Mark 13:13 "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endure unto the end, the same shall be saved".
The life of a Christian is not a Sunday morning thing, it is a life long commitment. It is a life of total surrender. Once you confess Christ there is no turning back, for whosoever put his hand to the plough and look back is not fit for the kingdom of heaven; so we must be sure to count up the cost before we begin this journey. This is not easy. It is a long uphill journey on a narrow road, but it is the road that must be traveled if you want to be with Jesus.
When you confess Christ, I mean truly give your life to Jesus, you will find that many who said they were your friends and family will begin to stray away. They will blame you by saying things like, you think you better than us, or you changed, you're so holy you are no fun. But don't be discouraged by how others act towards you, just make sure you act like Christ towards them. Jesus warns us that we will be hated for His name sake, He didn't say to hate them back, He said to endure to the end and you shall be saved. Don't let the way others treat you, dictate how you treat them. My mother use to always say, "you be the Christian if no body else will". It is not you they are hating it is the perfection which lies within you, that now exposes the imperfection of their lives, it is called conviction of the heart, and this must take place before there can be conversion of the soul.
So as you make this journey there are times when you might feel like you are all alone, but remember Jesus said He will never leave you nor forsake you, so hold to His hand and trust in His word and endure unto the end and be saved.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Friday, August 29, 2014
Sworn Testimony
John 1:8 " He was not the light, but was sent to bear witness of that light".
The world is dying of sin and guilt, and is in desperate need of a savior. The good news is there is a savior of the world; The word of God says that "God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life". Now there are many who have bore witness to this truth but the problem is few are willing to give a sworn testimony. Few promise to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Many in an effort to be friends with this world, many who have been blinded by the joys, toys and false pleasures presented in this world, have lost credibility as a sworn witness. They have been bribed and their testimony is not believable. We have been sent by God to bear witness through our sworn testimony that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. We must be careful not to let our testimony be bought off with selfish ambitions and personal desires. Let us make our meat to be about our Fathers business that none will perish. Let us tell a dying world the good news of salvation in our walk and our talk. Let ours be a sworn testimony.
Do you promise to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, that Jesus Christ is Lord.
The world is dying of sin and guilt, and is in desperate need of a savior. The good news is there is a savior of the world; The word of God says that "God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life". Now there are many who have bore witness to this truth but the problem is few are willing to give a sworn testimony. Few promise to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Many in an effort to be friends with this world, many who have been blinded by the joys, toys and false pleasures presented in this world, have lost credibility as a sworn witness. They have been bribed and their testimony is not believable. We have been sent by God to bear witness through our sworn testimony that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. We must be careful not to let our testimony be bought off with selfish ambitions and personal desires. Let us make our meat to be about our Fathers business that none will perish. Let us tell a dying world the good news of salvation in our walk and our talk. Let ours be a sworn testimony.
Do you promise to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
He Heard My Cry
Psalm 120:1 " In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and He heard me".
Who can you call when the world comes crashing down on your head? The world of God tells us "To call upon the name of the Lord in your day of trouble, and I will hear you and deliver you". Yet there are many who have refused to call upon Him. Many believe they can make it with the bank accounts, positions, or on their own, but the truth is Jesus Christ is the only way.
When the cares of this world makes you a prisoner of distress, as you are held captive to lying lips, and a deceitful tongue, know that there is one who awaits your call. When your personal desires, and need for self elevation leads you away as sheep without a shepherd, no that He is the good shepherd who will never leave you nor forsake you. He tells us to cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us. God wants us free from worry that we can go out share the good news of salvation to a dying world.
Let us not look to the hills for our help, let us look to the Lord, He is our help. Cry out to Him, He will hear you and he will save you. Jesus saves................
Who can you call when the world comes crashing down on your head? The world of God tells us "To call upon the name of the Lord in your day of trouble, and I will hear you and deliver you". Yet there are many who have refused to call upon Him. Many believe they can make it with the bank accounts, positions, or on their own, but the truth is Jesus Christ is the only way.
When the cares of this world makes you a prisoner of distress, as you are held captive to lying lips, and a deceitful tongue, know that there is one who awaits your call. When your personal desires, and need for self elevation leads you away as sheep without a shepherd, no that He is the good shepherd who will never leave you nor forsake you. He tells us to cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us. God wants us free from worry that we can go out share the good news of salvation to a dying world.
Let us not look to the hills for our help, let us look to the Lord, He is our help. Cry out to Him, He will hear you and he will save you. Jesus saves................
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Just Unbelieveable
2 Corinthians 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him".
Jesus Christ death; the message is unbelievable, a message of redemption, that is a substitution for sin. This is one of the great verses proclaiming the unbelievable love of God. It is impossible for man to grasp the fact that God made Christ to be sin for us, yet that is exactly what the scripture says. He who knew no sin, made to be sin. The perfect sacrifice for an imperfect people, that we might be presented not guilty before God.
Jesus Christ death; the message is unbelievable, a message of redemption, that is a substitution for sin. This is one of the great verses proclaiming the unbelievable love of God. It is impossible for man to grasp the fact that God made Christ to be sin for us, yet that is exactly what the scripture says. He who knew no sin, made to be sin. The perfect sacrifice for an imperfect people, that we might be presented not guilty before God.
Why was this act necessary? Because man needs more than just righteousness to stand perfect before God. To stand righteous before God is not enough, for man has already sinned. Man already stood guilty of breaking God's law, and the judgment and condemnation of death had already taken effect upon man. So the condemnation and judgment of sin had to be taken care of. God did this by laying all the sins of man upon Christ. All the guilt and condemnation of sin, God placed it all on Christ and let Him bear it all by Himself. God's purpose for this was that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ. That we might be found not guilty before the Father. When a person believes in Jesus Christ, God takes that man's faith and He counts it as righteousness. The man is not righteous, but God considers the man's faith as righteousness. God does this because he loves man so much, that he sent His only begotten Son to die that we might have a right to life. Jesus secured righteousness for man. He came into the world to die for man. He came and arose from death and thus conquered death for man, thus His resurrected life could stand for the resurrected life of the believer and pronounce him innocent.
