1 Corinthian 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power.
Where does the power to change a heart of stone to flesh come from? From our words and witness or the Holy Spirit? Many fail to share the truth of God's word fearing they will drive people away instead of drawing them to God. While it is true we can at time run people out of the congregation, we should never be foolish enough to believe we can run them from the church. This would be like saying we have more push than God has pull, for one cannot come to God unless the spirit draws them.
Here we have Paul speaking of his preaching or speaking, Paul spoke solely of Christ and him crucified, and trusted the holy spirit to do what Jesus said it would do. As he determined, so he acted. The subject matter of his ministry was not any of the liberal arts and sciences, or the philosophy and dry morality of the Gentiles, but salvation by a crucified Christ. His style, his diction, his language followed this in his preaching, He didn't try to entice man or impress man of his knowledge or how smart he was with technical words, words of art, contrived by human wisdom to captivate the affections. Nor did Paul come with bare probable arguments, but he spoke in the power of the spirit
partly by making use of solid proofs out of the writings of the Old Testament, indicted by the Spirit of God, and which amounted to a demonstration of the truths he delivered. Besides all these, the Spirit of God wonderfully assisted him in his work, both as to words and matter; directing him, what to say, and in what form, in words, not which human wisdom taught, but which the Holy Ghost taught. The Holy Spirit accompanied his ministry with his power, to the conversion, comfort, edification, and salvation of many.
The Spirit of God directed Paul, and he under the Spirit's influence chose, and by his assistance pursued this way of preaching. He pursued it with this view, and for this reason, that faith in Christ and in the doctrines of his Gospel, which comes by hearing, might not be attributed to the force of human effort but solely on the power of God.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Friday, August 28, 2015
Dying To Live
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. By His we have been given new life. When we surrender our life to Christ, our sins have been forgiven, and we are now accepted in Christ death and resurrection. Through our faith in the resurrection of Christ, we have been blessed 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. 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. We are guaranteed our own resurrection. 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 to 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.
We as believers have been called to be the beloved of God. By His we have been given new life. When we surrender our life to Christ, our sins have been forgiven, and we are now accepted in Christ death and resurrection. Through our faith in the resurrection of Christ, we have been blessed 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. 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. We are guaranteed our own resurrection. 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 to 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.
His Gospel takes root in the heart and fills us with all the wealth of His commandments, promises, instructions and warnings that we might have real love one to another, as we do everything in the name of Jesus.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
A Loving Father
Luke 15:20 " But when he was yet a great way off, His Father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck and kissed him. "
Luke shows the great pleasure God has when one sinner repents and returns to him. Through a series of parables, Jesus shows us the Joy that takes place when the lost are found. When the backslider returns, one who was in the fold and wondered away. The lost coin, those lost inside the church, And then the most famous of all the stories the prodigal son.
While in darkness, a servant to sin and the various lust it powers, my Father saw me. While a great way off, while still in my degraded needful condition, while I was yet a sinner, my Father saw me and He loved me. Before the foundation of the world he called me from darkness into his marvelous light. While I was still waddling in the pig pen of life, he looked beyond my faults and saw my needs. When everyone else could only see the worst in me, He saw the best in me . While I was yet a great way off, my Father saw me, the eyes of mercy looking on his lost son, while I was yet a sinner. When he saw me, my Father had compassion on me, had pity on my fallen condition. My Father ran to me. I was burden down with guilt, sin, shame and fear, I came slowly, but he ran to me with the urgency of salvation. He met me with encouragment, he gave me hope, comfort and peace as he accepted me into his rest. The arms of mercy stretched out to embrace me. He fell on my neck, even though I had just gotten out of the pig pen of life, covered with the stanch of sin and filth, the Father takes me in his arms and falls on my neck.
Luke shows the great pleasure God has when one sinner repents and returns to him. Through a series of parables, Jesus shows us the Joy that takes place when the lost are found. When the backslider returns, one who was in the fold and wondered away. The lost coin, those lost inside the church, And then the most famous of all the stories the prodigal son.
While in darkness, a servant to sin and the various lust it powers, my Father saw me. While a great way off, while still in my degraded needful condition, while I was yet a sinner, my Father saw me and He loved me. Before the foundation of the world he called me from darkness into his marvelous light. While I was still waddling in the pig pen of life, he looked beyond my faults and saw my needs. When everyone else could only see the worst in me, He saw the best in me . While I was yet a great way off, my Father saw me, the eyes of mercy looking on his lost son, while I was yet a sinner. When he saw me, my Father had compassion on me, had pity on my fallen condition. My Father ran to me. I was burden down with guilt, sin, shame and fear, I came slowly, but he ran to me with the urgency of salvation. He met me with encouragment, he gave me hope, comfort and peace as he accepted me into his rest. The arms of mercy stretched out to embrace me. He fell on my neck, even though I had just gotten out of the pig pen of life, covered with the stanch of sin and filth, the Father takes me in his arms and falls on my neck.
