daily" as we are made aware of ungodly characteristic in our minds.We find at times we stumble in our fight against sin ,when we attempt to overcome it with our own strength rather than putting to use the power God makes available to us thru his holy spirit.It is through Jesus dwelling in us that we can live a new and godly life resisting the temptation to sin.

But if we strive only to put off the old we will find ourself incomplete,we must put on the new, which is the most challenging part of this process.We must with God's help build into our character the positive traits that are opposite of those of the old self. We must put on the new man with all it's godly attributes. We must focus our attention and efforts on the godly behavior we desire to practice,consentrating on the positive to eliminate the negitive.When is a liar not a liar? Because he dosn't speak ,does that mean he is no longer a liar.He is still a liar between lies,so to speak.The only way a liar can demonstrate a change in character is to speak the truth with his neighbors.He must put off the old and put on the new.We a former liar consistantly tells the truth, his old ways begin to shrival up and die,this is what happens when with the help of God's spirit we allow the new man to constantly be present in our lives.When is a thief not a thief,because he is not stealing now he could just be between jobs.But with God's help he can get a job where he is now in a position to give  to those who are in need, and not always looking to take from someone.We can overcome the sinful nature of the old man by remembering that we are a new creature in Christ old things have past away.With the help of God's spirit, and walking in the faith of God's word we can live in the newness of life as we put off the old and put on the new.



Called and Chosen!

Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen".

The process of God's calling and choosing us is a sorting that begins with a miracle from God.Jesus said "no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him".It is a remarkable testimony to the mighty power of  God that he can still reach us in spite of satan's influences,our flawed human nature and the pulls of this present evil world.God issues the invitation, he draws our hearts toward Him. He grants us the desire to learn His ways, to submit our wills to Him.But our natural inclination is to resist submitting to his laws,so yeilding our will to God is truly a miracle,"For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure"(phil.2:13).

Jesus uses the parable of the sower and the seed to illustrate people's varied responses to the gospel.In the parable all hear the truth of God's word preached.But only those whom God calls grasp the truth and understand it.People respond differently to the message.First Jesus explains the response of those who are not yet being called,they do not grasp what they hear" when anyone hears the word,and does not understand it,then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.This is the one who  received seed by the wayside.Such people never comprehend the message and its significance. But he who receives the seed on stony places, this person's first responce is joyful acceptance, but he quickly retreats.He backs off because of pressure from other people, he cares more about what others think than what God thinks.He is afraid of rocking the boat,the tribulations, or persecution, he experiences from trying to live God's way of life makes him stumble,so rejects the calling of God. Now he who receives the seed among the thorns is not concerned about the opinions of his friends,his problem is selfishness.Acquiring things, possessions consume all his time and energy and he has no time for God, so he too rejects God.

But the chosen recieves the seed on good ground,he understands it and bears fruit and produces.This person understands God's word and takes it seriously, he puts it into practice,he changes his life! This person was chosen for salvation,he put God first in his life.Many are called, many receive the opportunity for God to work in them"to will and to do for his good pleasure". But only few respond. Those few truly repent and surrender their will to God, making a commitment to obey God's commandments.Those who respond to God's calling are chosen by God because they choose to serve and obey God and put him first.Have you answered the call?

We are all One

1Corinthians 12:13 "For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body,whether we be Jew or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free;and have been all made to drink into one spirit".

One is not baptized into any particular sect or denomination.Rather through baptism as taught in the bible one becomes a member of the spiritual body of Christ.By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,and made to drink into one spirit.This body is called the church of the living God. Membership in this church is granted by God upon genuine repentance and baptism, and not determined by men or human organization.Man can grant you membership into the congragation, but only God can make you part of His church.(it's a heart thing).God calls those He chooses out of this society to be part of the spiritual body that is His church.The church,as the body of Christ has an obligation and responsibility to help Christians grow spiritually,which requires working together under the guidence of called and faithful ministers.(God gives us Pastor according to his heart ,to feed us with knowledge and understanding). God admonishes us to strive for unity and reconize the need we have for each other.