The truth is this, God loves His Son so much, that He honors any man who honors His son by believing in Him and believing Him. We are not innocent, we know this and God knows this, but God counts us as innocent because of our faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the righteousness God sees when He looks at the life of a believer. What an unbelievable Love....
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
What's Your Excuse?
Luke 14:18a " And they all with one consent began to make excuses".
There is a great dinner being prepared, and many are invited. Now it is not just for the rich and privileged, no everyone is invited. It is a feast and the Lord is calling the poor, maimed and the blind, and the Lord has sent His servant to call all; to come for all things are ready and yet many have begun to make excuses.
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We are unworthy to eat at the table of the Lord; We are born in sin and shaped in iniquity. We are a vile sinful creature and yet the Lord is calling all who will hear to come for all things are ready. He has sent His son, to clean us and dress us that we might be worthy to feast on food divine, and yet many are making excuses as why we can't come. The invitation is extended and many have yet to RSVP because of the cares of this world. Many have put the things of this world before their need for salvation. Today is the acceptable day of salvation, when you hear His voice harden not your heart. There will come a day when you want to hear a word from the Lord and there will be none, seek the Lord while He might be found.
Many believe they have all the time in the world to give their lives to Christ, so they have many excuses which keeps them outside the ark of safety. God is longsuffering, but He will not be mocked; for the Lord said "that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper".
There is a great dinner being prepared, and many are invited. Now it is not just for the rich and privileged, no everyone is invited. It is a feast and the Lord is calling the poor, maimed and the blind, and the Lord has sent His servant to call all; to come for all things are ready and yet many have begun to make excuses.
.
We are unworthy to eat at the table of the Lord; We are born in sin and shaped in iniquity. We are a vile sinful creature and yet the Lord is calling all who will hear to come for all things are ready. He has sent His son, to clean us and dress us that we might be worthy to feast on food divine, and yet many are making excuses as why we can't come. The invitation is extended and many have yet to RSVP because of the cares of this world. Many have put the things of this world before their need for salvation. Today is the acceptable day of salvation, when you hear His voice harden not your heart. There will come a day when you want to hear a word from the Lord and there will be none, seek the Lord while He might be found.
Many believe they have all the time in the world to give their lives to Christ, so they have many excuses which keeps them outside the ark of safety. God is longsuffering, but He will not be mocked; for the Lord said "that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper".
Monday, August 25, 2014
Return To Our First Love
Judges 10:16 " And they put away strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel".
How many time have we prayed and asked God to get out of a situation with a promise that we would change our lives if he did, only to go back to our old ways as soon as the danger was gone. Through the years we believers can become complacent in our relationship with the Lord. We often begin to take Christ's sacrifice and God's daily grace for granted. Daily meditation in God's word, prayer, and communion are all reminders of the new covenant He has made with all who believe in Him.
Because God understands the nature of His people. He instructed Israel to remember on the day they came out of Egypt, out of their bondage, that it was the Lord who set them free. He wants us to remember our deliverance from the bondage of sin, and know that it is by His grace and mercy that we have a right to the tree of life. When we lose sight of God, we begin to focus on the inhabitants of this world. We begin to be drawn to serve and worship the gods of this world, and hold to the false hopes and empty promises we are presented with. We have made a covenant with God and at times we break our promises and are lead away into the captivity of sin. It is then we begin to cry out to the true God.But unless you repent you are not reconciled back to God.
Repentance starts with the heart, and a acknowledgement of truth as to what we have done. Then there must be a deliberate turning away from sin, and a conscious decision must be made that we will love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, serving Him only. Sadly, like Israel, we often cycle in our relationship with the Lord; we can be hot, lukewarm and sometimes even cold. Israel's actions should warn us of the danger of replacing our worship of God with another. To come back to God we must acknowledge and turn from their sin, and we must turn to God in faith through Jesus.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Come Together
John 17:21-"That they all be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us; That the world may believe that thou hast sent me:
Here we have Jesus revealed as the great intercessor. Here he is praying that we all be united. The standard of this unity is the oneness, the same oneness as between Jesus and the Father.We as true believers must come together as one.This is an absolute for the spreading of the Gospel. There is a world that has not been reached; millions are walking in darkness, because we believers have not unified enough to penetrate the world with the truth of the Gospel.The problem is not God, He hasn't changed and He never fails, so we must look at the called of God and our lack of duty.
See there are three essentials for men to become believers; First there is the messenger, the person who proclaims the word so that man can believe.Then there must be a message which to proclaim, and since we are Gods messengers, the message we take into the world must be the testimony of God's revelation to mankind. We who confess Jesus Christ as Lord must lay aside our petty difference, and lift up the one thing that we all have in common. Let us come together as one and proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucified. We the many members of this one glorious body coming together proclaim a single message. Come together as one as Christ and the Father are one. One body proclaiming Gods only message to a dying world, Christ and him crucified. A body of one, unified that world may know that God sent Jesus into the world, and that through him the world might be saved.
The world needs a unified love more than anything else, it needs to see a great demonstration of love from a massive multitude of people.Think of the power the world would see if all believers came together in a united love sharing the good news of the gospel. So let us who confess the name of Jesus, become one with Jesus, one with his Love and message, that all in darkness might come to know his marvelous light.