He lays me in his bosom, The bosom a place of honor, like Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham, The bosom a place of the beloved, As John the beloved, the disciple Jesus loved, laying in Jesus bosom at the last supper.The bosom the place of the blessedness, as Jesus the only begotten of God, rest in the bosom of his Father.Then He kissed me, my sins forgiven, never to be mentioned again. He I am a new creature in Christ. Because he saw me,God gave his only begotten son to die for my sins, because He is a loving Father. Thank God for Jesus
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
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 of what we have done, and a deliberate turning away from sin. To come back to God we must acknowledge and turn from our sins, and we must turn to God in faith through Jesus. Only in Christ Jesus is there forgiveness of sin and everlasting life with our creator....Come back to our first love.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Look To Jesus
Psalms 121:1-2"I Will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, From whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth"
We look to Jesus in all circumstances of our life. It is in him we should look, in him we should trust, and to him we should we sacrifice in in times of uncertainties. The psalmist here says "I will lift up my eyes unto the hills".
Many are lifting our eyes to the hills and not to Jesus, looking to the elevated high places and the things we have elevated to the high places in our lives, when it is Jesus who saves. Why do we look to the hills, why do we say we are going to look to the hills, it is looking to the hills which has gotten most of us in the situations we find ourselves in today. Looking to the hills have taken our eyes off God, and his purpose in our life. This causes us to stray to the left and to the right, as we begin chasing the lust and desires of our own hearts, no longer being led by the spirit of God. Sometimes God wants us to go through the valley of the shadow of death, but looking to the high places we sometime feel we are to good or to important to go through the gutters of life, even if it means to save a lost soul. Our vain thinking and need for variety sometimes returns us to the very world the gospel has called us out of, the world of darkness God has delivered us from. Looking to the hill can cause us to become selfish, seeking power, prestige, and popularity, instead of leading a lost soul to the salvation of the Lord. The psalmist says he "will lift up his eyes unto the hills", then he ask a question" from whence cometh my help"? He goes on to say my "Help cometh from the Lord".
Truly the Lord is the salvation of the world. Our help comes from the Lord, it always comes from the Lord. So look to Jesus the Christ our ever present help from the lord.
We look to Jesus in all circumstances of our life. It is in him we should look, in him we should trust, and to him we should we sacrifice in in times of uncertainties. The psalmist here says "I will lift up my eyes unto the hills".
Many are lifting our eyes to the hills and not to Jesus, looking to the elevated high places and the things we have elevated to the high places in our lives, when it is Jesus who saves. Why do we look to the hills, why do we say we are going to look to the hills, it is looking to the hills which has gotten most of us in the situations we find ourselves in today. Looking to the hills have taken our eyes off God, and his purpose in our life. This causes us to stray to the left and to the right, as we begin chasing the lust and desires of our own hearts, no longer being led by the spirit of God. Sometimes God wants us to go through the valley of the shadow of death, but looking to the high places we sometime feel we are to good or to important to go through the gutters of life, even if it means to save a lost soul. Our vain thinking and need for variety sometimes returns us to the very world the gospel has called us out of, the world of darkness God has delivered us from. Looking to the hill can cause us to become selfish, seeking power, prestige, and popularity, instead of leading a lost soul to the salvation of the Lord. The psalmist says he "will lift up his eyes unto the hills", then he ask a question" from whence cometh my help"? He goes on to say my "Help cometh from the Lord".
Truly the Lord is the salvation of the world. Our help comes from the Lord, it always comes from the Lord. So look to Jesus the Christ our ever present help from the lord.
Saturday, August 22, 2015
In Righteousness
John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my father is the husbandman."
Here we have Jesus facing the most terrible scene in all human history. The Son of God about to be murdered at the hands of man. Jesus had came to save all mankind, and yet few were responding. Even his inner circle was starting to fall apart. One would betray him, one would deny him, even to the point of swearing, and the rest would abandon him. Then there was the religious leaders who were rejecting him, all claimed to know God, yet them cried with one loud voice "crucify him." With all this on his mind, he recalled the vine God so often described in the old testament.
