As I Have Loved You

Luke 6:27-28 "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you".

What would happen if, as Christians, we started actually living out what Jesus taught us? Jesus's teachings on love attacks several traditions and misinterpretations of scripture that we use to justify our sinful and unloving nature.While we have learned to love thy neighbor, we sometime seem to exclude the need to love our enemies. But Jesus instructs us to love and do good to our enemies. The love Jesus instructs us to love with, does not result from any merit or attractiveness in the other person, it comes solely from the heart of the one loving, and we are to seek the best interest of that person, despite their behavior toward us. Now this love does not result from a weakness or failure to stand up for truth or justice, it is a purposeful love that flows from a strong heart that seeks the eternal salvation of others. This sacrificial love demonstrates that our purpose for living is larger than who we are.

Jesus commands us to pray for and bless those that offend us. Our natural response is to strike back when mistreated, but Jesus teaches us to do the opposite. Jesus gave two illustrations to show the extent of how far our love for others should go, there is a blow to the face and stolen clothes, in such cases we are not retaliate. The purpose is to reach out in love instead of satisfying ourselves through revenge. Our love must be strong and purposeful in accepting mistreatment, as it shows our trust in the Lord and his ability to use the situation for his Glory. Jesus not only taught us our love must be strong and purposeful when mistreated, but we must also be merciful to others in our daily lives, as the Father daily pours out new mercy on us.

The standard of sacrificial love goes beyond what others might do or what we might feel we should do, it is what Jesus teaches us to do, it is what he did. The prime example of selfless giving is our heavenly Father himself, who showed kindness to all humanity regardless of how they treated him, as he gave his only begotten son that we might have everlasting life. When we love others the way Jesus instructed us to, we show the world we are his. " Love Ye one another as I have loved you".

A Simple Truth!

Isaiah 5:13" Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honorable men are famished,and their multitude dried up with thirst".

Many people have no knowledge of what it takes to walk with the Lord in perfect peace. This lack of knowledge tends to cause many to be held captive in the lies of the evil one. See we walk by the faith of God's word and not by the sight of the things which the world tries to show us. But because of a lack of knowledge of God's word, many don’t have the faith described in the Bible, and they are held captive in a wilderness of unbelief, trapped in the bondage of lies and thus they do not believe or practice what Jesus said. Most people can’t even name the Ten Commandments. Some assume Jesus lived the Commandments for us so we wouldn’t  have to. Others believe what we do doesn’t matter that much as long as we have feelings of love toward every one. Many people cling to misconceptions about Jesus’ message, the gospel. Our Savior, who came preaching “the gospel of the kingdom of God,” instructs us to “repent, and believe the gospel”. Yet many have never understood the true gospel Jesus taught. A flawed understanding produces a faulty faith. Since faith involves diligently seeking God (Heb.1:6), we must base our faith on a correct understanding of God’s Word.

Simply saying“ I believe” without making life altering changes is not a sufficient. Acknowledgment of God’s existence does not magically produce a right relationship with Him. As already noted, Jesus commands us to repent. Repentance doesn’t just happen. It requires effort and commitment. Living faith must be nurtured and spiritually fed and built. Jesus cautions us against the danger of false faith, faith that is immature and incomplete:“ Not everyone who says to Me,‘ Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven”. But what about Paul’s statement,“ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God”? Did Paul preach a faith that did not involve a need for obedience? Not at all. This passage shows us that God’s grace, His undeserved favor toward us, is a gift. It is simply wrong to assume that, since grace is a gift, no actions or good works demonstrating a repentant heart and faith in action are needed (James 2:14-26).

We must have living faith, not an empty, inactive faith. Our salvations comes from God's grace and faith in our lives .The Bible tells us salvation is by God’s grace and is not earned by good works “lest any man should boast”(Eph.2:9) But we are saved by grace through faith. The danger we face is that our faith will die if we neglect our salvation by not living a life of obedience to God. That is why the apostle Paul wrote,“ I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified”. Of themselves, works will not earn us salvation. But the book of James makes it clear that faith, without works, is dead, utterly useless (James2:17,20,26);Let us take the time to learn the word ,will and way of the Lord and free ourselves from the captivity of the evil one.

On His Way To The Grave

John 17:4 "I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do".

