Spirit Led

Romans 8:14 "For as many as are led by the spirit of God,they are the sons of God."

None of  us can overcome our sins and shortcomings without God's help.Even if we could by our own will alter our actions, only God can change our hearts. This is why Paul appealed to the church to be "transformed by the renewing of your mind",which is done through the power of God's Spirit. "As many as are led by the spirit of God, these are sons of God". God's children are led by God's spirit. After we have received God's spirit, we have a new outlook on life as Paul said "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I Live;not I, but Christ liveth in me:and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God,who loved me, and gave himself for me". It is no longer our life but Christ life in us by faith.

Buried with Jesus in the water grave of baptism, we now live a life that is no longer our own.This is how we please God by emulating His son. We are to let the mind of Christ reign within us. However we cannot succeed at living a converted life strictly through our own efforts,to imitate Christ we must ask God for help.Through His spirit we can bring our thoughts, attitude and actions in line with His. We must allow His spirit to become the guiding force in our lives. God's Holy Spirit gives us a new nature, one capable of doing God's will.

His Spirit comforts us, as all things work together for the good to them who love God.This assurance provides an outlook on life that is rare in our world.Yes we might get discouraged, but through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit that we can begin to look at life differently as we reside in the promised rest of the Lord.

Freedom In Christ Jesus

Romans 8:1 " There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit".

Here we have one of the most important passages in all of Scripture. The power of God's spirit in the life of the believer. If we are in need of anything, it is the power of God's Spirit. What can be greater for any who has been called into this Holy life than to have the Holy Spirit of God in our life to lead, guide, and direct our path, keeping us from falling along the way.

In the seventh chapter Paul explained how when he wanted to do good evil was always present, and here he gives us the secret to walking worthy of the name by which we are called. Since Christ has come the true born again believer in Christ are not condemned, as there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ. What does it mean to be in Christ? It means that a person's faith in Christ places him in Christ. We walk and live in Christ day by day. Our union is with and in Christ. It is a life of total surrender. It means we do not walk after the flesh , but after the spirit.

Our freedom in Christ frees us from the pull of the lust will and desires of the old man, the flesh man which we profess died with Christ in baptism, that our new Spirit man rose with Him now abiding in Him that His Spirit might abide in us. Being in Christ is just putting our all and our everything in the hands of Christ, that we now live by faith in Jesus Christ who laid down His life that we might have life.

Lift Him Up

John 3:14 "and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,even so must the Son of Man be lifted up:"

Jesus said "and I, if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me".When we elevate Christ   lost soul will be saved.It is the lifting up of Christ that saves.We must not just talk about the goodness of God,but we must live the goodness of God.Our whole life must be one that elevates the goodness of God over the trials and tribulations of this world.Remember Jesus tells us to be of good cheer ,for He has overcome the world.

Here is the glorious invitation to all mankind,to come to the Lord and be saved.Here is God calling His people to assemble themselves together from among the ways of this world and lift up Jesus that those in darkness might be drawn to His marvelous light.His desire is that all turn from sin and return unto Him.He is both a just God and a willing Savior to all who will come.Here we have the way for all to come,If we lift up Jesus,that will draw all men unto Him.He and He alone is God's perfect plan of salvation .There is only one who can save.And as moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness to save all bitten by the firery serpents,Jesus saves all who have been bitten by sin and look up to Him for salvation.

Jesus was made in the image of sinful man that man could once again take on the image of a Holy God. We who know the goodness of God,must lift up Jesus to a dying world.All who are saved owe their salvation to the work of Jesus on the cross.We are then obligated to elevate Jesus, it is because He lives that we can have life.Let us lift Jesus and save a lost world

Nothing and No One!

Romans 8:35a "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Who or what can separate us from the love of Christ? There is no circumstance, no situation, no event that can cause Christ  to turn away from any who seeks Him diligently. No matter how terrible or severe the situation it cannot separate the true believer from the love of Christ.

Shall tribulations, distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword, no none of these can separate us from the love of God. We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. Everything which the enemy tries God uses for the good to them who love Him. God has determined to fulfill His purpose for the believer, as He acted for the believer, not against Him as He gave His only begotten Son to die that we might be saved.

There is no condemnation to those that are In Christ Jesus, He is our protector, our peace, our resting place. In Him we can be of good cheer, for He has overcome the world and all that the world can throw at us, even death, as He rose the third day morning with all power in His hands.