On the night of his arrest and trial, Jesus shared an image that truly illustrates his relationship with all who will believe.He refers to himself as the vine. Jesus said he is the "true vine". This implies that there are counterfeit vines that believers are not to become attached to. We are fruitful branches when our lives reveal a vital link with Christ. Like branches that are pruned by a gardener, the Lord works on His people so that their lives might be more productive. When we trust in Christ, we experience a cleansing from sin, but God will continue to transform our behavior, by molding it after the Savior's teaching and image. Only those who abide in Jesus will produce good fruit that will last.
The purpose of the branches is to remain united to Jesus and bear much fruit. We can do nothing without him, our Growth, development, and maturity all comes from our relationship with Christ. Jesus brought the love of God to the world, and after his ascension, the mission of making God's love known to the world, is our responsibility. Jesus love is the foundation of everything we do, and the image of everything we are. When we obey what Jesus has commanded, we remain in his love, and abide in him. Let us share Christ with the world, as the Father has shared him with us.
Here we have Jesus facing the most terrible scene in all human history. The Son of God about to be murdered at the hands of man. Jesus had came to save all mankind, and yet few were responding. Even his inner circle was starting to fall apart. One would betray him, one would deny him, even to the point of swearing, and the rest would abandon him. Then there was the religious leaders who were rejecting him, all claimed to know God, yet them cried with one loud voice "crucify him." With all this on his mind, he recalled the vine God so often described in the old testament.
On the night of his arrest and trial, Jesus shared an image that truly illustrates his relationship with all who will believe.He refers to himself as the vine. Jesus said he is the "true vine". This implies that there are counterfeit vines that believers are not to become attached to. We are fruitful branches when our lives reveal a vital link with Christ. Like branches that are pruned by a gardener, the Lord works on His people so that their lives might be more productive. When we trust in Christ, we experience a cleansing from sin, but God will continue to transform our behavior, by molding it after the Savior's teaching and image. Only those who abide in Jesus will produce good fruit that will last.
The purpose of the branches is to remain united to Jesus and bear much fruit. We can do nothing without him, our Growth, development, and maturity all comes from our relationship with Christ. Jesus brought the love of God to the world, and after his ascension, the mission of making God's love known to the world, is our responsibility. Jesus love is the foundation of everything we do, and the image of everything we are. When we obey what Jesus has commanded, we remain in his love, and abide in him. Let us share Christ with the world, as the Father has shared him with us.
Friday, August 21, 2015
He Changes Not
Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ; the same yesterday, today, and forever"
Christianity and religion; over the years these two words have come to mean something totally different than what they were intended. The corruption and misuse of one, has caused us to challenge the integrity of the other. With an ever increasing desire for power, prestige, and monetary gain, the dignity, character, and respect of Christianity has been brought into question. The vainness of man's imagination, along with his new style religion, has polluted, distorted and corrupted the worlds view of a Christian. The religions of today seem to be driven by the desires of the flesh, and is no longer pure and undefiled. If you look hard enough you could find a religion to comfort, and conforms to every attitude, belief, and lifestyle of man's imagination; complete with a doctrine, denomination and a congregation to follow a self proclaimed leader.
Christianity and religion; over the years these two words have come to mean something totally different than what they were intended. The corruption and misuse of one, has caused us to challenge the integrity of the other. With an ever increasing desire for power, prestige, and monetary gain, the dignity, character, and respect of Christianity has been brought into question. The vainness of man's imagination, along with his new style religion, has polluted, distorted and corrupted the worlds view of a Christian. The religions of today seem to be driven by the desires of the flesh, and is no longer pure and undefiled. If you look hard enough you could find a religion to comfort, and conforms to every attitude, belief, and lifestyle of man's imagination; complete with a doctrine, denomination and a congregation to follow a self proclaimed leader.
We have distorted, altered, and cheapened Gods perfect plan of salvation. In our search for the ideal religion, we have gotten caught up in the treasures and pleasures of this world, and have closed our hearts to Gods revelation, and have opened our minds to man's imagination. But Jesus never changes, what was sin then is still sin now; what he spoke against then, he is still speaking against now. Jesus didn't die to give us the right to sin, he died to save us from sin, and he rose to give us the power to live without sin. Jesus Christ, the same Yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus Christ, Gods spoken word, by which all things made was made, the spoken word by which Abraham believed and it was counted as Righteousness. Jesus Christ, the same today; the written word of God unchanged and uncensored, to rebuke, reprove, to correct and instruct us in righteous that we might be thourghly furnished unto every good work. Written that we might believe on the only begotten of God. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever; The living word of God , yesterday the ram in the bush, today the lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world. Yesterday the way out of the fiery furnace, today the way out of the fires of eternal damnation. Yesterday Noah's ark, today the savior of all who enters his rest. Yesterday manna from heaven today and forever more the bread of heaven, yesterday the love of God , today the love from God to all who will believe...