Here we have Jesus revealed as the great intercessor. Here he is praying that we all be united. The standard of this unity is the oneness, the same oneness as between Jesus and the Father.We as true believers must come together as one.This is an absolute for the spreading of the Gospel. There is a world that has not been reached; millions are walking in darkness, because we believers have not unified enough to penetrate the world with the truth of the Gospel.The problem is not God, He hasn't changed and He never fails, so we must look at the called of God and our lack of duty.
See there are three essentials for men to become believers; First there is the messenger, the person who proclaims the word so that man can believe.Then there must be a message which to proclaim, and since we are Gods messengers, the message we take into the world must be the testimony of God's revelation to mankind. We who confess Jesus Christ as Lord must lay aside our petty difference, and lift up the one thing that we all have in common. Let us come together as one and proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucified. We the many members of this one glorious body coming together proclaim a single message. Come together as one as Christ and the Father are one. One body proclaiming Gods only message to a dying world, Christ and him crucified. A body of one, unified that world may know that God sent Jesus into the world, and that through him the world might be saved.
The world needs a unified love more than anything else, it needs to see a great demonstration of love from a massive multitude of people.Think of the power the world would see if all believers came together in a united love sharing the good news of the gospel. So let us who confess the name of Jesus, become one with Jesus, one with his Love and message, that all in darkness might come to know his marvelous light.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Do You Hear Him?
Amos 8:11 "Behold the days come saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord."
The word of God says to seek the Lord while he can be found. There will be a day when we will seek a word from God and there will be none. God has done everything He is going to do to provide man a way out of the prison of sin and the bondage of the guilt of sin. He sent His only begotten to die that man might be redeemed, He has allowed His spirit to be poured out on all flesh and yet there are still some who reject this gift of salvation. He is longsuffering that none shall perish, yet there will be a day when heaven shuts up.
There is a famine coming, not a famine of bread or of water but of the word of God. A day when you will want to hear from God and can't. A day when heaven will be silent, and prayers will fall upon deaf ears. a day when God will have nothing else to say. He has sent the Law, the Prophets, His only begotten Son to die for the sin of the world. He has chosen, called , equipped and sent Ministers and servant to carry His gospel message into a dying world and poured is spirit out on all flesh that none shall perish, yet many still reject the fullness of His gospel message. He says a day will come when we will seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it.
Today is the acceptable day of salvation. He says the day you hear His voice harden not your hearts. Have you heard the voice of the Lord? Do you hear the word of the Lord, and Have you received Jesus Christ into your heart as your personal savior?
The word of God says to seek the Lord while he can be found. There will be a day when we will seek a word from God and there will be none. God has done everything He is going to do to provide man a way out of the prison of sin and the bondage of the guilt of sin. He sent His only begotten to die that man might be redeemed, He has allowed His spirit to be poured out on all flesh and yet there are still some who reject this gift of salvation. He is longsuffering that none shall perish, yet there will be a day when heaven shuts up.
There is a famine coming, not a famine of bread or of water but of the word of God. A day when you will want to hear from God and can't. A day when heaven will be silent, and prayers will fall upon deaf ears. a day when God will have nothing else to say. He has sent the Law, the Prophets, His only begotten Son to die for the sin of the world. He has chosen, called , equipped and sent Ministers and servant to carry His gospel message into a dying world and poured is spirit out on all flesh that none shall perish, yet many still reject the fullness of His gospel message. He says a day will come when we will seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it.
Today is the acceptable day of salvation. He says the day you hear His voice harden not your hearts. Have you heard the voice of the Lord? Do you hear the word of the Lord, and Have you received Jesus Christ into your heart as your personal savior?
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Walking The Talk
Luke 6:27-28 "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you,"
What would happen if Christians started living out what Jesus taught? 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 sometime seem to exclude our enemies. But Jesus instructs us to love and do good to our enemies. 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 ourselves.
Jesus commands us to pray for and bless those that offend us, not to strike back when mistreated. 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, but it is what Jesus teaches us to do.
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.
What would happen if Christians started living out what Jesus taught? 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 sometime seem to exclude our enemies. But Jesus instructs us to love and do good to our enemies. 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 ourselves.
Jesus commands us to pray for and bless those that offend us, not to strike back when mistreated. 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, but it is what Jesus teaches us to do.
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.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Living In Christ
Col. 3:3-"For ye are dead , and your life is hid with Christ in God".
We as believers have been called to be the beloved of God, his elect who really believe and trust Jesus Christ as our savior. By the grace of God we have been given new life. By surrendering our life to Christ, God has forgiven us our sins, and he now accepts us in Christ death and resurrection. Now thru our faith in the resurrection of Christ, God has blessed us with heavenly blessings which should occupy our every praise and thanksgiving. Christ resurrection shows us that Jesus is in fact the son of the living God. By it we know by faith that we have been raised to a new life, that we are saved and justified, given power to live victoriously over sin and the trials of this world.
We as believers have been called to be the beloved of God, his elect who really believe and trust Jesus Christ as our savior. By the grace of God we have been given new life. By surrendering our life to Christ, God has forgiven us our sins, and he now accepts us in Christ death and resurrection. Now thru our faith in the resurrection of Christ, God has blessed us with heavenly blessings which should occupy our every praise and thanksgiving. Christ resurrection shows us that Jesus is in fact the son of the living God. By it we know by faith that we have been raised to a new life, that we are saved and justified, given power to live victoriously over sin and the trials of this world.