Finding a church,a called out group of believers in which we can learn sound doctrine and fellowship with people of a like mind is important in staying on the road to eternal life.Thus God placed each member in the body where it pleased him.God didn't leave any part of salvation up to us. Even the smallest detail has been chosen for us by Him.We must submitt to God and trust that he knows what is best for us in every aspect of our life,even to which church we should join.God knows what we are lacking and that which we need to rid ourselves of to enter the kingdom. Rather we like it or not, there are some things about us that are not going to be allowed in Heaven, so God places us where we will be made fit for the Kingdom.There is only one body and it is perfect,and we are all one small part of one...



Faith! Belief in Action

Hebrews 11:6 " But without faith it is impossible to please him:For he that come to God must believe that he is,and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him".

What is faith,and what role does it play in the process of repentence leading to baptism and salvation?    Many people believe in God.They assume He exist,but He is not real enough to them, to affect what they think and do.To believe God, on the other hand, is to have faith that God will do for us whatever He has promised to do.He expects us to act on that belief, He requires that we have living faith in His existence, power and promises. Faith isn't some magical ingredient,it does however,lead to a confident attitude toward God.Faith motivates our minds to the assurance of God's power and will to act in our lives. Faith becomes more than a mental conviction as it grows into a commitment,not only to trust God to involve Himself in our lives,but to do His will.

God's word assures us that "the just shall live by faith" and "we walk by faith and not by sight".People who live by faith as followers of Christ are believers in Him.Faith is belief.But let us not make the mistake of thinking that if we believe in God,that he exist,we therefore have faith. many hold to this mistaken idea.Thinking because they believe in God; they think they have faith. To believe in God is just the beginning of faith.But believing in God does not necessarily involve conviction or commitment to Jesus Christ and God the Father. Belief in God is profitable,but incomplete. James tells us"even the demons,believe and tremble!"We must go beyond the level of faith exhibited by demons. The Bible defines faith this way "Now faith is the substance[realization,confident assurance,solid ground] of things hoped for, the evidence[ conviction,reality, proof]of things not seen.Faith is our assurance of things we cannot see.

But faith is not wishful thinking,a pie in the sky feeling that everything will be alright.Faith is a deep conviction that God deeply cares for us and will always act with our best interest at heart. Each of us can have this kind of faith. In fact,we must have it if we wish to honor and love God,because "without faith it is impossible to please Him,for he who comes to God must believe that He is ,and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him". This scripture describes two aspects of faith.First we must believe God exist,He is all righteous ,all powerful creator and ruler of all and cares about His creation.Then we must believe God will ultimately reward those who humbly, and obediently seek Him. Changing our lives to submit to God's will. Saying "I believe" without making life altering changes is not enough.The kind of faith required for salvation includes not only understanding what God desires from us, but also our acting on that understanding.We must base our faith on a correct understanding of God's word and a commitment to live by that word.We must walk in the faith of what God word says, and not by the sight of what the world shows us.............



Staying The Course!

2 Timothy 4:7 "I have Fought a good fight,I have finished my course, I have kept the faith".

Baptism and the related steps we must take are only the beginning of the road to eternal Life.Before we arrive at our ultimate destination, we have many miles of road to travel.Remember we are traveling up a narrow road.A clear sense of purpose and direction can help us stay the course.When we respond to God's calling through repentance and baptism, many blessings and opportunities await us.Our minds will change,we will grow in wisdom, knowledge and understanding.We will learn to think and act as God wants us to think and act.

We must keep moving forward,trials will come and sacrifices will be required, but we must stay the course.These test help us to build godly character.James wrote" count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.But let patience have her perfect work,that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.It is the going through trials which helps in the perfecting us for this long journey home.Jesus cautions us to count the cost of traveling this road, just as we would with any major endevor.No man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for God's kingdom.Jesus expects us to finish what we start.