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Lead By The Spirit
Romans 8:14 "For as many as are led by the spirit of God,they are the sons of God."
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 to produce true Christ like qualities. The Holy Spirit, through the washing of regeneration, gives us a new nature, one capable of doing God's will.
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. 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 we are crucified with Christ and Christ lives in us, and the life we now live in the flesh we live by the faith in Christ. 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 to produce true Christ like qualities. The Holy Spirit, through the washing of regeneration, gives us a new nature, one capable of doing God's will.
His Spirit comforts us, as we know all things work together for the good to them who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. 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.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Do Your Part
John 21:22 " Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me"
There are times on this christian journey when we will run into distraction which prevent us from following Jesus. These distractions often come in the form of watching someone elses walk with the Lord. We often get so caught up in what is going on in other Christians life, that we fail to do that which Jesus has instructed us to do. Now I'm not saying don't be concerned about those who have fallen away or who has been lead astray, but let us not be consumed with their short comings. Let us pray for them and get back to the work of God at hand.
There are times on this christian journey when we will run into distraction which prevent us from following Jesus. These distractions often come in the form of watching someone elses walk with the Lord. We often get so caught up in what is going on in other Christians life, that we fail to do that which Jesus has instructed us to do. Now I'm not saying don't be concerned about those who have fallen away or who has been lead astray, but let us not be consumed with their short comings. Let us pray for them and get back to the work of God at hand.
Now in our text, we have Peter concerned about two different things which is none of his business. First he ask who it was that betrayed Christ, and then he wanted to know what was John going to do. Now on the surface these two question seemed harmless enough. But remember Jesus had left Peter with the instructions to feed his sheep, and this should have occupied all of Peter's energy. He didn't ask how he should go about feeding the sheep instead he was concerned about stuff that had nothing to do with him. We've all been given a task to do which should occupy our everythought and concern. We should be focused on how to lead lost souls to Christ, how to let our lights so shine before men as the lost might seek the Lord Jesus. But like Peter many of us are to busy worring about what others are doing and thus leaving our work undone.
With all that has taken place in the world over the past few months, many have lost focus of the instructions left to us by our Lord. Instead of worrying about same sex marriage, a man becoming a woman, or what big name preacher is fallen into sin, let us go out and tell every creature the good news of salvation. If we do this everything else will fall in place.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!
Philippians 2:21 "For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's".
We as children of God have to come to a few realizations before we can effectively walk this journey we have embarked upon. The first is this life we now live is not ours. The souls we are to lead to Christ He paid for, and the church we are members of belong to Him. We are just tools He uses in His garden of salvation, unworthy earthen vessels chosen to carry His precious word through out a dying land that all might live.
The word of God tells us this life we now live in the flesh, we now live through Christ. We have no say so as what we will or will not do. We are His servant, He is the master we are His bond servants. It is not about our will, our wants or even who we are. It is not about our salvation but the Savior who saved us all. They are not our souls we were told to compel to come to the Lord. It is not up to us who is or is not worthy to hear the good news. Jesus said go out and proclaim it to ever creature. Just like we don't know who is going to hell, we also don't know who is going to heaven, regardless of how many tickets they have in their hand. Jesus told us to proclaim the gospel to every creature. It is not our church, or even our ministry, we are just ministers in the ministry of Christ. We are members of the Church of the living God. Jesus said" upon this rock I build MY Church", not your church or your ministry. We don't even have a say as to where in the body we want to be, for it says "God has placed each member, everyone of them in the body where it pleased Him".
When and only when we truly come to realize this is about Christ and Him crucified,then and only then can we be effective workers in His vineyards bringing in the sheaves.
We as children of God have to come to a few realizations before we can effectively walk this journey we have embarked upon. The first is this life we now live is not ours. The souls we are to lead to Christ He paid for, and the church we are members of belong to Him. We are just tools He uses in His garden of salvation, unworthy earthen vessels chosen to carry His precious word through out a dying land that all might live.
The word of God tells us this life we now live in the flesh, we now live through Christ. We have no say so as what we will or will not do. We are His servant, He is the master we are His bond servants. It is not about our will, our wants or even who we are. It is not about our salvation but the Savior who saved us all. They are not our souls we were told to compel to come to the Lord. It is not up to us who is or is not worthy to hear the good news. Jesus said go out and proclaim it to ever creature. Just like we don't know who is going to hell, we also don't know who is going to heaven, regardless of how many tickets they have in their hand. Jesus told us to proclaim the gospel to every creature. It is not our church, or even our ministry, we are just ministers in the ministry of Christ. We are members of the Church of the living God. Jesus said" upon this rock I build MY Church", not your church or your ministry. We don't even have a say as to where in the body we want to be, for it says "God has placed each member, everyone of them in the body where it pleased Him".