We are given hope, even the hope of glory which we have in Jesus Christ. In Him we are guaranteed resurrection from the death of sin. God takes our faith in Jesus, and counts it as righteousness, our faith in Jesus makes us one with Christ, giving us union with him. When Jesus died and rose again, we too by faith, died and rose a new creature in Christ. Having a new life with a new heart, a new character, walk toward new aims from a new direction, and walking after new leaders. A heart ruled by the peace of Jesus Christ, a peace that passes all understanding. A peace which binds us, joins us, and weaves us together, that we are assured , confident, and secured in the love and care of God. This peace strengthens, encourages, guides, sustains, delivers, saves, provides, and gives us real life, a new life in Christ. This peace makes us one with Christ and his word. This new heart is rich with the word of Christ.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ taking root in our heart to furnish us with all the wealth of its promises, commandments, instructions and warnings that we might have real love one to another, as we now do everything in the name of Jesus. We have died to everything else, and now we live a life hid with Christ in God, so let us live our life in Christ; enter into His rest.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
On His Way To Glory
John 17:4 "I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do".
Here is Jesus at the end of His earthly ministry, on his way to glory and 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. This was the purpose he came into the world. On His way to the grave Jesus went through some things on 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 glory he glorified the Father, as 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 ear, so man could hear the word of God. 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. He even called the dead back to life, so man could live a new life as he was no longer dead in sin. On His way to glory Jesus paved the way for lost man to be saved and live with Him 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 obedient unto death that we might be obedient unto life everlasting, all on His way to glory. Jesus accepted for us, the wage paid by sin. Jesus died that we might have life and life more abundantly.
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. On His way to the glory 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. This He did on His way to glory
On His way to glory he glorified the Father, as 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 ear, so man could hear the word of God. 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. He even called the dead back to life, so man could live a new life as he was no longer dead in sin. On His way to glory Jesus paved the way for lost man to be saved and live with Him 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 obedient unto death that we might be obedient unto life everlasting, all on His way to glory. Jesus accepted for us, the wage paid by sin. Jesus died that we might have life and life more abundantly.
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. On His way to the glory 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. This He did on His way to glory
Monday, August 18, 2014
He's Our Guide
Psalm 25:4 "Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths".
We are called to be Christ like. To live and 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 can't allowed the world to trivialize the name we bear, by living a life unpleasing to God. The world is trying to define how we are to live, but let us pray to the Lord for guidance.
The word of God is our instruction in righteousness that we are to obey and follow. We should study this word as not to be deceived by the deceiver. We must pray and ask God to show us His way that we might live a life pleasing to Him. His word tells us that Jesus the Christ is the way. He is the only way. He is the only way to the Father, to righteousness, to salvation, and He is the way we can live a life pleasing to God . He has showed us His way, and His word will teach us and lead us down His paths, leading us in His truth, that we might lead the lost to salvation. His will is that none shall perish and He has equipped each of us to go out into a dark world, and be a light upon a hill that cannot be hid. That the lost might be saved.
God will supply all that we will ever need to do all that He has called us to do. We must seek Him out in prayer and study that we come to the knowledge of His truths for our life. Jesus is our every need as is available to everybody. He is the only way
We are called to be Christ like. To live and 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 can't allowed the world to trivialize the name we bear, by living a life unpleasing to God. The world is trying to define how we are to live, but let us pray to the Lord for guidance.
The word of God is our instruction in righteousness that we are to obey and follow. We should study this word as not to be deceived by the deceiver. We must pray and ask God to show us His way that we might live a life pleasing to Him. His word tells us that Jesus the Christ is the way. He is the only way. He is the only way to the Father, to righteousness, to salvation, and He is the way we can live a life pleasing to God . He has showed us His way, and His word will teach us and lead us down His paths, leading us in His truth, that we might lead the lost to salvation. His will is that none shall perish and He has equipped each of us to go out into a dark world, and be a light upon a hill that cannot be hid. That the lost might be saved.
God will supply all that we will ever need to do all that He has called us to do. We must seek Him out in prayer and study that we come to the knowledge of His truths for our life. Jesus is our every need as is available to everybody. He is the only way
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Let Him Shine In You
2Corinthians 4:5 " for we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake".
It is evident in everything around us that the world is becoming more unstable, threatening, dangerous, and immoral. Scripture speaks of the trials we believer will go through, which are designed to purge and perfect us. It is through our affliction and persecution that God is working in us for an eternal purpose. What ever we suffer as part of the body of Christ, is part of our transformation into His glorious image by the work of His holy spirit.
Satan is at work against us, and will do whatever he can to prevent the light of the Gospel from illuminating the minds and hearts of the unbeliever. But that should not keep us from letting our light shine. The darker the world become the brighter our lights should shine, so that all in darkness can see the way to deliverance. Our light shines brightest when we share the truth, that salvation is found only in Jesus Christ. When we lift up Jesus Christ, the light of the world, then we can conquer the darkness with His light. We must realize it is not about us, who we are, or if we are saved or not, this is solely about the one who saves, Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
We are just unworthy vessels, chosen to carry such a precious message, that all the world needs to hear. We are not the light, we are just a clay house that holds the light, that all traveling through this vast dark wilderness can find the way. Let us put His light on display that all can see the glory of the Lord and be saved.
It is evident in everything around us that the world is becoming more unstable, threatening, dangerous, and immoral. Scripture speaks of the trials we believer will go through, which are designed to purge and perfect us. It is through our affliction and persecution that God is working in us for an eternal purpose. What ever we suffer as part of the body of Christ, is part of our transformation into His glorious image by the work of His holy spirit.
Satan is at work against us, and will do whatever he can to prevent the light of the Gospel from illuminating the minds and hearts of the unbeliever. But that should not keep us from letting our light shine. The darker the world become the brighter our lights should shine, so that all in darkness can see the way to deliverance. Our light shines brightest when we share the truth, that salvation is found only in Jesus Christ. When we lift up Jesus Christ, the light of the world, then we can conquer the darkness with His light. We must realize it is not about us, who we are, or if we are saved or not, this is solely about the one who saves, Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
We are just unworthy vessels, chosen to carry such a precious message, that all the world needs to hear. We are not the light, we are just a clay house that holds the light, that all traveling through this vast dark wilderness can find the way. Let us put His light on display that all can see the glory of the Lord and be saved.