"Verily, Verily I say unto you ,except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit". He is Jesus at the end of His earthly ministry, on his way to the grave and he said his soul is troubled. But for this hour he was sent, for He was the only way to redeem lost man back to a Holy God. For this purpose he came into the world. On His way to the grave He went through some things for our behalf. He was met with conflicts and confrontations, he was alienated, persecuted, and rejected, yet he endured to the grave for our salvation. Look what Jesus did on His way to the grave.

On His way to the grave he glorified the Father, his work now complete, he had given sight to blind eyes, so now man could see that he was lost and in need of a savior. He had put hearing in deaf ears ,so  man could hear what thus said the Lord. He put speaking in the mouth of the dumb, so man could share the good news of the gospel. He put walking in the legs of the lame, so man could stand firm on God's word and walk up right is His righteousness. And he had called the dead back to life, so now man could live in a newness of life as he was no longer dead in sin. On His way to the grave Jesus paved the way for lost man to be found, to be saved and to live in eternal glory. Jesus willing to lay down His life that we might know his love, receive his mercy and live in His grace. Jesus being obedient unto death, that we might be obedient unto Life everlasting, accepted for us the wage paid by sin, that we might be redeemed from the slavery of sin. 

All that Jesus went through was for our good ,not his. He was whipped for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. He was charged with our crimes and put to death with our hatred. Yet He did it all because of His love, His grace and His mercy, and to bring glory to His Father which art in heaven. On His way to the grave and Jesus saw you, and loved you, and he died for you. If you were the only person in the world , he still would of died for you. What will you do for Him?

Grace Sufficient!

2 Corinthians 12:9a"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: For My strength is made perfect in weakness."

Like many of us, there were things that tested Paul's faith in the Lord. Paul said he had a thorn in his flesh, and he asked the Lord to remove it from him. God could have removed our thorn from us which is  the flesh and the lust there of,  but he said his grace was sufficient. In times of temptation we need to trust and rely on God's grace to carry us through. As we believers grow older, we often experience different  pressures in life. Satan would like nothing more than for us to turn from God when we become discourage in times of difficulty, but Christ and the Holy Spirit provides us with grace sufficient for each season of life. We must realize that Jesus is the power of God who has all power....

To the Christian teenager, things seen in the media or on social networking web site may be more appealing to them, than the stuff written in the bible or talked about in church. Young parents may face financial pressures due to a lost job or needs of a handicapped child. Middle-aged Christians may suddenly find a spouse unattractive or a job boring. The temptation is to abandon ones family responsibilities grows stronger as the grass begins to look greener elsewhere. Senior men and women may feel neglected by children who are busy pursuing their owe lives. Increasing physical limitations may restrict activities they once enjoyed and even at church, seniors may feel replaced by younger people and are no longer needed. No matter what the stage, God gives grace to help us stand firm. When we are at our weakest, that is when God is at his best. God's grace is strong enough to help the Christian hold firm in every season of life.

Like Paul, we must pray that God will encourage our hearts, both in trials and in our Christian walk, to give us steadfastness and stability in our witness to, and our defense of the Gospel, both in word and deed. When we find ourselves feeling discouraged and weak, we should not forget that God is able to supply us with what we need to get moving again. His resources are more than abundant enough to meet our needs, and he is eager for us to come to him for help.

Enduring Mercy

Psalm 107:1 "Oh give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for His mercy endureth forever"

God is good, there are truly no words that can express just how good God is. He is so good that while we were yet sinner he commended  His love toward us and He sent Christ to die for us. Jesus died for the ungodly, Christ died to save sinners.

We must thank God for Jesus. Now I am not talking about lip service, but thank God for Jesus by giving, surrendering yourself to Him and for Him. Say thanks by giving yourself solely to the Lord and by living a life before men that will lead a lost soul to the salvation of the Lord. By living a life worthy of the name which we bear. Say thank you by being obedient to His word. Say thank you by having love for one another. Say thank you by esteeming others higher than yourself, by being a living sacrifice, by laying down your life that a lost soul might live. Thank Him for His mercy, for we deserved Hell, but His mercy offers us a chance to live in paradise. It is an enduring mercy as it endures all the objections of sinful man and accomplishes all that is asked from a holy God. His mercy forgives us our sin, it looks beyond our faults and shortcomings and provides our every need.

Man was destined for death, destruction and Hell when God took the best of Himself and wrapped it in the worst of man, and sent Jesus His only begotten Son to suffer bleed and die that we might have a right to the tree of life. Jesus, God's mercy which endureth forever, offered to lost man that we might become the sons of God. Let us thank God for Jesus by surrendering to Him our hearts, that He will give us eternal life.