When and only when we truly come to realize this is about Christ and Him crucified,then and only then can we be effective workers in His vineyards bringing in the sheaves.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
It's His Glory
Judges 7:2"And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, mine own hand hath saved me".
Generally when we think of success we think that its based on the numbers. When we see a church that has a large membership then we label it as a successful church, this attitude or acceptance has nothing to do with the spirituality or the growth of the people, it has nothing to do with the impact of the ministries. It is simple based on the fact that if a lot of people go their and they have a lot of money then they are blessed and indeed successful. But what does God say? If we are to understand this scripture, we see that the glory of God can get lost in the crowds of our lives.
There are times in our life when God will trim and remove some stuff in our life to assure that He will not be lost among the crowd. Yes we are a prideful people and if not aware will take credit for the accomplishments in life we enjoy. We tend to take credit for the jobs we have, the homes we live in, for the educations we have been blessed to receive, our church lives, and even our personal health. In our text today we see that God told Gideon that he had too many solders for him to let the children of Israel over take the enemy. See their are times in our life when we have too much to see God at work in our lives, and we begin to think it is about us.We must realize that it is God and God alone who is responsible for all that we have. We might have worked hard to get what we have but it was God who kept us healthy enough to work hard.
God wanted Gideon to scale down the solders so that there would be no doubt as to by whose hand they were delivered, and given the victory. There are times in our lives, times along our journey that God may ask they we give up something we feel we need so we can truly realize all we need is him. Be careful not to lose God in the crowd.
Friday, August 14, 2015
Resting Place
Matthew 11:28 " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,and I will give you rest".
What will you do with Jesus? God has given him to us all, now will you invite all to come and see? When a Christian shares his or her story, they never know how far the gospel will reach, and they never know how much one can change the world. Remember Jesus started with twelve, look how far their testimony have come. Let us tell all that we see to come to Jesus.
Jesus invites the weary to come to Him so they can experience rest for their souls. The key to experiencing this rest is having a right relationship with God, something that can happen only if you have a personal relationship with Jesus. We all have responsibilities that drain us, and difficulties that wear us down. We can let the world drag us down its weary path, or we can join our lives with Jesus, who wants us to know that He's eager to have us in His yoke of care, guiding us, giving us help for our present needs, and assuring us that He has a plan for us that includes rest, peace, and everlasting life.
So he tell us to come, leave where you are, the situation you are in and come to him. The promise is when you come to Him with everything he will give you rest. Rest from worry, from need, from doubt, rest from the cares of this world. So come and enter into His rest.
What will you do with Jesus? God has given him to us all, now will you invite all to come and see? When a Christian shares his or her story, they never know how far the gospel will reach, and they never know how much one can change the world. Remember Jesus started with twelve, look how far their testimony have come. Let us tell all that we see to come to Jesus.
Jesus invites the weary to come to Him so they can experience rest for their souls. The key to experiencing this rest is having a right relationship with God, something that can happen only if you have a personal relationship with Jesus. We all have responsibilities that drain us, and difficulties that wear us down. We can let the world drag us down its weary path, or we can join our lives with Jesus, who wants us to know that He's eager to have us in His yoke of care, guiding us, giving us help for our present needs, and assuring us that He has a plan for us that includes rest, peace, and everlasting life.
So he tell us to come, leave where you are, the situation you are in and come to him. The promise is when you come to Him with everything he will give you rest. Rest from worry, from need, from doubt, rest from the cares of this world. So come and enter into His rest.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Let It Shine
1John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of Him and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
Darkness and light cannot co-exist. The point of reconciliation between God and man is man's acknowledgement of his sin and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord. We must not remain at the point of acceptance, but we must grow in faith, in obedience to God's word and unto perfection. Those who are not walking in the light are abiding in death. Those who claim to have fellowship with God but continue to practice sin deceived themselves.
Those who enjoy genuine fellowship with God, metaphorically speaking," walk in the light." This does not mean that they are perfect or sin free, but they let the light reveal the sin in their lives, and then turn away from that sin. Those who walk in the light have fellowship both with God through the confessing and cleansing of their sins and with other believers. People do sin and all that say they don't is calling God a liar, when Gods word is active in your life you will confess your sins and not deny them. Truly knowing Jesus Christ is having a practical daily devotion and obedience to the Father's words. So let us live with the light on and experience the full love of God..