Friday, August 15, 2014
In Christ Alone
Genesis 15:6 " And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness".
Unbelief! Many will be kept out of the land of promise because of there disbelief. Unbelief, the first step Adam took before he disobeyed God. The word of God says that many of the children of Israel didn't enter the promise land because of there unbelief. Did you know not to believe God is a Sin?
It is our belief in the word of God which is counted as righteousness.
Man is incapable of being righteous, or holy enough to stand before God. It Is our faith and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ which is righteous. God looks at our faith and counts it as righteousness. Jesus Christ is our righteousness before God. In Him lies our holiness, our perfection and our sinless life which God is calling us to live. We must be in Christ and Christ in us that we might be found without spot or blemish. Romans 8:1 tells us "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit". Since Christ has come those who believe in Him are not condemned. God counts our faith in Christ as us living, and dying with Him being raise to a new life in Christ. God sees us as sinless and perfect, because Jesus was sinless and perfect and the life we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us.
Jesus Said we must abide in Him and He in us, as the branch cannot produce fruit aside from the vine. What God has called us to become lies in Christ. We can do nothing and are nothing outside of Christ. Our salvation is in Christ and Christ alone, He is our righteousness.
Unbelief! Many will be kept out of the land of promise because of there disbelief. Unbelief, the first step Adam took before he disobeyed God. The word of God says that many of the children of Israel didn't enter the promise land because of there unbelief. Did you know not to believe God is a Sin?
It is our belief in the word of God which is counted as righteousness.
Man is incapable of being righteous, or holy enough to stand before God. It Is our faith and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ which is righteous. God looks at our faith and counts it as righteousness. Jesus Christ is our righteousness before God. In Him lies our holiness, our perfection and our sinless life which God is calling us to live. We must be in Christ and Christ in us that we might be found without spot or blemish. Romans 8:1 tells us "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit". Since Christ has come those who believe in Him are not condemned. God counts our faith in Christ as us living, and dying with Him being raise to a new life in Christ. God sees us as sinless and perfect, because Jesus was sinless and perfect and the life we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us.
Jesus Said we must abide in Him and He in us, as the branch cannot produce fruit aside from the vine. What God has called us to become lies in Christ. We can do nothing and are nothing outside of Christ. Our salvation is in Christ and Christ alone, He is our righteousness.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Praise Him
Psalm 145:2 Every day I will bless thee, and I will praise thy name for ever and ever".
Great is the Lord, and He is greatly to be praised. From one generation to the next, we shall sing praises to thy holy name. Men shall speak of your mighty acts, and shall declare thy greatness. With your right hand your mercy upholds all who have fallen and your grace keeps all who calls on your name. You alone are worthy of all the praise.
God is good and His mercy endures forever. All who opened their eyes this morning should be singing praises unto the Lord. Rather your day is good or not so good the fact that you have been blessed to see a day not promised to any man should cause you to say thank you Lord. If you got out of the bed with your own strength, dressed yourself, and had food to eat, should have caused you to shout out to the Lord in a voice of praise. It's not that were so good, but that God is a merciful God and blessed us with yet another day, another chance, and another blessing.
We have been blessed with yet another opportunity to share this good news that Jesus Christ is the only way. Let us make the most of this precious gift of another day, and tell everybody we see about the goodness of God, and remember to sing His praise for He alone is worthy.
Great is the Lord, and He is greatly to be praised. From one generation to the next, we shall sing praises to thy holy name. Men shall speak of your mighty acts, and shall declare thy greatness. With your right hand your mercy upholds all who have fallen and your grace keeps all who calls on your name. You alone are worthy of all the praise.
God is good and His mercy endures forever. All who opened their eyes this morning should be singing praises unto the Lord. Rather your day is good or not so good the fact that you have been blessed to see a day not promised to any man should cause you to say thank you Lord. If you got out of the bed with your own strength, dressed yourself, and had food to eat, should have caused you to shout out to the Lord in a voice of praise. It's not that were so good, but that God is a merciful God and blessed us with yet another day, another chance, and another blessing.
We have been blessed with yet another opportunity to share this good news that Jesus Christ is the only way. Let us make the most of this precious gift of another day, and tell everybody we see about the goodness of God, and remember to sing His praise for He alone is worthy.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Equipped With Word
2Timothy 3:16 " All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works".
We have been called and separated from this world to be ambassadors for Christ. Called to live a life that bears witness to the truth of Gods' word, that Jesus saves. Called to let our light so shine before man that they see our good works and glorify God in heaven. We have been given all that we need to live this life, yet we tend to fall short of Gods calling.
The word of God instructs us and to go out into a sinful world and live a holy and fruitful life that lost man might seek the salvation of the Lord. We must learn to trust the whole word of God, not only to comfort and encourage us, but also to instruct and correct us. God's word is the lamp which is to guide our steps. For the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Gods word are the principles by which we should live by. It is the standard we shall be judged by, and all that we need to be complete in the service for which God has called us into. With the word of God we are thoroughly and fully equipped to handle all that comes upon us, that we might lead a lost world to the salvation of the Lord.
Jesus told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to ever creature that all might be saved. With the truth of His word, the power of His spirit, and with and the witness our testimony, we are to lead a world lost in darkness to Jesus the light of the world. We are to take up the broken lives and bring them to Jesus that none should be lost.
We have been called and separated from this world to be ambassadors for Christ. Called to live a life that bears witness to the truth of Gods' word, that Jesus saves. Called to let our light so shine before man that they see our good works and glorify God in heaven. We have been given all that we need to live this life, yet we tend to fall short of Gods calling.