Just as a small child learns to walk,we may be wobbly at first, stumbling in this new way of life.The temptations and trials we face will sometimes cause us to stagger and fall.But remember that God the Father and Jesus Christ are there to comfort and help us each step of the way.Our job is to keep striving with God's help and to become mature Christians.Living God's way must always remain our priority. We must continually" seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.There are somethings that can help us stay the course through the many challenges we will encounter along the way.We must stay in prayer and continue in the study of God's word.Also fellowshipping with other true believers can be a tremendous encouragement in living our new lives dedicated to God.Jesus said not everybody who says Lord Lord will enter into His Kingdom, only those who do the will of the Father.We are given a choice as to what we will do,but Jesus clearly expects that we do our part in remaining faithful to Him.We must produce fruit in our lives that is pleasing to God.Stay the course, we come to far to turn back now.

Blind! Walking In Darkness

2Corinthians 4:4" In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believed not,lest the light of the glorious gospelof Christ,who is the image of God should shine unto them".


The sad fact remains that this is not God's world.God's kingdom is still not of this world,as Jesus Christ made clear in Jn.18:36.Who is the god of this age?He is none other than satan,he is the worlds ruler. Jesus said (in Jn 12:31) "the ruler of this world will be cast out".Although we cannot see satan, his influence on the world is pervasive.The result of the devils influence is that before conversion,we all conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath.Satan spiritually influences us to reject God and God's words.Under satan's influences the carnal mind is enmity against God. Separated from God we choose to go our own way,with devestating and tragic results."There is a way that seems right to a man,but its end is the way of death".


Satan's influences is so great that he "deceives the whole world".The entire world lies under the sway of the wicked one.Under satan influences man has rejected God's revelation and with his vain thinking has started worshiping that which is from his own imagination.He has built societies,civilizations,and even religion on the wrong foundation.God's kingdom is one built on the foundation of Love, but man has chosen to build his on a monetary success driven foundation."For the love of money is the root of all evil", yet man in his limited canal thinking has built everything around the haves and the have nots.We no longer love our neighbor as we love ourselves ,cause we are in competition with our neighbor.So there is no shareing, or watching out one for another , we no longer have that "if i got it you got it" attitude. It is more like I got mind better get your own mentality.We have mega churches worth millions of dollar and many of their members can't even pay there bills.

We must be careful not to be blinded from the light by the trick and wiles of the devil.Satan's world built on a foundation of  lies and deception will come crashing down.The light of God's truth will conquor the deception of satans darkness and expose all that are hiding under the cover of said darkness. Jesus died on a cross and rose with all power, that we might walk in his marvelous light and be a light  on a hill for all who are blinded from the light trapped in darkness.We who was once blind and now see, must do all that we can to help others to see the truth of God's word.If we are children of the light ,let us walk in the light, "for God is light and in him is no darkness at all".

Known by your Fruit

1John 3:10 "In this the children of God and the devil are manifest:Who ever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother".

The scripture reveals that God's children occasionally sin after baptism.But, if they wish to continue in His favor,they must not only confess to Him but also ask Him to"cleanse them from all unrighteousness". We cannot please God if we deliberately practice sinning.However,some habits deeply ingrained from early childhood may not be that easily overcome.The effects of such sin tend to foster serious weaknesses in our walk.It may take a long period of diligent striving to finally overcome.Paul put it this way:"Put to death, therefore,whatever belongs to your earthy nature".We can accomplish this through the power of God's Spirit.

James puts God's requirements in perspective:"Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?Can a fig tree, my brethren,produce olives, or a vine produce figs?Neither can salt water produce fresh.Who among you is wise and understanding?Let Him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentlness of wisdom.But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.This wisdom is not that which comes down from above,but is earthly,natural, demonic.For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing".(James 3:11-16 NASB)

God is love.Love is the foundation of God's character.God's love in us should transform our character. "Love is patient,love is kind,and is not jealous;love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecoming; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;bears all things, believes all things,hopes all things, endures all things.Love never fails.Every other aspect of the fruit of the spirit is merely a specific expression of godly love.We are not just to love our friends and family ,but also love those who do not love us,for which we need God's Spirit to help us.We must overcome evil with good. Let us be known as a child of God by portraying the fruits of God's Spirit

A New Creation In Christ

Colossians 3:9-10 " Lie not one to another,seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And put on the new man,which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him:"

When our minds and hearts are transformed by the Holy Spirit, we put on Christ, Paul describes this change of heart and mind as Christ living within us.We are renewed in knowledge and in the spirit of our minds.As the children of God we become"in Christ" a truly new creation.God transforms us into His own Family.God is able and determined to create in us His own divine nature.For he made Christ who knew no sin to be sin for us,that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.God is now creating a righteous character in His sons and daughters.This is why our genuine, heart felt repentance is so important as he begins this process in us.We have to want it with all of our heart, for him to make us a new person.The creation of righteous character is a two way process.God gives us the knowledge and all the power we need,but we must supply the choice to live righteously.

