REPOST

deanstuyvesant , , , , , , , ,

TO: All my family, friends and followers.

I’m asking for your assistance by reposting this request to everyone you know and they repost it in hopes of keeping it front and center. This request is for my dear Christian friends Roy and Pat Battles’ son Doug who is in need of a liver transplant. He has been waiting over a year for a donor. I realize the hesitation for people to come forth but I believe there is not any greater satisfaction than giving another human being a chance for life. The Battles reside in Greenville, PA

I pray that all that read this message will do what they can to help Doug. You can find additional information by looking at “Let’s find Doug Battles a Liver.’ There are many references on the internet as what is involved in being a donor.

I thank everyone for their time and assistance in this request. May the Lord bless you.

Dean Stuyvesant

What We Believe

deanstuyvesant , , , , , , , ,

WHAT WE BELIEVE.

Oh! How many times I have heard Christians speak the following and there was a time I probably spoke them. Now, I know better because I have learned differently from studying God’s Word. 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth has become a Scripture verse that I have come to realize I must do in order to have a closer walk with Jesus. I believe that this article by Ms. McMenamin is worth passing on. God loves you and so do I.

 5 Things You Won’t Believe are NOT in the Bible

Cindi McMenamin, Author

Would you believe there are some secular sayings that sound so religious people often believe they came from the Bible?These pieces of presumed Christian “wisdom” can sound biblical on the surface, but a closer look at Scripture will show you that some of them are actually far from the truth of God’s Word.

Here are five sayings that are NOT a part of Scripture:

  1. God helps those who help themselves. 

I’m sure you’ve heard it and possibly even said it to encourage someone to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and get it done. But this verse is not in the Bible. And its premise is not true. To the contrary, God helps those who admit they can’t help themselves.

Scripture is loaded with examples of God calling weak, humble people who would have been inadequate for the Lord’s work without His enabling strength. Scripture says that Christ’s power is made perfect in our weakness. And Paul states “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, NIV).

Furthermore, James 4:10 tells us “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” If God helped those who helped themselves, that verse would read: “Show yourself capable and God will come along and help.” Many times those of us who believe we can help ourselves don’t feel we need God and therefore, we don’t rely on Him. God wants us to admit we’re helpless so we can start depending on His strength to get us through situations. That is faith.

  1. God won’t give you more than you can handle. 

I think we’ve all said this at one time or another, primarily to comfort another believer or even an unbeliever who is struggling with something or fearful that something bad might happen. But this verse does not exist. And this statement doesn’t hold true. God will often give us more than we can handle so that we will depend on Him to carry the burden for us.

Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (NKJV), and Matthew 11:28-30 tells us to come to Him when we are weary and take His yoke upon us so we can bear a load that is too heavy to lift ourselves.

I believe we get the idea that God won’t give us more than we can bear from 1 Corinthians 10:13 which tells us “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” That verse tells us God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to resist. But He will allow us to struggle beyond our capacity in other aspects of life so we understand what it means to surrender and allow Him to carry the burden for us.

  1. We are all God’s children. 

Here’s another one that sounds true.  And although God is the Creator of all, He is not the father of all. Romans 8:9 clearly tells us “if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”

Jesus said those who are apart from Him are children of Satan, the “father of lies” (John 8:44) and Romans 8:15 tells us when we receive God’s spirit we have received “a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’” God adopts us through our surrender to Christ Jesus. Therefore, a more accurate saying is: We are all God’s creation, but we are not all God’s children.

  1. The sinner’s prayer. 

As I was discipling a young believer, I asked her if she had ever said “the sinner’s prayer.” She read it in the discipleship material we had in front of us and then asked me where it was found in the Bible. “Well, it’s not. It’s implied,” I said.

This is a tough one for us because we want to point to something in the Bible that someone needs to actually say in order to be saved. However, Romans 10:9-10 says “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” No wordy prayer involving the words “repent” or “confess” or asking Jesus to “come into our hearts” exists in Scripture.

What we do find, however, are short heartfelt cries for God’s mercy, including: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42), and “Lord, I believe” (John 9:38).

  1. God works in mysterious ways. 

This might be one of the most quoted sayings of all time when it comes to God.  The only problem is that it isn’t a verse in the Bible. Yes, God does work in ways we don’t understand, but this saying is most likely a simplified paraphrasing of two verses.

Ecclesiastes 11:5 says,“As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.” And Jeremiah 33:3 reads, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” In this case, it’s not that this saying is wrong, it’s simply not in the Bible.

Can you think of some more sayings that people quote as if they’re Scripture?