The word of God instructs us and to go out into a sinful world and live a holy and fruitful life that lost man might seek the salvation of the Lord. We must learn to trust the whole word of God, not only to comfort and encourage us, but also to instruct and correct us. God's word is the lamp which is to guide our steps. For the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Gods word are the principles by which we should live by. It is the standard we shall be judged by, and all that we need to be complete in the service for which God has called us into. With the word of God we are thoroughly and fully equipped to handle all that comes upon us, that we might lead a lost world to the salvation of the Lord.
Jesus told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to ever creature that all might be saved. With the truth of His word, the power of His spirit, and with and the witness our testimony, we are to lead a world lost in darkness to Jesus the light of the world. We are to take up the broken lives and bring them to Jesus that none should be lost.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
None Other
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. 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. 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. There is none other....
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. 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. 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. There is none other....
Monday, August 11, 2014
Instructions Given!
Luke 9:2 "And He sent them to preach the Kingdom of God, and to heal the sick".
Paul tells us to "Take up the whole armor of God, that you be able to stand in that evil day". See Satan will do all he can to discourage us, to induce us to become disillusioned and afraid, and to abandon our confidence in God. We must Stand fast in the truth we have learned, concentrating on living righteously regardless of circumstances. We must be careful not to let our circumstances determine if we are Christ like or not. We also must be active in doing our part in furthering the spread of the true gospel, never losing sight of eternal life as our goal and using God's Word as the sword that cuts through all deception.
We were given a duty, to proclaim through word and deed the good news of the gospel, and no matter what the situation is we should use it as a opportunity to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.But equally important is that we pray in the spirit on all occasions. With this in mind, we must be alert and always pray for others. Our ability to stir up God's spirit within us and remain spiritually strong and active, depends on how much we truly rely on God. One of the main keys to keeping the working of God's spirit active and stirred up in our lives, is keeping our minds on the big picture of what God is doing. If we make it about us, dwelling on ourselves and our own problems we become far more vulnerable to Satan's negative influences. We must see ourselves as part of a great work that God is doing, and remember it is not about us, but about our Savior and his ability to save the lost. It is important that we keep our confidence in God alive and active, so we ought to always pray. It is through prayer that we are able to draw near to God, and thus keep his spirit stirred up within us.
We must stay focused on the goal, to present everyman perfect in Jesus Christ, that all might have everlasting life with our Father which art in heaven.
Paul tells us to "Take up the whole armor of God, that you be able to stand in that evil day". See Satan will do all he can to discourage us, to induce us to become disillusioned and afraid, and to abandon our confidence in God. We must Stand fast in the truth we have learned, concentrating on living righteously regardless of circumstances. We must be careful not to let our circumstances determine if we are Christ like or not. We also must be active in doing our part in furthering the spread of the true gospel, never losing sight of eternal life as our goal and using God's Word as the sword that cuts through all deception.
We were given a duty, to proclaim through word and deed the good news of the gospel, and no matter what the situation is we should use it as a opportunity to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.But equally important is that we pray in the spirit on all occasions. With this in mind, we must be alert and always pray for others. Our ability to stir up God's spirit within us and remain spiritually strong and active, depends on how much we truly rely on God. One of the main keys to keeping the working of God's spirit active and stirred up in our lives, is keeping our minds on the big picture of what God is doing. If we make it about us, dwelling on ourselves and our own problems we become far more vulnerable to Satan's negative influences. We must see ourselves as part of a great work that God is doing, and remember it is not about us, but about our Savior and his ability to save the lost. It is important that we keep our confidence in God alive and active, so we ought to always pray. It is through prayer that we are able to draw near to God, and thus keep his spirit stirred up within us.
We must stay focused on the goal, to present everyman perfect in Jesus Christ, that all might have everlasting life with our Father which art in heaven.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Time To Go To Work
Matthew 9:37 "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few";
Jesus said "the harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborer's are few". The world is full of lost souls, but there doesn't seem to be enough workers in the field to lead them to Christ. God saved us, that we might be laborer's of the harvest. God saved us that we might be witnesses to the lost that he is the savior. But the focus has been lost, the reason Jesus said go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, is because there are wolves in sheep clothing among us, and we don't know who is who. God is seeking laborers, servants who are willing to deny self and submit to the will of the Father, for the good of the Kingdom. Laborers who will walk out in blind faith, and trust his word to do what it was designed to do, as we labor in the field of harvest. Laborers who will share his words and his truths in love to convict hearts and convert souls.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Answer The Call
Ephesians 1:1"Paul, and apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saint which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Jesus Christ".
Paul was greatly privileged, there is no greater privilege in all the world than to be a servant of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the son of God, the supreme Lord of the universe in all it's enormity. Paul was possessed by Jesus Christ. Jesus the Son of God had took on human form to save the whole world. God's only begotten Son has given man the chance of knowing Him in the most personal way, as his Savior and Lord. Paul knew Christ, knew Him personally, knew him as his savior. Imagine knowing the Son of God personally! No greater privilege could exist. Paul knew this and he surrendered his life completely to Christ. All he was and all he had, Paul turned it over to Christ. He was possessed and obsessed with Christ. He Lived for Christ and for Christ alone. Christ was Paul's Savior, but he was also his Lord and Master. Paul was not his own to do as he willed; he was Christ's to do only as Christ willed. There was also a call to the Church and it's believers; we have been called out separated, consecrated, sacred and holy. We have given ourselves to live a consecrated, holy life, all for the glory of God. So we must also surrender our all over to Christ. His will must be our will, as we live our life for His glory. We must be sure that we are counted among the saints of God by living a faithful life for the glory of God.
How many of us can truly say that what we are doing is God's will? How many of us are sure that our work and profession are of god and not for self elevation. Is our calling biblically backed. Remember God doesn't change" Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever". Can we truly say we are right where God wants us? Are we working and serving where God wants us or where we want to be? Are we in God's will or are we trying to make our will his will?