God wants us to be His own children who share His values.He wants us to use His values and convictions to make decisions as He would make them.He wants us to inherit all things, to share His entire creation with Him.He says "He who overcomes shall inherit all things,and I will be his God and he shall be My son".Nothing is more important to God than our Spiritual development.Our development is essential for us to receive the awesome inheritance God has in store for us as His children.

God predetermined, in His master plan, that His son should be the model for our development. As Paul said,God called us with a holy calling,which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began(2tim1;9) If we are "in Christ" we are being conformed to His image.Our spiritual growth should continue until all of  us come to  the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.Therefore, as we have borne the image of the man of dust,we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man.Knowing God's eternal plan for us should inspire us to purify our hearts and motives.In Christ we should share the same love for one another.The proper motivation for all our relationships should be that "nothing be done through selfish ambitions or conciet, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interest of others".We need to think with the same love and humility that was in Jesus mind.When we truly become a christian in our hearts we will then be Christ like in our living.

A life Pleasing God

Romans 8:8 " So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God".

Only those who have God the Father and Jesus the Son dwelling in them through the power of the Holy Spirit are considered"children of God".Saints God leads his children with his spirit,he doesn't drive them.God's Spirit empowers only those who choose to serve Him.So we must not let sin reign in our mortal body,that we should obey it in its lust.And we should not present our members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present our members as instruments of righteousness to God".See God through His Spirit, will help us live righteously.If we respond He will instill more and more of His divine nature and character in us.But He will not force us.We must trust Him to help us so we can act in faith,and as we need more faith, He will provide it.

Anyone who claims to be a converted follower of Christ who has truly repented and received the indwelling power of God through the Holy Spirit is sorely mistaken about his status in God's sight. Such a person's outlook on life is still being shaped mostly by his fleshly feelings,desires and impulses because, "the flesh lusts against the Spirit,and the Spirit against the flesh.Without God's Spirit no one can fully comprehend the Holy Scriptures.God's help, through His Spirit, is essential for us to attain that level of understanding.When we receive God's Spirit we are no more than spiritual infants.But we should begin growing by quickly learning the basics of God's way of life,by thriving on the milk of the  Word.If we do, God will work in us, through the Holy Spirit, to transform our lives.

God expects us to study the Holy Scriptures so we will correctly understand them.He wants us to learn how to effectively apply His word to our daily lives.Through His spirit, God helps us incorporate this understanding into our character,thus patterning it after His character,His divine nature.He wants us to be strong enough to walk after the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh.No amount of effort on our part, unless it is accompanied by the power of God's Spirit, would ever shape us into what God wants us to be.But with his Spirit working in us we become His workmanship,enabled to perform works truly pleasing to Him, thus allowing us to live a life pleasing to God................

A Call to Action

Mark 1:14-15 "Now after John had been taken into custody,Jesus came into Galilee,preaching the Gospel of God, and saying time is fulfilled,and the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the Gospel".

Saints when we hear and understand the gospel of the Kingdom of God,Jesus expects us to repent and believe the good news about this Kingdom.His Kingdom is something we must enter.Accepting Jesus' command to repent and believe this message this good news, is the first step.We can turn to God for forgiveness and reconciliation through Jesus Christ and begin to live by the laws of the kingdom of God as taught by Jesus Christ.Those who refuse to live God's holy way of life will be refused entrance into the Kingdom of God and eternal life.