Many profess to walk in the light yet they live a life that don't put Jesus on display. It is easy to tell someone how they should live, but God is calling us to show others how to live by living a life before man that is pleasing to Him. A life complete with self denial and sacrifice. Let all who profess Christ, lift Him up as we walk in His marvelous light..
Darkness and light cannot co-exist. The point of reconciliation between God and man is man's acknowledgement of his sin and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord. We must not remain at the point of acceptance, but we must grow in faith, in obedience to God's word and unto perfection. Those who are not walking in the light are abiding in death. Those who claim to have fellowship with God but continue to practice sin deceived themselves.
Those who enjoy genuine fellowship with God, metaphorically speaking," walk in the light." This does not mean that they are perfect or sin free, but they let the light reveal the sin in their lives, and then turn away from that sin. Those who walk in the light have fellowship both with God through the confessing and cleansing of their sins and with other believers. People do sin and all that say they don't is calling God a liar, when Gods word is active in your life you will confess your sins and not deny them. Truly knowing Jesus Christ is having a practical daily devotion and obedience to the Father's words. So let us live with the light on and experience the full love of God..
Many profess to walk in the light yet they live a life that don't put Jesus on display. It is easy to tell someone how they should live, but God is calling us to show others how to live by living a life before man that is pleasing to Him. A life complete with self denial and sacrifice. Let all who profess Christ, lift Him up as we walk in His marvelous light..
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
The Beautiful Light
Ephesians 5:8 "For ye were sometimes darkness,but now are ye light in the Lord:walk as children of Light."
There are two walks through life available to all men. There is the life and walk of darkness, or the life and walk of light. There is a difference between the two, in fact our eternity is determined by which life or walk we pursue. We all at one time or another journeyed on the walk of darkness. We were all lost, a child of disobedience, and a rebeller against God. The bible tells us "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God".
We now profess to be children of the light, no longer children of the dark, so we are not to continue to walk in darkness. We are new creatures in Christ Jesus, and the walk of darkness is not pleasing to God. We must be careful not to walk in the vanity of our own minds. Thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought, having a dark understanding, blinded by the gods of this world, to the truth and power of the one true and living God. Through Jesus we have been reconciled to God, no longer the children of the dark rebelling against God. We are now through Christ, children of the light. Jesus is the light of the world and whosoever follows him shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Christ not only shows us the light, but he made us the light. We are the light of the eternal God in the mist of a world of darkness, therefore we are to walk in His marvelous light.
When in the dark, one will follow who ever has the light, so let us walk in His beautiful light that we might lead others from the dark to the salvation of the Lord.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Must Be Born Again
John 3:3" Jesus answered and said unto him,Verily,Verily ,I say unto thee,Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Birth, the sign of Life; it is a symbol of new life,a new creation.Saints if you want to see King Jesus, you must be born again. We must have a new life; birth is the beginning of life, so the walk must start here.Just as physical life begins at birth,so must our spiritual life begin with the birth of our spiritual man.
Here in our scripture we have Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night. Now the bible says Nicodemus was a Pharisees, a member of the Sanhedrin council, a ruler, and a teacher of the law, which leads me to believe he went to church, read and studied his bible and had some sort of relationship with God. Yet with all that, Jesus told him you must be born again. See it doesn't matter your title, the self righteous names we wear, the size of the church house or the number in the congregation,what matters is the birth record. Jesus said you must be born again. He told Nicodemus it is not enough to be sons of Abraham, which the Jews depended upon and claimed relationship to, No Jesus tell us there must be a work of God from above. It is not enough to go to church, and to do good unto others, Jesus said you must be born again. We must die to the lust ,will, and desires of the flesh and be born of the spirit of God. All we need to know will show in the birth record, the proof of the birth, will be in the fruit of the birth. Have you been born again?
As we go through this life seeking companionship, leadership, or what ever, check the birth record, it will tell you all you need to know. It is sad that many who proclaim to be born again will accept a spouse who don't have a relationship with God faster than they will one who has no income. When we begin to concern ourselves more with the birth record than we do the financial statement, we will find we won't have to ask God to remove that person from our lives as often.
Birth, the sign of Life; it is a symbol of new life,a new creation.Saints if you want to see King Jesus, you must be born again. We must have a new life; birth is the beginning of life, so the walk must start here.Just as physical life begins at birth,so must our spiritual life begin with the birth of our spiritual man.