Your Motives For Praise

Job 1:11" But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face".


Do you truly love the Lord or is it the things He has given you, or the person you believe you are in Him that you love. Do you love Him just because of who He is or is it because of what you have? Now this is not a judgment on ones salvation, but just a question of self examination of ones motives for our worship of God. Can we honestly look at our lives and answer truthfully the reason for our worship and praise.

Now I don't expect anyone to say anything other than it is God we love, but if we look at the things that we place importance on, we might question why we truly worship the Lord. When we look closer at our life we might see we will marry a person with a good job and no relationship with God, before one with a good relationship with God and no job. We tend to push our kids to get a secular education but  the attending Sunday school and bible study is optional. We go to work on time, but come to church when we feel like it. We do things in front of God that we would never do in front of our employer, and we go out of our way to please our spouse, but make no sacrifices when it comes to living a life pleasing to God. When we take a closer look at our life we will see that lean more on His love for us, than we do our love for Him.

Here in our text Satan questions the motive behind Job's worship of the Lord. He tells God that if he is allowed to take all that Job has , Job will curse God to His face. If Satan made the same statement to God about you would he be right. If everything you have was removed what would we see? would there be a heart desiring a  relationship with the Lord, or a  heart with a desire for the things of this world. Would you bless God with a life pleasing to Him or would you curse Him and die?

Jesus! Savior of The World

Psalm 37:39 "But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble".

Salvation is a big deal and describes the whole life of the true believer. They feel the need of being saved from self, sin, Satan and the world. They trust in God for preservation, and the end there of is eternal rest and peace in the bosom of the Father. The prosperous sinner is on another track, and comes to another conclusion: He disowns all need of salvation, and considers his success to be of his own winning. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the end of the wicked shall be cut off. God is not with the unrighteous; they have neither safety, nor strength, nor salvation in their time of trouble.

The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord, he is in the planning of it; the providing of it; the beginning of it; the carrying on of it, and the completion of it. The believer realizes that it is not about anything he has done, but purely out of the love of God. The inward conflicts of the believer makes him know that God alone must work salvation, for we are not able to save ourselves. The outward temptations drive us to the fact that only God can keep us. The world's hate teaches us that greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world. Our daily trials would crush and destroy us if it wasn't for the strength of the Lord, made perfect in our weakness. This truth that unto the Lord belongs the salvation of His saints, leads us to trust in him; excites us into believing prayer to him, and a total dependency upon Him.

All eyes turn on Jesus with looks of love; gratitude glows in every bosom, and swells in every song; now with golden harps they sound his praise; and now descending from their thrones to do him homage, they cast their crowns in one glittering heap at the feet which were nailed on Calvary. Here we learn in whose name to seek salvation, and through whose merits to hope for it; for salvation of the righteous belongs to the Lord Jesus, to him be the glory.

Jesus Saves

Thessalonians 5:9 "For God hath not appointed us to wrath,but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ".

We should question ourselves so that we can make a careful examination of ourselves and our walk with Jesus Christ. Has Christ's love made any difference in our lives? Does being in a community led by the Holy spirit mean anything to you? Do you really have a caring heart? Let us agree with each other, love each other, be one in spirit, and focus on the same goals. Let us lay aside our fleshly desire to be the leader, and instead, let us help others get ahead. But how does one put self and ego aside? Well the apostle Paul paraded Jesus' life in front of all new believers as a guide to know how to move from selfishness to selflessness. Jesus had equal status with God, yet set aside all the devine privileges, and he humbled himself and did everything His Father told him. He was obedient unto death, even the death on the cross. Christ is a model in living an obedient life, a life that puts others needs ahead of our own.

A Christan is someone who professes a belief that Jesus is the Son of God. In addition, he or she has made a commitment to be like Christ. To be united with Christ means to be one with Jesus, and is a statement of a Christian's partnership with Jesus in communicating to other in our walk and our talk, what he is like.The hearts and action of Christians are to be the same as that of Jesus Christ. Our lives should characterize the tenderness, compassion, unity and love of Jesus and we should have a desire to serve others.What should be absent are selfish ambitions and vain conceit.God understands that doing these things will not be easy. But neither was Jesus' journey to the cross. Jesus was "obedient unto death" knowing that his sacrifice would ultimately result in restoring man's broken relationship with God. God wants Christians to be obedient to the same degree, knowing that this will fulfill His purpose for our lives and work out or finish what was started when we first put our faith in Jesus.