Now jesus warns of the various obstacles that can prevent our entrance into the Kingdom (matt 5:20,19:23-25,mark 9:47 and john 3:5).To enter the Kingdom, we must  gain a proper outlook, a humble, teachable, childlike attitude, accompanied by real repentance, baptism and the receiving of God's Holy Spirit. Seeking God's Kingdom must become our highest priority,no matter what the difficultes.Saints we cannot let the lies of the enemy and the desires and lust of the old man become stumbling blocks to our quest of getting to glory.

When our lives are devoted to seeking God's Kingdom, our outlook will be like that of those recorded in Hebrews 11.Notice these inspiring words about their orientation:"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.These men and women of faith, considered themselves "strangers and pilgrims, because this land was not their home, they were looking forward to life eternal in the Kingdom of God.Their lives were centered on that Kingdom, not on their physical, materal life.They were seeking a home not made with hands,they hadn't seen it but they just trusted God that it would be there. Have you been called to action?

Prayer That Pleases God

James 5:15 "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick,and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins,they shall be forgiven him".

Saints God is aware of everything we say and do.Not even a sparrow can fall to the ground without His knowing it.Therefore when anyone prays to God He is well aware of the words that are spoken.But does He really consider all the requests that are directed to Him? Not always! Let the Bible explain,The scripture says "Behold the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you,so that he will not hear".Jesus also tells us when we pray don't be like the hypocrites(matt.6:5) Saints God hears all, but He respond to the sincere crys of the heart.

Scriptures show that public prayers are appropriate in proper situations.But most of our prayers should be sincere,private conversations between just us and God. God has promised to hear us if we sincerely approach Him in this manner, with an attitude of seeking to do his will and a willingness to allow his word to guide and correct us."For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers,but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil".God looks on our attitude, and our heart, rather than on our past sins.He can see the direction we want to go, and this is what is important to Him. He expects us to have faith that He hears us and to trust His judgement.

God is especially aware of our motives when we pray. If we sincerely want to do what is pleasing to Him and pray accordingly,He is delighted to hear us.He responds according to His judgment,according to what he know is best for us.Regrettably, not everyone prays from pure motives(James4:3).God does not even consider the request of those who are interested only in satisfying their own desires but have no interest in pleasing Him.God looks at our attitude, He knows why we ask,and He knows what is in our hearts.Prayer is essential in our relationship with God, but let us pray to please God by praying for the needs and salvation of others.We are told"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you". When we pray in this attitude, God will hear us.

Called and Committed

Luke 9:62 " No one ,having put his hand to the plow, and looking back is fit for the kingdom God"

Saints God called us from the darkness into his marvelous light,that we might be a light upon a hill that all in darkness might seek his marvelous light.But Saints are we committed to the cause, are we fit for the kingdom of God? Baptism represents the most important commitment we can make. It signifies our willingness to surrender our lives fully and completely to our creator, putting to death our old self and rising from a watery grave to live a new and transformed life.Since this decision is such a major commitment, the scripture tells us not to take it lightly.

In a series of parables in (Luke 14:27-32) Jesus tells us to count up the cost.He used two examples to illustrate His point that we must count the cost,reconize and acknowledge the consequences of our commitment.First he used the example of someone starting an expensive and time consuming building project. He noted that no one should begin such an endeavor without first determining that he can follow through on that commitment.In the second example, He likened our commitment to a decision to go to war.To initate a long, drawnout struggle in which we will face repeated hardship, setbacks,and defeats. Are we willing to remain faithful and committed to that struggle to the end.Saint this is a Life long journey , not a once a week Sunday morning gathering.

Our commitment according to Jesus must be total,for he said whosoever does not forsake all,cannot be his disciple(Luke 14:33)The commitment He expects from us is great indeed, but the reward is even greater. And we have the promise of God's help, for he said "I'll never leave you nor forsake you". We must carefully consider the cost before we are baptized. Once we repent,accept Jesus' sacrifice,are baptized and receive God's Spirit there is no turning back. Jesus tells us we must not waver in our commitment.When we waver over whether to follow Christ or not, Jesus said we are not fit for the Kingdom of God.

God offers us a future so glorious that the challenges and trials we face in pursuit of it are miniscule in comparison.So Stand committed and be fit for the Kingdom of God....