I Love You

John 15:13 " Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

What manner of love is this that one should die for the same ones who seek to put Him to death, yet that is what Jesus did. His love for mankind was so strong that He did for us what we were unable to do for ourselves and He died that we might live. The sad thing is many whom He died for still refuse to surrender their lives to Him.

Jesus died on a cross for the sin of the world, rose the third day morning with all power in His hands that we might love others the way He has loved us. Now remember He loved us while we were yet sinners, ungodly, enemies of God, for Christ died for the ungodly. Like Hosea, God redeemed us back after sin had destroyed the once good thing created in the image and likeness of God. He sent His only begotten Son to accept for us the wage paid by sin. He called us friends all who keep His commandments and to prove His love for His friends He laid down His life that all who believe could have an abundant life in paradise with Him and the Father.  

Jesus proved His love for us, now we must prove our love for Him. Is He your friend? Have you laid down your life that you might live in His life? Have you laid down your life for a friend? Now I don't mean physically dying, but have you put to death the lust and desires of the old man that your new man might lead a lost soul to the salvation of the Lord. Share the good news of Christ with someone today. Don't just be blessed, be a blessing also.....

Jesus Saves

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

We should make a 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 and 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 divine 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 Christian 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 others, what Jesus is like. The hearts and action of Christians are to be the same as that of Jesus Christ. Included in the attitude that should characterize the lives of Christians, are tenderness, compassion, unity of spirit, love and 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 to 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 in Christ will be saved when the flood of judgment comes. For only Jesus can save

He Is Listening For Your Call

Psalm 66:20 "Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me".

Many say " I love the Lord He heard my cry", and the truth is He did hear the cry of mankind. Genesis 4:26 says "then man begin to call upon the name of the Lord", and God heard the cry of man. God loves us and a contrite heart He cannot refuse, we just need to call on Him.

The word of God says whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, will you call upon Him. He can save you from any and all situations. He has not turned away from the cries of His people and all souls belong to Him. His mercy endureth forever, and is always present. Sometimes I think man just doesn't realize how important he is to God, but remember while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Will you call on the name of the Lord? He stands at the door of your heart knocking, will you let Him in. Today is the acceptable day of salvation harden not your hearts. Jesus died on a cross rose the third day morning that your sin and mine be forgiven, call on the name of the Lord and be saved.

Do You Hear Him Now?

Matthew 9:9 " And Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of customs: and he saith unto him, follow me, and he rose, and followed Him".
Follow Me: These are the instructions given us by our Savior, have you answered the call. He said to take up our cross, deny our self daily and follow Him. He is the way so let us follow Him. He is the way out of darkness, for he is the light of the world, so follow Him. The way out of damnation, for in Him is our salvation. The way out of confusion, for He is our Prince of Peace. The way out of sin, for he is the Savior, so let us answer the call and follow Him.

Here we have Jesus, on His mission journey. He was delivering many from the captivity of sin when he passed by and saw a man named Matthew sitting collecting taxes. Jesus saw him and said follow me. Matthew then raised up and in answering the call, he followed Jesus. He didn't question Him, he didn't try to finish up what he was doing, he didn't go back to doing that which Jesus had called him from ,it says he rose up and followed Him.Jesus is passing through the lives of many today, calling them out from among this world to follow Him.Do you hear him calling you at your heart strings? Do you hear Him standing at the door knocking? Don't let salvation pass you by.Rise up and follow Him. .He calling you, He came to save you, answer the call and follow Him.

Jesus asked Matthew a tax collector to follow Him and become a soul collector.He is calling today for us to leave that of the world and become builders of the Kingdom of heaven. Let us follow Him with our whole hearts, walk in the truth of His word and by the power of His Spirit, that others might answer the call and follow Christ to Glory.

Who Is He To You?

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. But like the people of Jesus day, many don't understand the kind of messiah He is or the salvation He brings. See when he died on the cross the cheering crowds were gone. We often abandon 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.

 

Jesus had already explained the risk of following Him. See we must deny our self daily, take up your cross to follow him. This is not a casual decision to join an organization or follow a parade, no we now give the Holy Spirit permission to change our old thought patterns, habits, and relationships, and actually invite Jesus into our everyday lives. Is Christ a curiosity for you, are you a week-end warrior, or are you ready to risk a total commitment, placing Him at the center of your life, 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? Who is Jesus in your life? 