Being one with Christ should result in a desire to be like Christ.This in turn should lead to a commitment to be obedient.The net result should be a life that reflects Christ character, one where our attitude and actions are a good reflection on God.Like Noah's ark, there is only one  door into salvation, and that door is Jesus ,and only those inside Christ spiritual body, His Church, will be saved when the flood of judgment comes.  

It's Just A Little!

Genesis 19:20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one : Oh let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live".

We are children of the most high God. With this comes a certain responsibility and commitment. We are the called of God to be a light upon a hill, called to bear fruit and fruit that will last. We have been instructed to flee to the mountain yet many have settled in the plains. There is a danger of settling in the plains, So let us flee to the mountain and get closer to God.

In our text today we have the all to familiar story of Lott and Sodom and Gomorrah. God had warned Lott that He was going to destroy the city because of  it's wickedness. He told Lott to get his family and flee to the mountain, but Lott felt he couldn't make it to the mountain, and wanted to settle in the plains. Many today who have been called out of the wickedness of this world have decided to settle in the plains instead of fleeing to the mountain. There is a great danger of settling in the plains. See the plains were too close to Sodom and all the wickedness that was there. Many are too close to sin and the life that God has called them out of to live a life pleasing to God. We leave a life of drugs, but we stay close to fornication and adultery. Like Lott said, it is a little one, many get pulled into a life of sin by the little one. It might be a little affair, a little lie, just a little sin, but remember a little leaven ruins the whole lump. Let us flee the plains and make the uphill journey up the mountain.

The mountain is closer to God and further away from the life we have been called out of. Yes it is harder to climb a mountain than it is to rest in the plain, but God said to flee to the mountain. God is calling us to get closer to Him, to draw neigh to Him that He might draw neigh to us. Let us make the uphill journey to be close to God in all that we do, that we might live a life pleasing to God and bear fruit and fruit that will last. 

The Greatest

Matthew 18:3 "And said, verily I say unto you except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven".

Here we have a dispute as to who is the greatest in heaven by the disciples. Now as strange as this might sound there are many today who believes that their denomination, Church, Choir, Pastor or Bishop is greater than the next denomination, Church, Choir, Pastor or Bishop. There are many who think that one part of the body is greater than another. But the truth is God is in heaven and there is none greater than Him. We must come to the realization that this life we have partaken of is not about us, or what we think. It is about Jesus Christ the greatest in heaven or on earth.

In response to this question Jesus says that the one who is willing to forgive the most is the greatest. True greatness lies in our ability to live a Christ like life. We must love in spite of, and be willing to forgive those who spitefully use us. But the only way we can do this is to  be converted. To turn our whole life and person from our sinful ways to the ways of God. This is the true biblical picture of conversion. We must be born again, to become as little children, as a newborn spiritual child, in total dependence on the Father. We must come in faith and humility as little children seeking all needed provisions from our Father to be His children.

The little child represents a new born again believer, and to receive one of these is to receive Christ Himself. But woe unto the soul that rejects Christ at His coming, for our true greatness lies in Him. 

A Living Confession

Romans 10:9 "That if thou halt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved".

The relationship with God that is of salvation is a matter of the heart, and here in this 10th chapter of Romans it is revealed how a man can be saved from sin and death and be made the righteousness of God. The righteousness and salvation of God is right before man, it lies within his heart and he only needs to believe with all his heart and confess this truth with his mouth to be saved. But it is the action of this belief, which tells the world that the savior lives

The gospel demands that man only believes and confesses that Jesus has both died for his sins and have been raised from the dead, for him to have everlasting life with the Father. But true belief is a action. How do one believe that Jesus is Lord and then live a life of disobedience. The fact that we believe should bring about the action of obedience. The devil believes and his belief causes him to tremble. Man must believe this with all his heart. He must believe that Jesus died for him, and was raised from death and perfectly satisfied God's demand for justice. It is man faith in this truth which allows man to be born again, as believing by faith he has died with Christ to the ways of old man, and has been raised to a new life in Christ. Man only need to confess with his mouth this truth which  he believes within His heart. He must confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Lord from heaven, the only begotten son of the Father who died for mankind. This confession is made with his mouth but he should also be living this confession with His life, as faith without works is dead faith.

It is with the heart man believes, with his mouth confession is made, as you can't confess something you don't believe is true. But when our belief  leads us to live a life of confession we can lead others to believe and confess and God's will be done and none shall perish.