Here in our scripture we have Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night. Now the bible says Nicodemus was a Pharisees, a member of the Sanhedrin council, a ruler, and a teacher of the law, which leads me to believe he went to church, read and studied his bible and had some sort of relationship with God. Yet with all that, Jesus told him you must be born again. See it doesn't matter your title, the self righteous names we wear, the size of the church house or the number in the congregation,what matters is the birth record. Jesus said you must be born again. He told Nicodemus it is not enough to be sons of Abraham, which the Jews depended upon and claimed relationship to, No Jesus tell us there must be a work of God from above. It is not enough to go to church, and to do good unto others, Jesus said you must be born again. We must die to the lust ,will, and desires of the flesh and be born of the spirit of God. All we need to know will show in the birth record, the proof of the birth, will be in the fruit of the birth. Have you been born again?
As we go through this life seeking companionship, leadership, or what ever, check the birth record, it will tell you all you need to know. It is sad that many who proclaim to be born again will accept a spouse who don't have a relationship with God faster than they will one who has no income. When we begin to concern ourselves more with the birth record than we do the financial statement, we will find we won't have to ask God to remove that person from our lives as often.
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Turn Around!
Joel 2:12"Therefore also now saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning:"
Have you left your first love? Many have began this journey but somewhere we have gotten off track. We have stopped following Gods revelation and have began to follow mans imagination. The word of God tells us not to veer to the right or the left, but to stay on the straight and narrow upward road. Have you lost your way?
There are many going the wrong way, doing the wrong thing, following the wrong leaders, and traveling on the wrong road. Many on the broad road, yet Jesus said narrow is the way. God says turn, turn from our wicked ways, just turn and turn loose. Let go of the earthy and grab hold of the heavenly. Don't just turn your head giving the appearance of change, you know walking different but still going in the same direction. Let us turn our hearts with weeping and mourning, rent our hearts like it greatly grieves our souls to have sinned against God, rent our hearts, as we desire to never do it again. Rent our heart not our garments, make this an inward commitment and not an outward show. Rent our hearts, and turn to God with fasting, not the commitment of doing without meat for a day, but the commitment of doing without sin for a lifetime, As Jesus said" go and sin no more". Crucify the old man and ways, walk in a newness of life. Turn and fast, as to fasten to him, and fasten on him , like Jacob holding on to the angel, and refusing to let Go, as our blessing are in holding on to God. Grab on to him with true devotion and loyalty, hold fast weeping for the wrong we have done to him, and the shame sin has brought to us, his beautiful bride. Hold on and wait for our change to come
Let us truly turn back to God, truly repent and become an accurate reflection of the one whose name we bear. Walk that we might truly lead a lost and dying world, to the salvation of the Lord. Lead in truth, teach in honesty, and reprove in love, for our Fathers desire is that none shall parish.
Have you left your first love? Many have began this journey but somewhere we have gotten off track. We have stopped following Gods revelation and have began to follow mans imagination. The word of God tells us not to veer to the right or the left, but to stay on the straight and narrow upward road. Have you lost your way?
There are many going the wrong way, doing the wrong thing, following the wrong leaders, and traveling on the wrong road. Many on the broad road, yet Jesus said narrow is the way. God says turn, turn from our wicked ways, just turn and turn loose. Let go of the earthy and grab hold of the heavenly. Don't just turn your head giving the appearance of change, you know walking different but still going in the same direction. Let us turn our hearts with weeping and mourning, rent our hearts like it greatly grieves our souls to have sinned against God, rent our hearts, as we desire to never do it again. Rent our heart not our garments, make this an inward commitment and not an outward show. Rent our hearts, and turn to God with fasting, not the commitment of doing without meat for a day, but the commitment of doing without sin for a lifetime, As Jesus said" go and sin no more". Crucify the old man and ways, walk in a newness of life. Turn and fast, as to fasten to him, and fasten on him , like Jacob holding on to the angel, and refusing to let Go, as our blessing are in holding on to God. Grab on to him with true devotion and loyalty, hold fast weeping for the wrong we have done to him, and the shame sin has brought to us, his beautiful bride. Hold on and wait for our change to come
Let us truly turn back to God, truly repent and become an accurate reflection of the one whose name we bear. Walk that we might truly lead a lost and dying world, to the salvation of the Lord. Lead in truth, teach in honesty, and reprove in love, for our Fathers desire is that none shall parish.
Friday, August 7, 2015
Magnify Him
John 12:32 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth ,will draw all men unto me".
We live in a name it and claim it era. Today's Christian seems to be more about what he /she can get from using the name of God than they are in who can be saved with the name of God. Even though everything about being Christ like, is self sacrificing, the modern Christian seems to be selfish and materialistic. We spend more time trying to show the world how saved and holy we are, we don't leave much time to introduce the world to our savior.