His Death Our Life

John 3:14 "and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up:"
Here is the glorious invitation to all mankind, to come to the Lord and be saved. Here is God calling His people to assemble themselves together from among the ways of this world and lift up Jesus that those in darkness might be drawn to Him and be saved. His desire is that all turn from sin and return unto Him. He is both a just God and a willing Savior to all who will come. Here we have the way for all to come, If we lift up Jesus, that will draw all men unto Him. He and He alone is God's perfect plan of salvation .There is only one who can save. And as Moses lifted up the serpent to save all who looked upon it when bitten by the fiery serpents in the wilderness, Jesus saves all who have been bitten by sin and look up to Him for salvation.
Look at the glory on the cross; Christ and Him crucified. 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 condemned, 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 of sin is crucified with him, and the body of sin is destroyed, that from now on we should not serve sin". Let us glory in the light seen at the cross, and tell the world that Jesus died that we might have everlasting life.

Let us look to Jesus in all that we do, He and He alone is the answer to the prayers of mankind. He and He alone is our help from the Lord. He is all and in all. Don't look to the blessing from the Lord for your strength, look to the blessor, Look to Jesus and be saved. Through His death we have life.

Come From Among Them

Isaiah 48:20 "go ye forth of Babylon, Flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, the Lord hath redeemed His servant Jacob".


We are not of this world, yet many still try to fit in where we don't belong. We are instructed not to conform to this world. We are now part of a heavenly body passing through on a earthly mission. God has delivered us from the things of this world. We are no longer governed by it's rules, guided by it's philosophies, moved by her motives, living by her laws or surrendering to her spirits. We don't have to chase her trinity, power, prestige, and prosperity. No we have been separated from this confusion as God has redeemed His servant Jacob.

God tells us to go forth, not backwards but forth out of Babylon, a place of confusion. Flee from the Chaldeans, a people of confusion. He wants us to rid ourselves of those things and the people that do nothing but bring confusion in our lives. God is not the author of confusion. He is the prince of peace, so if there is confusion in your life, get rid of it, for it is not of God. Now He doesn't just want us to flee, but to rejoice while we flee, don't sneak away in the middle of the night, no he wants us singing, rejoicing with a loud voice. Jesus said to "be of good cheer for I have overcome the world". Tell everybody with a loud voice that God is a savior. Let them know that God brought you out, of the darkness, out of the bondage of sin, out of the land of confusion. Tell every creature, that Jesus Christ is the way.

Salvation is good news, but unfortunately it is also one of a Christians best kept secrets. We tend to show the world everything but the savior. We spend more time spreading gossip than we do sharing the gospel. God want us to come from among the world of confusion, and let it be known that He is still God, still good, and He still saves. Let us rejoice in our salvation and introduce the world to our savior, as we come from among them, shouting the good news, Jesus saves............ 

Made Free

John 8:32 " And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free".

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life", yet many struggle with what is the truth, and sharing the truth. There are time when even in the house of God the truth is struggled with and not welcome for fear of running people out of the church, or hurting feelings or even worst, crippling the collection plate. But it is only by the truth that man can be saved, and we who have been called by God must not only be willing to stand on the truth , but we must also be willing to share the truth even if it hurts feelings, to save a lost world.

Here we have Jesus teaching the truth of Gods word, and like today he was met with opposition. We must be careful not to disregard something as being the truth, just because it goes against what we want or our personal beliefs, lifestyle and/or agendas. There is so much being taught in the house of God that is not the truth of Gods word, and yet we sit quietly by and let it be taught.The word of God didn't change because the world changed. If it was a sin in Abrahams day it is a sin today. The bible tells me "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever", and since Jesus is the word of God made flesh I have to believe he hasn't changed. It is the truth of Gods word that makes us free from the lies and deception of the enemy. It is the truth of Gods word that makes us free of sin and the guilt of sin. His truth gives us the power to live a victorious life.

Jesus taught that when you believe the word of God you know the truth, and it is in this truth that we are made free. The truth is man was destined for hell, when God sent His only begotten son to die on a cross for the sin of the world. The truth is only those who believe this truth and receives in their heart, Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior will be saved. The truth is God doesn't want our best, for His word says at our best we are but a filthy rag. What God wants is our all. When we give Him our heart He will give us eternal life. The truth is, as it was in the days of Noah, all who are not in the ark of safety when Jesus comes back will perish. So let us live in the truth of Gods word and be free from the wiles of the evil one..

Blessed In Holding On

James 1:12 "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him".

  

Most people make the mistake as to where blessing are found. Blessings are not bound up with wealth, position, power, talent, admiration, friendship, health, pleasure or even a combination of all these. It is often found in the least expected places; amid our trials, tribulations and the temptations of this world. Can it truly be a blessing if you feel the trials of life can take them from you? 