He Died For You

John 19:30 " When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said "It is Finished: and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost".

The single most significant event in history is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. We are saved by His death; because he died we can live. However there is a condition, we must believe. In Jesus death, justice received the wage paid by sin, for the soul that sinneth, shall surely die. Someone had to die and Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for an imperfect people. Because of our sin, He died...

Here we have Jesus on the cross, it was a cross that He bore, and He willingly went forth. Pilate delivered Him, the soldiers led Him, but Jesus bore the cross and went forth. He was not a victim, He was a victor, for He was bearing the cross to save man. He was crucified between two sinners, two unjust thieves. He was surrounded by a world of unjust men, yet we live because He died. He said it is finished, all that is needed for man to be reconciled back to God had now been completed. He had given sight to blind eyes, so man could see the love of God. He had cured the lunatic, that we might let this mind be in us that is in Christ Jesus. He put hearing in deaf ears that we could hear what thus said the Lord. He put speaking in dumb lips, that we could proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. He put standing in lame legs that we might walk in the righteousness of His spirit, and he raised the dead that we might have a new life in Christ. Hanging from the cross, He said it is finished.

Jesus died that all might have a right to the tree of life, but we must believe and receive His death as our own that we might be raise up as a new creature in Christ. Let us walk in this new life that a lost world will come to know what we already know; He died............

Love Wears No Disguise

John 14:15 "If you love me keep my commandments".

"I love you" these words can be heard many times on this Valentines day. A day when all around the world and in every language, someone will declare their love for another. But what does it truly mean to say "I love you", if there is no action, showing the love that is being profess. Love is an action not a phrase, Yet to many. It has become a word of convenience. We say I love you for personal gain, to deceive, and many times as an excuse for inexcusable behavior.( The man who batters his wife and says it is because he loves her so much). But what is real love, what is the way of love?  Love should be seen as it wears no disguise.

Jesus says if you love me, keep my commandments. Now on the surface this might seem like a tall order, but in reality it is no different than what we expect out of those who profess to love us. You expect that if your wife/husband loves you ,that they will keep the marriage vows they made. You expect the children who say they love you to be obedient and keep the rules of the house. So when Jesus says "If you love me keep my commandments" it really shouldn't seem that strange a request. What are His commandments, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart soul and might" and "to love one another as I have loved you." Is this such a strange thing to request? Can't we who profess to be Christ like, love Christ like? How can we say we have been born of the spirit of God, yet at the same time, not possess the love of God, when His spirit is one of love.

Jesus said He is the way, the truth and the life. Jesus is the way of love , the truth of what love is, and the life of love we are to live. Let us walk and communicate that love to a lost and dying world that they may come to know the true way of love.

Love In Spite Of

Hosea 3:1 " Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine."

God's love for us is unconditional. He loves us in spite of, and Jesus tells us to love one another as He has loved us. See we are to love each other regardless. Not so much because of who we are, or who they are, but because of whose we claim to be and who they belong to. Jesus died to save the whole world. All souls belong to Him and He shed just as much blood for the least of them as He did the greatest of them.

Here in our text God tells Hosea to go marry a harlot or a prostitute. See he wanted Hosea to feel what He feels when those who claim to be His go a whoring around with other gods. Many today claim to be part of the bride of Christ, yet we go along spiritually fornicating or committing spiritual adultery, with the enemy. With our lips we tell the Lord we love Him, yet many of our actions show a love for another, as our hearts are far from Him. In our story after Gomar was taken from a beautiful woman down to a as we say today a skank, God told Hosea to go and buy her back and love her in spite of. After sin has taken us from being in the image and likeness of God, down to something born in sin and shaped in iniquity, God sent His only begotten Son to redeem us back and He loved us in spite of.

Nobody forces us to profess Christianity, so it is the profession of our own faith. So if you profess to be Christ like, live Christ like and love like Christ loves. We must love inspite of. We must love even the worst of men, after all in Gods eyes at one time we were all the worst of men. And no matter who you are, when it comes to salvation we are all the same, lost in need of a savior, and all must come to Christ the same way. Let us love one another in spite of .

So Loved........

John 3:16 " For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

   Love ; the most powerful of all emotions, it has been the focal point and topic of a many movies, books, songs, plays, and poems over the years. Love is the one thing you can't live without. It is also the one thing to where there is no defense, you can't stop love ,there is no end to love, and there is no containing love. You can't kill, destroy or hurt love. True love is not just a word it is in fact THE WORD.