We all have a calling from God. It doesn't matter who you are, we were all saved ,separated and set aside to proclaim the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some of us have been called to be Teachers, Preacher, and Pastors, while others are called to be members of the body, doing various functions. But no matter what the call, we are all called to be servants of Jesus Christ in word and deed. Now there are not many who have the calling that Paul had on his life or who has suffered as much, but we are all to surrender to that call with the same determination that Paul did.
Paul was greatly privileged, there is no greater privilege in all the world than to be a servant of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the son of God, the supreme Lord of the universe in all it's enormity. Paul was possessed by Jesus Christ. Jesus the Son of God had took on human form to save the whole world. God's only begotten Son has given man the chance of knowing Him in the most personal way, as his Savior and Lord. Paul knew Christ, knew Him personally, knew him as his savior. Imagine knowing the Son of God personally! No greater privilege could exist. Paul knew this and he surrendered his life completely to Christ. All he was and all he had, Paul turned it over to Christ. He was possessed and obsessed with Christ. He Lived for Christ and for Christ alone. Christ was Paul's Savior, but he was also his Lord and Master. Paul was not his own to do as he willed; he was Christ's to do only as Christ willed. There was also a call to the Church and it's believers; we have been called out separated, consecrated, sacred and holy. We have given ourselves to live a consecrated, holy life, all for the glory of God. So we must also surrender our all over to Christ. His will must be our will, as we live our life for His glory. We must be sure that we are counted among the saints of God by living a faithful life for the glory of God.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Speak Boldly
Acts 18:9-10 " then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee,and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city".
It seems today many who have been called to proclaim the word of God are more concerned about the feelings of the people than they are about the saving of souls. We live in a time when correction is looked upon as judging, and being popular is more important than being effective. But the mission and purpose of the gospel and those God has chosen to proclaim it, is to prepare man for a life everlasting.
Here in our text Paul was proclaiming the word of God to those who professed to know God and he was rejected. But the Lord spoke to him in a vision telling him to stay on point and fear not. See it is the truth of the gospel that saves the souls of lost man. Making them feel good in their sins will not get them to glory. We must be carful not to be more concerned with filling up pews and collection plates, than we are in saving souls and making disciples. We shouldn't let the fear of appearing judgmental keep us from pointing someone going wrong, in the right direction. After all the focus of any ministry should be to present every person perfect in Christ before the Father.
Today's religion tends to be more about who we are and what we can get instead of who God is and what we need to give up. Let us turn back to God and work tirelessly in the building of His Kingdom and the spreading of His gospel. Remember His love for us offers us salvation, but our love for Him receives Him in our hearts..
It seems today many who have been called to proclaim the word of God are more concerned about the feelings of the people than they are about the saving of souls. We live in a time when correction is looked upon as judging, and being popular is more important than being effective. But the mission and purpose of the gospel and those God has chosen to proclaim it, is to prepare man for a life everlasting.
Here in our text Paul was proclaiming the word of God to those who professed to know God and he was rejected. But the Lord spoke to him in a vision telling him to stay on point and fear not. See it is the truth of the gospel that saves the souls of lost man. Making them feel good in their sins will not get them to glory. We must be carful not to be more concerned with filling up pews and collection plates, than we are in saving souls and making disciples. We shouldn't let the fear of appearing judgmental keep us from pointing someone going wrong, in the right direction. After all the focus of any ministry should be to present every person perfect in Christ before the Father.
Today's religion tends to be more about who we are and what we can get instead of who God is and what we need to give up. Let us turn back to God and work tirelessly in the building of His Kingdom and the spreading of His gospel. Remember His love for us offers us salvation, but our love for Him receives Him in our hearts..
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
God Is Great!
Psalm 104:1 "Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honor and majesty."
As one meditates upon this Psalm, it sings of the greatness of God and the gift he has given to man, His glory.He is honored in that the heavens, and the elements, depict His majesty. He is honored by the beast of the field, the birds of the air, and all of nature obeys His laws. All of His creation obeys and responds to His will, but man.
When we accept this wonderful gift God has given us, we can enjoy a peaceful life, in the rest of our Father which art in Heaven.We will have happiness and joy that can come from no other source. But all this hinges upon one thing, it all comes through Jesus Christ, God offered the gift, will you accept it?
As one meditates upon this Psalm, it sings of the greatness of God and the gift he has given to man, His glory.He is honored in that the heavens, and the elements, depict His majesty. He is honored by the beast of the field, the birds of the air, and all of nature obeys His laws. All of His creation obeys and responds to His will, but man.
Man has been given the power of choice, he may disobey God, he may reject God's love, and may turn a deaf ear to God's call, but in the end MUST give glory to God and acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ. Unfortunately, this might come to late to bring salvation (Phil.2:11).In His power God gives life, protects life and preserves life. Through His power, we shall be victorious over death, the grave, and hell. With His grace He has supplied man with all he needs. We have the assurance of His presence and power, to guide our ever move, to give us strength for every task, and to protect us from all evil. The greatness of God is all laid up in His wonderful gift to all mankind Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
When we accept this wonderful gift God has given us, we can enjoy a peaceful life, in the rest of our Father which art in Heaven.We will have happiness and joy that can come from no other source. But all this hinges upon one thing, it all comes through Jesus Christ, God offered the gift, will you accept it?
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Do You Love The Lord?
John 14:15 " If you love me, keep my commandments"
Do you really love the Lord? Now of course all of us would say yes, and the truth is we all truly believe we do. But do you love Him more than your spouse? Is your commitment to Him greater than that to your job? Do you have as much trust in Him as you do your bank accounts? Do you spend as much time with Him as you do with your car? If we were really honest we would see that there are other things in our life that tend to come before Jesus.