Jesus said that if we lift Him up, that will draw all men unto Him. Just simply lifting up Jesus and a lost world can be saved. So you ask, how do we lift Him up? We lift up Jesus first by living a life before this dying world that show that He has all power. Live a life that show we believe the message which we proclaim. To live a life before man that leads lost souls to run asking what must I do to be saved. We lift up Jesus by making everything about Him, and taking the focus off of us and the congregation we belong to. It is not about getting a person to come to church or being of a certain denomination, no it is about them surrendering their life to Christ. We lift Him up by proclaiming His name with a loud voice, we lift Him by the witness of our testimony, and the shining of our light. We lift Him up by showing love one for another, and being all that He has called us to be.
It is nothing wrong with material prosperity from God, but let us not allow the treasures of this world blind us to the real treasures, heavenly treasures. Don't let the things of this world prevent you from loving the people of this world, for Jesus died that people might be saved, not so people can have stuff. So let us lift Him up.
We live in a name it and claim it era. Today's Christian seems to be more about what he /she can get from using the name of God than they are in who can be saved with the name of God. Even though everything about being Christ like, is self sacrificing, the modern Christian seems to be selfish and materialistic. We spend more time trying to show the world how saved and holy we are, we don't leave much time to introduce the world to our savior.
Jesus said that if we lift Him up, that will draw all men unto Him. Just simply lifting up Jesus and a lost world can be saved. So you ask, how do we lift Him up? We lift up Jesus first by living a life before this dying world that show that He has all power. Live a life that show we believe the message which we proclaim. To live a life before man that leads lost souls to run asking what must I do to be saved. We lift up Jesus by making everything about Him, and taking the focus off of us and the congregation we belong to. It is not about getting a person to come to church or being of a certain denomination, no it is about them surrendering their life to Christ. We lift Him up by proclaiming His name with a loud voice, we lift Him by the witness of our testimony, and the shining of our light. We lift Him up by showing love one for another, and being all that He has called us to be.
It is nothing wrong with material prosperity from God, but let us not allow the treasures of this world blind us to the real treasures, heavenly treasures. Don't let the things of this world prevent you from loving the people of this world, for Jesus died that people might be saved, not so people can have stuff. So let us lift Him up.
Monday, August 3, 2015
A Testimony Pleasing to God
Matthew 10:32 " Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven".
Is your life a living testimony, does it confess Jesus Christ as the savior of the world? Does the life you live in this world bear witness that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God? Does your walk testify of Him. Does it bear witness that Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation? Is your life a testimony pleasing to God?
Jesus wants the world to know that there is a savior who lives, and He Is that savior. It is not about us being saved, it is solely about Him as the savior. He wants our life to be one that confesses Him to a dying world. Much like the children of Israel, when they openly placed the blood of the lamb over the door post so the death angel would know they were of the Lord, we to must confess our alligence to Christ openly by proclaiming His word and showing His love to all we see that they might know Jesus Christ is the way.We must openly walk in obedience to His word, do His will, and lead a lost world His way. Our life must put the savior on display, He said if He is lifted up that will draw all men unto Him. The world must see His love working in us, His mercy coming from us, and His power keeping us on the path of righteousness. We must be careful not to just confess Him with our mouth, we must also live a life before men that bears testimony to His saving power.
Is your life a living testimony, does it confess Jesus Christ as the savior of the world? Does the life you live in this world bear witness that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God? Does your walk testify of Him. Does it bear witness that Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation? Is your life a testimony pleasing to God?
Jesus wants the world to know that there is a savior who lives, and He Is that savior. It is not about us being saved, it is solely about Him as the savior. He wants our life to be one that confesses Him to a dying world. Much like the children of Israel, when they openly placed the blood of the lamb over the door post so the death angel would know they were of the Lord, we to must confess our alligence to Christ openly by proclaiming His word and showing His love to all we see that they might know Jesus Christ is the way.We must openly walk in obedience to His word, do His will, and lead a lost world His way. Our life must put the savior on display, He said if He is lifted up that will draw all men unto Him. The world must see His love working in us, His mercy coming from us, and His power keeping us on the path of righteousness. We must be careful not to just confess Him with our mouth, we must also live a life before men that bears testimony to His saving power.
Be careful not to just confess Christ with our mouth, and then live a life of denial before man. Let us do a self examination and honestly ask if the life we live in the real world, bears witness that there is a Savior who can save anybody. Present your life as a living testimony to His saving power.
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