God so loved, He didn't just love He so loved. He so loved, that His love was a giving love, for He gave His only begotten Son. He so loved, that His love was merciful, as it forgives all who accepts His love. It is a  powerful love , as it held Jesus on the cross. His love is alive, and it gives life to all who receives His love. The very nature of  His love is action, God's love does things, it moves things  it tears down walls of division, because it's destructive, and it is also constructive as it rebuilds lives. It makes things happen, it goes places, and takes you places. God so loved that His love changes things, changing a sinner into a saint. His love is caring, and it providing. It helps you, it serves you, and will suffer for you. God so loved that His love is a sacrificial love. God so loved that His love is present in every good deed, and is the very power behind the forgiveness of every bad deed. His love is always it is a permanent love, everything else comes and goes, but God's love is everlasting. It believes well of others, and when it can't believe well of others, it begins to hope for the best in everything, and will continue to hope as long as there is hope.

How wonderful this world would be if those who confessed Christ would display this divine love and obey the commandment given us by our savior; " To love one another as I have loved you". It is in love and with love that we will be able to come together as one unified body of Christ, and with one loud voice proclaim Gods love to a Dying world, Jesus the Christ, God's "so" love offered  to a dying world, the power of God unto salvation!

You've Gotta Believe

Romans 10:16 "But they have not all obeyed the Gospel, For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report" ?

Man is the same disobedient creature under all dispensations. We morn his rejection of the gospel, and so did Isaiah, who spoke in the name of the whole company of the prophets. It is one of the greatest proofs of the depravity of man's heart that he will no more obey the gospel than the law. Man disobeys his God, whether he speaks to him in love or in law. Men would sooner be lost than to trust in God. When any of us  receive the gospel, it is the work of grace:" the arm of the Lord is revealed. "But when we refuse it, it is our own sin:" they have not obeyed the gospel."

The gospel comes with the force of a command, it is not optional for us to accept or refuse the gospel at our pleasure. (Acts 17:30) tells us " God now commandeth all men every where to repent". He commands them to repent and believe the gospel (mark 1:15). To refuse to believe is to incur a great sin (John 16:8). There is a death penalty attached to disobedience. As the prodical son was right in returning to his father, so would it be right for each of us to return to our father through our obedience to the gospel.The gospel calls us to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, to renounce unrighteousness and confess our guilt. We must repent and be obedient to both the teaching and to the example of Christ.This is how we show that we believe the report. There are way to many who say with their mouths they believe, but the life they live is one of doubt and disbelief.

The design of the gospel is to bring us into a union with the Son of God and to believe on him whom the father hath sent. Christ seeks to gather in souls for the Father, but through our disobedience we refuse to be gathered. To disobey the gospel is far worse than to break the law. For disobedience to the law, there is a remedy in the gospel, but for disobedience to the gospel no remedy can be found, for there is no more sacrifice for sin. Let us obey the gospel, this obedience is a grace of great value, and is a great force on the whole man; for when  the obedience is in the heart it works a conforming to the whole will of God. Be it life or death,one word from God will command the whole soul as soon as obedience has found admittance into the heart. 

He Still Saves

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 only begotten 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 condemned 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 sanctified, 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 still saves.

It's A Love Thing

John 15:12 "This is my commandment. That ye love one another, as I have loved you".

It is so easy now a days to find a reason not to love. We live in a world that has become divided by race, religion, national origin, sexual preference, and political parties. We tend to hate anything and anyone who don't agree with us or who isn't like us. In a country that was built on differences it is sad that the thing that made us a great nation is now the same thing which is tearing us apart. But that is to be expected from the world, but the sad thing is this attitude and state of mind is now becoming  the beliefs of those who profess to be Christians.

We who profess to have been born of the spirit of God were born to be lovers and not haters. When you profess to be Christ like you give up the right to hate any man. You cannot love God and hate that which He created and died for. We can disagree with the policies, opinions, ways and decisions others might make, we can hate the sinful acts one might commit, we can go so far as not to believe what they believe, but we don't have the right to hate them. Jesus said the world would know we are His by our love one for another. It is not hard to see why the world can't see a difference between the self professed Christian and the out right sinner, as both tend to speak hatred. Let us who profess to know the Lord love like we know Him that the world might learn to love. Jesus told us, we the born again blood washed baptized believers to love ye one another, then He qualified it by saying as I have loved you.