When it comes to the things which we deem important or dear to us how do they stack up with our love for Jesus. When it comes to our spouse, If you treated you spouse like you do the Lord, giving them the same attention, care, and time spent would they feel you loved them? If they show their love to you like you show your love to Christ would you feel loved? If you went to work the way we attend Church would we still have a job after a month or so of being late all the time. Would you still have a car if you paid the note like we pay our tithes, giving them what we feel like and not what we owe. The bank account gets more attention than the bible and it is guarded closer than we guard our hearts, yet we feel we really love the Lord.
In all honesty we actually live our lives based on God's love for us, more than our love for Him. Jesus tells us if we love Him to keep His commandments; which are to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart soul and mind, and to love our neighbor as yourself . Let us begin to make a conscience effort to give the Lord and the things of the Lord the same attention and energy as we do the things of this world we say we love, that a lost soul might follow us to Jesus the Savior of the world.
Do you really love the Lord? Now of course all of us would say yes, and the truth is we all truly believe we do. But do you love Him more than your spouse? Is your commitment to Him greater than that to your job? Do you have as much trust in Him as you do your bank accounts? Do you spend as much time with Him as you do with your car? If we were really honest we would see that there are other things in our life that tend to come before Jesus.
When it comes to the things which we deem important or dear to us how do they stack up with our love for Jesus. When it comes to our spouse, If you treated you spouse like you do the Lord, giving them the same attention, care, and time spent would they feel you loved them? If they show their love to you like you show your love to Christ would you feel loved? If you went to work the way we attend Church would we still have a job after a month or so of being late all the time. Would you still have a car if you paid the note like we pay our tithes, giving them what we feel like and not what we owe. The bank account gets more attention than the bible and it is guarded closer than we guard our hearts, yet we feel we really love the Lord.
In all honesty we actually live our lives based on God's love for us, more than our love for Him. Jesus tells us if we love Him to keep His commandments; which are to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart soul and mind, and to love our neighbor as yourself . Let us begin to make a conscience effort to give the Lord and the things of the Lord the same attention and energy as we do the things of this world we say we love, that a lost soul might follow us to Jesus the Savior of the world.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Can The Dead Live?
Ezekiel 37:5 "Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
Sometime when part of a great worship service, it can be easy to get so caught up in the moment, that you might forget the whole world is not saved. We can get so exited with what's going on inside the church, that we can forget there is a lost and dying world outside the walls. With all the shouting, hand clapping, singing, dancing and, praising going on inside, it can drown out the cry's for help taking place outside. We might overlook the fact that just outside the walls, there is a world lost in darkness, prisoners of sin, a valley full of dead souls, and God is asking " can these bones live"?
God's will is that none shall parish. Let the people of God obey the Word of God and once again proclaim the truth of God, that a dead world might live. The bible says "faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God": Let us be obedient and proclaim the good news of Salvation, that the dead might live in Christ.
Sometime when part of a great worship service, it can be easy to get so caught up in the moment, that you might forget the whole world is not saved. We can get so exited with what's going on inside the church, that we can forget there is a lost and dying world outside the walls. With all the shouting, hand clapping, singing, dancing and, praising going on inside, it can drown out the cry's for help taking place outside. We might overlook the fact that just outside the walls, there is a world lost in darkness, prisoners of sin, a valley full of dead souls, and God is asking " can these bones live"?
The good news is, all in darkness can come to the marvelous light. All who are dead in sin can find life in the Word of God. God said He would cause breath to enter and they shall live, and the prophet was commanded to speak the Word of God to the dead bones and they would receive life. Jesus told us to speak the word of God to all that are spiritually dead and watch them come to life. Like Lazarus when he was called from the dead, let us speak God's word and watch His spirit move that there will be life in those dead in sin. God's spirit will begin to flow through their hearts and through the power of regeneration, they become anew, different from the first. Because there is life in the Word and His spirit, that which was dead, can now have life.
God's will is that none shall parish. Let the people of God obey the Word of God and once again proclaim the truth of God, that a dead world might live. The bible says "faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God": Let us be obedient and proclaim the good news of Salvation, that the dead might live in Christ.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Real Love
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 sometime seem 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, 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 self. 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, but it is what Jesus teaches us to do, and 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...
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 sometime seem 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, 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 self. 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, but it is what Jesus teaches us to do, and 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...
Friday, August 1, 2014
Walk The Talk
Ephesians 4:1 "I Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called."
One day when I was lost, Jesus died upon a cross! Jesus the Christ laid down His life that we might have a right to the tree of life. He fulfilled for us all that God requires of us to enter into His kingdom and enjoy everlasting life with our Father. Everything I need to live in peace with my creator is all wrapped up in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. With all he did, the least we can do is walk worthy of such a life.
Here we have Paul saying, with all Jesus did we ought to live a life worthy of the calling to which we were called. In view of all that God's grace has done for us sinners, we should live in a manner befitting the divine call and the great price paid for salvation. With all He went through, with all He endured, with all He suffered, sacrificed, gave up, and surrendered,with all He did for us ,we should live a life worthy of His name. We must be humble in our dealings with one another. Let us be patient with the weaker and lame sheep of the flock. Let us seek to bear one another's burdens in love as Christ bore ours on the cross. We are one body, we must bend over backwards to maintain the unity and oneness of the body. With all He did, let us deny our self daily and walk in harmony with our Savior.
One day when I was lost, Jesus died upon a cross! Jesus the Christ laid down His life that we might have a right to the tree of life. He fulfilled for us all that God requires of us to enter into His kingdom and enjoy everlasting life with our Father. Everything I need to live in peace with my creator is all wrapped up in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. With all he did, the least we can do is walk worthy of such a life.
With all Jesus did for us, we should present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. With all He did, we should walk worthy of our call, that a lost soul might come to know the salvation we enjoy. He died for us, so let us live for Him.
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