  

Blessed is he who endure the trials of life out of love for God. He who loves God has joy and joy is blessed. He also finds blessings in suffering for that love, as his faith reminds him of the promises of God's word. Blessed are those who are proved true by trial, those who hold on to God and trust his word in the mist of the storm. He is blessed for being kept during his times of trouble, for leaning on God strength in a time of weakness,  and blessed in his submission to God. Anything that makes you call on the name of the Lord or which drives you to seek the Lord, is indeed a blessing. When a storm causes you to call on the name of the Lord you are blessed and when you come through that storm you are blessed; and when you share your testimony with another you become a blessing.

 

Many times we only see blessings as material gain. But to receive something which pulls you away from God is not a blessing,no matter if it is a better job, bigger house,more money etc. If it is interfering with your walk with God it is more of a curse and you should let it go. Let us remember the word of God and trust in his promises and seek the blessings of our tribulations and praise God in the mist of our storms. There is a blessing in your tribulations.

 

Cheerful Giving-Abundant Living

2 Corinthians 9:7 every man according as he puroseth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: For God loveth a cheerful giver".

This Christian life we have been called to live is one of total surrender. God has called us from the darkness into His marvelous light, and one cannot be the light and live in darkness at the same time; no one will cancel out the other. This is a all or nothing way of life.

God doesn't force His will, word, or way on any of us. Man has the free will to make a choice as to whom he will serve. But man doesn't have the choice of how he will serve. Jesus said you are either for Him or against Him. The word of God says He will spit the lukewarm out of His mouth. God wants us to give to Him willingly and cheerfully. He wants us to give Him our all, and to give Him our everything. We must trust that God can do more with that which we have than we can. No it is not about money, God don't need your money the silver and gold is His, no He wants your life and for you to be willing to give it to Him cheerfully. Give it to Him because He paid for it, give it to Him because He knows what is best for you. Give it to Him because he loves you so much that He gave His life for you.

God wants us to give to Him cheerfully and not sparingly. Surrender to Him your whole life that He might be your God and we His people. He said He would withhold no good thing from us , so let us not withhold nothing from Him. Give Him everything and give it cheerfully that you might be blessed abundantly..

To Love A Harlot

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."

Could you marry a Harlot? Would you love a harlot? Is it possible to love someone who is sworn to fun and loyal to none. Could you truly give the best of your all to one who would not appreciate what you are doing for them. Now we know the answer for many of us is no, other wise the divorce rate wouldn't be so high, yet that is what God has done. God loves the harlot.God's love is unconditional.

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 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, we were all harlots, yet God so loved us that he gave....To love a harlot is to love others the way Christ loves us...

Yes Jesus Loves Me

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

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

Jesus allowed his flesh to be crushed, ripped, and torn. He suffered and died a gruesome death. He was the substitute who took our punishment, who paid for our crimes, that we might be made whole, that we might be made the righteousness of God. Through his suffering, we are blessed, through His death we have abundant life. It was our sins that pressed the crown of thorns on his head, our hatred that slapped him, and spit on him, our disobedience which mocks him. He was wounded for our transgressions, and  died for our sins. It was by His bruises that healing was made available to all who will surrender their lives into the Masters hands. Jesus looked beyond all of our faults and he saw our need, and he supplied our every need.

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

Whosoever!

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

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


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

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

Called By My Name

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

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

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

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

Salvation In The Gospel

Romans 1:16 " For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ:For it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth:to the Jew first,and also to the greek."

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is not new, it has been around for centuries.Yet it hasn't been hurt with age. People of and in every generation have heard the Gospel and yet it is still as new as tomorrow. The meaning of the Gospel is a simple one " The announcement of salvation for all mankind through Jesus Christ. It is called the Gospel of peace, the glorious gospel, the universal gospel, and even the everlasting Gospel. The facts of the gospel are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and it denounces sin because the death of Christ atones for sin. Yet it declares hope because of the resurrection of Christ.

The purpose of the Gospel is to save the lost, to abolish death and bring life and immortality to light. It is to prepare us for judgment, for it is the power of God unto salvation, through the preaching of it and teaching of it. The power of the Gospel is manifest in a holy life, as it moves men, nobody stays the same when they hear and receive the good news. The Gospel demands the we come (Matt.11:28)that we go (Matt.28:19), and that we preach (Matt.10:7). In the lives that we live, the conversations that we have, in the company that we keep and the actions that we do,"for whatsoever thou doest, do all to the glory of God."The promises of the Gospel are great and precious.It's grace is sufficient for every situation. It promises devine care and comfort, to supply all our needs, the remission of sins, and eternal life with our Father as we are adopted into His family.