See we are to love each other with the same love that Christ loves us with. Our love should be one that suffers long, and is kind, not envious, not provoking, and without evil thought. A love that can bear all things, hopeth all things and can endure all things. A love that can weather the storms and trials of life and still be seen by a dying world. A love that will give of itself that another might have eternal life. We were born to be lovers, it is a love thing, so let us love one another, and share with a dying world Christ and Him crucified. The greatest love of all.

Give Me Your heart!

Matthew 15:8 " This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me".

The world is full of people who profess a love for God. They are always saying, writing or posting on the various social networks, scriptures and various other things because they are saved. But it is really not important that world knows that we are saved, the important thing is that the world believes that their is a savior. The sole purpose of our being saved ,is to lead others to believe in Jesus. Jesus said we were chosen to bear fruit and fruit that will last. The world knows what our lips say, but can it see what our hearts are saying? 

In the scripture today Jesus speaks of the many who says the right things, their hearts may not be in their profession. In other words the life the world sees may be different from the life they profess to live. When we truly take a close look we might see that our life is more lip service than the heart felt truth. With our mouth we say God is everything, the most important thing, the one thing we can't live without, yet we strive harder and seem to desire the things of this world more than the things of God. Our jobs tend to get the best of our service, while the things of God get what we feel like doing. We seem push our children more toward the secular things, than we do towards the things of God. How many will put up with a spouse with no God, before one with no job?  How many of us make our kids go to school, but little to no effort is made when it comes to Sunday school or bible study. If God is truly the head of our life shouldn't it be seen in the decisions we make and the choices we present to the one we love

Now this is not to  suggest that we quit encouraging our children to get jobs, or to go to school or any of the things that will help them along in this life. But let us also push and encourage them in the things of God just as hard if not harder. Jesus said "seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you." and besides only what you do for Christ will last

Not Our Ways!

Romans 11:33 "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out".

Who knows the mind of our Lord? He tells us His ways are not our ways, and neither are our ways His ways; yet we live in an era where mans imagination is starting to distort God's true revelation given to mankind. We actually are starting to believe we know better than God. we have started down a road to destruction when we start pushing our will before God's perfect plan, and purpose for our life.

The entire book of the bible is about Jesus Christ the savior and mans need for salvation. From the fleeing of Egypt to the hill call Calvary, God has been showing man his need to be saved. It tells us in Acts, that everyman is called to repent, that we should repent, be baptized and be saved. It tells us in Luke that we are to leave the 99 and seek after the one that has strayed away. It also tells us in the same chapter that there be some lost in the house. It tells us in Jeremiah, that God gives us pastors according to His heart. Corinthians tells us that He placed each of us in the body where it pleased Him. In the gospels we are told to preach the gospel to every creature and to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and the holy ghost. Timothy tells that all scripture is inspired by God to rebuke, reprove, correct and give instructions in righteousness, that the man of God might be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. And all of Paul's letters are written to the Church and the saints of God. The purpose for all of this is so that God's will be done and none will be lost.

Let we who have been called out of the darkness into His marvelous light just do what we have been instructed to do. Tell every creature the good news of salvation, after all which of us is smart enough to know who is or isn't saved. Who among us is worthy enough to decide who is worth saving. Which one of us really knows what is best for us on a journey where only God knows the end. Who among the church is so righteous all the time, that they don't ever need to hear a word of correction every once and a while?  Which one of us truly knows the mind of God?

Salvation In Christ Jesus

Colossians 3:3 "For ye are dead,and your life is hid with Christ in God".

As believers we are dead, dead to sin, dead to self, dead to the ways of this world, we are dead to the old man and all his ways. We are hid with Christ.What does this mean?  It means that God counts us hid in the resurrection and the life of Christ.When Christ arose, He arose to a new life, not to his old life. He had just died to the old life once and for all. Therefore, when the believer is said to be hid in Christ, it means that God counts the believer risen with Christ.God counts the believer as risen to a new life as he has died to the old life.

When you are hid in Christ, Christ is the only life that God sees as living. Christ is your life in the eyes of God, the life which you live you now live through Christ who gave himself for you. You live and move and have your being in the life of Christ.You are hid in Christ.Christ is the only life, the only body seen by God and that is to be seen by the world. Just think how surrendered you must be to deny yourself to the point that all anyone sees is the Christ in your life. You truly must be a living sacrifice, truly not  conformed to this world, and truly must be transformed by a renewing of your mind. Focusing on the things above, not on the things of this earth. By working to cast down imaginations and every high thing which exalts itself against the knowledge of God, even to captivating every thought for Christ. This means to truly have your mind of heaven and heavenly things.