Jesus Is The Way.

deanstuyvesant , , , , , , , , , , , ,

THINGS THAT WON’T GET YOU INTO HEAVEN:

Good Works, Baptism, Church, Religion, Sunday School, Charity, Money, Mass, Communion, Parents, Political Affiliation, Denomination, Friends, Positive Thinking, and Just Being A Good Person.

THINGS THAT WILL GET YOU INTO HEAVEN:

JESUS CHRIST

Do you know Jesus? Have you fully trusted Him and only Him for your Salvation?

Here are a few Bible verses that confirm the above statement. You can believe or just ignore them. God’s Word does not lie.

John 3:3 (KJV) 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.

John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

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

Acts 4:12 (KJV) 12 neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Acts 16:31 (KJV) 31 and they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

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

1 John 5:11-12 (KJV) 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

According to the Bible, Jesus is the only way to spend eternity in God’s Kingdom. I pray that you will consider His invitation. God loves you and I love you.

IN CHRIST

deanstuyvesant , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“IN CHRIST”

When you see these words, what does it mean to you? There are 160 identity “in Christ” verses in the Bible. From the Book of Romans through Philemon it is identified in the New King James Version 83 times, in the King James Version it is mentioned 81 times and in the Book of Philemon it is mentioned in one chapter 3 times. In the Book of Ephesians, “in Christ” is mentioned at least 27 times. For God to mention this so many times, it must be very important.

I believe that God is showing us that there has to be a special relationship, a vital union through faith between Jesus Christ and you. In order for this to take place, Jesus in His own words tells us in John 3:3 – 8, you must be born again. When this takes place you enter into the spiritual realm. A new birth into the spiritual realm is an act of God. Without this new birth, you remain in the physical realm. You have to understand that God is Spirit. That is why when Jesus was taken into Heaven, He gave us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit communicates with humans in the spiritual realm. A human being is made up of a body, soul, and spirit.

When you live in the physical realm, self and pride rule your body and soul. You need to realize that the flesh is a destroyer. It is all temporary. As long as you continue to listen and follow your fleshly desires, you will continue to serve them. Satan controls the physical realm for now. He lies and convinces people that it is Ok to live this way.

If you study God’s Word you will know that dying to self is vital to living the Christian life. It is the reality of the new birth in the spiritual realm. No one can come to Jesus Christ unless they are willing to crucify the old life and begin to live “in Christ.” You must come to a determination not to live for oneself and live “in Christ.” It means that you need to have a mental check and be truthful with where your life is headed.

Satan receives his authority from those who are not under the blood of Jesus Christ. Satan works his power through people that give into his temptations and desires. Just look at the condition of our world today. When a person has not or does not put themselves “in Christ,” they are putting themselves in the devil’s hand.

I believe from my own personal experiences that God through Jesus Christ has given me authority over Satan and his demons, evil spirits and his followers. I will admit that I don’t use it as much as I should. One of my experiences is in an article that I wrote titled Faith vs. Cancer. You may be able to access with your browser.

According to Jesus in the Gospel of Mark 11:12 – 26 He said that what so ever you desire when you pray, “believe,” or in other words have faith in the promises of what God. Also in the Gospel of Mark 10:18 KJV it says; Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. The aforementioned verses are just two of the many promises that God has given to those who receive His Son, Jesus Christ as their Savior. You must be born again and enter into the spiritual realm. This where your spirit comes together with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit becomes an intercessor and presents your prayers to God. This is one of the steps to having prayers answered. Have you prayed and it seems that there is no answer to your prayer. You need to understand that God is in the spiritual realm. When you are “in Christ,” God has given you all that He has given Jesus. To some this may be hard to understand. God has given you the freedom to choose your destiny and the benefits that go with your choice.

Look closely at Ephesians 2: 8 KJV where it says for by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God. Vs 9, Not of works, lest any man should boast. God provides the grace and you must put action in faith. Many separate these two words. Beginning in Genesis through Revelation God is looking for those that have faith in Him, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit and God’s Holy Word. Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith requires action on our part. Could this be the reason so many prayers don’t see an answer.

There is so much more to this subject. I recommend that you read and study God’s Word so that you can come to know the truth and the truth will set you free. In our world today many terrible things are taking place and God is getting a lot of the blame. In defense of God and He doesn’t need it, God is a god who loves us so much that He gave His Son to die for our sins. I ask all those who blame God, would you sacrifice your son for other people’s sins and express your unconditional love? Love of God and others seems to be something we talk about but there is little action. Our faith in God requires action on our part. Maybe then we will come to be “in Christ.” Love to all.