When you hear the Gospel call that is your day of salvation so harden not your heart.Your decision will mean either life or death, blessings or cursing's, companionship or condemnation, hope or hopelessness. But if you want to be with Christ forever, don't be ashamed of His Gospel. Don't be ashamed to hear it, proclaim it, and most importantly to recieve it for it is the power of God unto salvation.

All Need Saving!

Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none righteous no not one, there is none who chooses God. Jesus came to save the lost, but the thing is many don't even realize that they are lost. There are many who have been deceived by the deceiver, into believing they know the way but are still traveling in a wilderness of darkness.

Here Jesus tells His disciples that He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. The word of God says there are none righteous, so what did Jesus mean? The Scribes and the Pharisees were so wrapped in the fig leaf of self righteousness, so holy in their own minds, that they had no idea they needed saving. Jesus came to save all man, but only those who realize they need saving will accept His free gift of salvation.

Have you accepted Christ? Have you heard His voice, the call of salvation? He says the day you hear His voice harden not your heart. Today is the acceptable day of salvation, come to Jesus and be saved.

Follow

John 13:37 "Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake."
Follow Me: These are the instructions given us by our Savior. He said to take up our cross, deny our self daily and follow Him. He is the way so let us follow Him. He is the way out of darkness, for he is the light of the world ,so follow Him. The way out of damnation, for in Him is our salvation. The way out of confusion, for He is our Prince of Peace. The way out of sin, for he is the Savior, so let us follow Him.

Are you ready to follow Jesus? Are you willing to lay down your life for His sake? There is more to following Him than just walking behind Him. To truly follow you must be willing to walk the same way, endure the same things, and suffer the same hardships. Many say they want to follow Christ yet they want to travel on the road of their choosing. But there is only one way to salvation, there is only one road that leads to where Jesus was going, and that road is a narrow road that leads upward. So you will be bumped by the many on the downward road, your feet will be stepped on, your feelings will be hurt, your faith tried, and your commitment challenged. Jesus said if you will follow Him you must deny yourself daily and take up your cross to follow Him. That means to lay down your life. Everyday you must place God's will before yours. Everyday you must esteem others higher than yourself. Everyday you must be will to lay down your life, lay down your wants, lay down your needs, lay down the lust and desires of your flesh, not have them taken away, but voluntarily give them up, so that others might be saved, while trusting that God will make a way for you.

Peter didn't understand, that he wasn't ready to follow Jesus. See our spirit man is willing to do and go where the Lord leads us, but it is the weakness of our flesh and the strength that we sometimes allow it to have over us that causes us to deny Christ ,after our spirit has confessed Him. Jesus said "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak". Are you ready to lay down your life for Christ sake?

Stay With Your Calling

1Corinthians 7:20 " Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called"

Jesus said "Ye are the light of the world"; If that be so let us not live like children of the darkness. We were called out of the darkness to be a light upon a hill that all in darkness might come to know the way. Jesus Christ is the way and we who profess to be His must walk in a manner that will lead lost souls to the salvation of the Lord.

There are many freedom in the life of a Christian. There are many liberties afforded us , but in all thing we must use self control, that we bring glory to the name and person of God. It not a matter if something is legal or illegal in the life of a child of God, it is about is it holy and will it bring glory to God and lead a lost soul to salvation. Our lives are to be a walking testimony to the power of God. Our bodies are the temple of the holy spirit and there is just some things, situations and positions, in which the temple of the holy spirit should be found in. everything about our life should bring God glory and bear truth to His story that He rose with all power.

Here Paul tells us that we were called to be ambassadors for Christ and we should abide or stay in the calling which we have been called to live in. No man can serve two masters, and we can't be saved and live unsaved lives. Somewhere something is lying, for he ask " is Christ divided".

Independence Day

John 8:36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
How many of us would like to be king or queen for a day? Imagine having all of that power, and liberty to do what ever we wanted. Jezebel was once queen of Israel, she likely adorned herself in the finest royal apparel. But she pranced around unaware of the invisible robe made up of satanic chains wrapped tightly around her. She believed she had the liberty to do what ever she wanted, she even convinced her husband Ahab, to take what did not belong to him, simply because he was the king, and could do so.