In practical day to day living, we need to turn off the T.V.; set aside the magazines and books about the bible and spend quality time in the study and meditation of God's word. Spend more time in prayer even learn to whisper silent prayers to God through out the day. Surrender your life totally to Christ after all you are dead, and the new life is hid with Chrsit in God. Walk in your newness of Life.

He Saw Me

Luke 15:20 " And he arose, and came to his Father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and, and kissed him". had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck".

God commended his love for me for while I was yet a sinner Christ died for me; While I was yet without strength Christ died for the ungodly. He saw me, while I was lost in sin, rebellious, a hater of God and all he stood for, He saw me.

Yes we have surrendered our life to Christ ,but while we were yet a long ways off God saw our need for a savior. He looked beyond our faults and provided just what we needed. Yes we have come to Him, but while we were laying in the pig pen of life , our Father stepped out of eternity into time, looked down the portal of time and saw each of us, and His love for us caused Him see us,  to have compassion on us. His love caused Him to come to us in the form of sinful flesh to accept for us the wage paid by sin. He died for us showing how much He loved us. Before we came to Him , His love had Him preparing the way back to Him, for while I was yet a sinner He saw me.

God's love is without end, but there is a coming day of judgment. All who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal savior will be found not guilty. Have you made Jesus your choice? God saw you when He sent His only begotten son to die, will you at least look to Him to be saved?

Chosen For A purpose

1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people: that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light".


Now we are the children of God, we don't know what we will be but we do know when he appears we will be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. Rather we like it, or believe it there is a way a child of the living God is suppose to live. we have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light, a chosen to be holy, and our lives should sing praises to the one who saved us.

We have been chosen by God to bear fruit and fruit that will last. But the only way to lead a lost soul to Christ is if we are living a life that shows others the way. Our life is one of sacrifice and service. We should live a life that bears witness to the truth of our testimony to a dying world, that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God who taketh away the sin of the world. That He died on a cross rose the third day morning with all power in heaven and earth in His hands. This is the truth we proclaim and it is the truth that our lives should reflect. we should not be walking in darkness proclaiming to be children of the light.  We should not be living a lost life if we proclaim to know THE WAY. The world may tell you what you can or cannot do , but the word of God tells us we are a chosen generation, chosen to lead lost souls to the salvation of the Lord. If God called us to it , you can believe He has equipped us to do it.

Many have allowed the beliefs of this world, to dictate how they should live. we have gotten so focused on showing everybody we see that we are saved, that we no longer live a life that shows the world there is a savior. Jesus saves and if we lived the life we have been called to live a lost world would know that He saves. Let us focus on living a life worthy of the name which we bear that others may come to know what we know, that Jesus saves....

The Enemy Within

Matthew 26:41 "watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak:"

Jesus facing the worst night in human history, the night when the love of God came face to face with the hatred in man. Jesus in the garden with Peter, James, and John, and Jesus finds them sleep and says "watch and pray that you enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is week".

 There is  trouble in our relationship with Christ because of the weakness in the flesh. The flesh is an enemy to God, and it fights against the spirit. It is the enemy within. The will of the flesh allows us to openly deny Christ, to cowardly desert Christ, and knowingly sell him out for the love of money, and in some cases renounce all relationship to him.We must stay alert, be on guard, for the enemy within. We should examine our selves, that we are not lead astray by the lust and demands of the flesh. We must watch our attitude toward one another, and be watchful in our service both to Christ and to each other. We can't sleep on the job, so we must pray to God that by his grace he keeps us awake. Pray for strength for one another, pray for guidance, pray in all situations, as prayer is to the spirit, what breathing is to the flesh. The word of God says" a man ought to always pray", so let us pray without ceasing that we don't give in to the weakness of the flesh. Jesus said" watch and pray that you enter not into temptation". Here is Jesus in the garden, His willing spirit, at odds with a rebellious flesh, for He says "not my will but thy will be done". His flesh wanted the cup to pass, but it was not his will, but the will of the Father be done.

 God can take a willing spirit, a humble spirit, a loving spirit and save the whole world. He took the willingness of Jesus, the love of Jesus, and humbleness of Jesus, and made him the perfect sacrifice for an imperfect people. In Him and Him alone is my strength to destroy the enemy within.