But every time she did what she wanted, she tightened her shackles. Jezebel thought she had everything and could do as she pleased, but she was in fact totally enslaved. Remember, liberty isn't freedom, liberty just means we have the freedom to choose, it is a free will, but we must make the right choice. Sadly, we live in a generation of Jezebels. Our society has convinced us that doing as we please, having a lot of money, and being famous, brings freedom. Because we feel "free", we think we can do as we please. We do not understand how our selfishness and sinful desires can steal our freedom, making us a slave to many masters.

When we believers fail to fellowship with God and meditate in his word, we return to our former bondage and ways. Christ has indeed freed us, removing the desire, passion, and appetite for sin without withdrawals or symptoms; however to remain free, requires us to remain in his presence and in his word. Only Jesus can free us from the bondage of sin and death, and if we are not free in Christ, we are no more free than Jezebel was, and are destined for the same terrible end. Jesus Christ the truth that makes us free. A True Independence day!

God Knows..............

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

 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. Many talk about trusting God, however the truth shines in that great day of trouble. The true believer is calm and quiet in his God, and takes refuge in His strong tower. Everybody can find a bird's nest in the winter when the trees are bare, but what about when the green leaves hide them. The believers faith and life is put on displayed by adversity. The true believer shines in times of tribulation, for His trust lies within the Lord.

Do you truly trust in the Lord? Now I am not talking about saying you trust Him , but do you live in your trust of Him? Does the trials and tribulations of life cause you to seek comfort in things of this world?  Do you look to things and people or do you look to God in your day of trouble. We say the Lord is our shepherd, but sometimes we live as though God don't know our needs, concerns, and troubles. Don't you know God cannot lie: His word tells us He will supply our every need; that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He tells us to take no thought for tomorrow, yet we live in fear of trouble, of lack, and the uncertainties of this world.

we have no idea as to what tomorrow will bring, but we should trust in Him who will bring tomorrow. God knows all, and He knows those that are His. He sees all that is before us and we must trust that it is alright already. Trust In Jesus He will never fail.

What If!

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 teachings on love attacks several traditions and misinterpretations of scripture that we sometimes use to justify our sinful and unloving nature.While we have learned to love thy neighbor,we often times seem to want to exclude our enemies. But Jesus shatters this line of thinking by instructing 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, but comes solely from the heart of the one loving. We are to seek the best interest of the other 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 is a sacrificial love demonstrates
 which demonstrates that our purpose for living is larger than ourselves.

 Jesus commands us to pray for and bless those that offend us. Now 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 and how far our love for others should go. One is a blow to the face and the other is stolen clothes, in both cases we are not retaliate. The purpose is to reach out in love instead of satisfying the desires of our flesh 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 that we must also be merciful to others in our daily lives, as the Father daily pours out new mercy on us. Our love must be one of action as we show the world the same love that Christ showed us, as while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The standard of sacrificial love goes beyond what others might do or what we might feel we should do, but it is what Jesus teaches us, it is what he did. The prime example of selfless giving is our heavenly Father himself, who showed kindness to all humanity, 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.

 

Give It To Jesus

Matthew 6:27 "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his statue?"
1Peter 5:7 "Casting all your care upon him;for he careth for you."
Anxiety runs high in this country,and Jesus gave us several reasons why, and what to do about this sickness of mind.In Matt.(6:25-34),Jesus warns against being so preoccupied with material needs that the will of God is ignored.His response to worry is don't do it.It is directly opposite of believing in faith that God will always come through.Worrying indicates a lack of trust in God.To work so hard for the material things of this world leaves no room for a display of God's miraculous hand in the lives of the believers.

In addressing peoples worries, Jesus was really addressing their lack of faith."O ye of little faith. Jesus says to the worrier,"take a look around".The birds and the flowers are all taken care of  by God.Have any of you ever seen a bird in a mental health hospital suffering from a panic attack?Jesus died for man not for animals and vegetation, so take no thought.Jesus points out that a person's value is greater than that of a bird or a flower,so we must have faith that God is at work on our behalf. Beside worring dosn't add to ones life,it dosn't make you taller nor will you live longer.Instead of working for, and worrying about material things,Jesus encourages His children to busy themselves with activities to build up God's kingdom on earth.We must have a hunger for righteousness and close living with God.If that is the focus of our daily action,we will never worry obsessively about the things of this world,for we will trust that God will provide our every need.

We are told through out Gods word to trust in Him in everything.Paul says to worry about nothing ,but to bring everything to God in greatful prayer.When believers do this, God gives us a peace that is beyond all understanding.So let us cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us, and he will provide our every need. After all the Lord is our shepherd, He will provide our every need.