OUR WILL OR GOD’S WILL?

deanstuyvesant , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Image result for free images on god's love

OUR WILL OR GOD’S WILL?

Do you have difficulty choosing between the affairs of the world, family and what God has commanded in the Bible? More often than not, we must choose. I know from experience that I have put God second and later regretted it beyond words.

We must come to understand that in order for things to go right in our lives, we must put our priorities in the right order. You may say that is easier said than done. No, it is not. God has made it very simple if you just follow His instructions. What needs to happen is that you realize that you are to die to self (your desires). Your fleshly desires come from Satan. Satan wants you ignore God and do your own thing. It is called yielding to temptation or the desires of your heart. Because God did not want to force HIS will on you, He gave you a free will to make your own choices. You are in charge of your own destiny and the consequences that come with the choices you make.

Let us look at what the Bible has to say: First, in the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 6:5,  “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” All of one’s heart, soul, and strength is to be committed to loving God, making Him the first priority. By the word “all,” the instructions are very clear.

(Exodus 20:2-3). “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me”

God does not want us to place anything before Him. His desire is that we worship Him and Him alone. He must come first in our lives.

Now, look at what is said in the New Testament: Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. What things? All the good things that God has promised in the Scriptures, around 4000 0f them. They are yours if you turn your life over to Jesus.

Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV) Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; and it shall opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

This means everything that God has is yours and God has everything. When you get your priority backward — putting other things first — you miss God’s plan.

The most important command is to love God with all your being. As with all His commands, God does not give this for His benefit, but for your benefit. Putting God first will bless you, improving your life and well-being. Leaving God out of our planning is unwise. This includes every aspect of your life down to the finest detail. If you are determined to follow Jesus and obey Him, don’t allow anything other than Jesus Christ to be your highest priority.

Overcoming our selfish nature and replacing it with God’s character should be uppermost in our minds. As Christ taught: “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

If you want to love people and help people then love God and His love will flow through you and result in a love that cannot come from you alone. The biblical balance is allowing God to empower us to meet all of our priorities.

I pray that all who read this realize that there is no room in God’s world for neutrality. If God is God, then follow Him. If there are other gods in your life, follow them. Look at the words that Jesus spoke as written in the last book of the Bible. Revelation 3:15-16 (NASB) I know your deeds, that you are neither cold or hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot or cold, I will spit you out of my mouth

What are your thoughts when you read these verse?

God loves you so much that He gave His Son to die for your sins. All God want from you is for you to love Him. I do and I love all of you.

THE SEVEN GIFTS OF CHRIST.

deanstuyvesant , , , , , , , , , ,

THE SEVEN GIFTS OF CHRIST.

In addition to the gift of salvation that God provided through His Son Jesus Christ who suffered and died and shed His blood on the Cross of Calvary to cover our sins, God continues to show and give His love to us in many other ways. Salvation is a free gift through the “love” of God. Yes, there must be cooperation from you. The following verses spells it out in very simple language.

Ephesians 2: 8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boost.

Romans 10: 9 -10 – That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Acts 4:12 – Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

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.

Dying to self is part of being born again; the old self dies and the new self comes to life (John 3:3–7). Not only are Christians born again when we come to salvation, but we also continue dying to self as part of the process of sanctification. Sanctification is setting you apart. As such, dying to self is both a one-time event and a lifelong process.

I have to ask, is this so much to ask as to gamble with losing out on spending eternity with such a loving God? What the world offers is temporary as what God offers is “forever.” Just ask yourself, what would it be like if the Spirit of God’s love was removed from your life? The answer is simple, it would be Hell.

If you are a born again believer, God is a giver of many, many blessing and gifts. I don’t know anyone that does not enjoy receiving gifts, especially the kind that God gives. His Son, Jesus Christ is also a giver of gifts. I prefer to call them blessings. Here are a few listed in the Bible.

Matthew 11:28 (NIV). 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 16:19 (KJV) 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Luke 10:19 (KJV) Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

John 4:14 (KJV) But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water.

John 6:51 (KJV) I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh.

John 10:28 (KJV) 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

John 14:27 (KJV) Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

The aforementioned verses are just a few of the blessings (gifts) that God gives to those that will give themselves to Him that created them. God has given you a free reign to your life. Everything you do is your own choice. God will in no way force His will upon you. I am sure that everyone that is reading this has made a choice in an area of their life that they regret because of the consequences they experienced. Maybe more than one. I know I have.

The Bible says that God hates pride. Is pride separating you from God and His blessings? Do you realize how much God loves you? He loves you more than you love yourself and with some that says a lot. If you do not have Jesus in your life, you cannot expect God to answer you or be with you. Also, His way is best way ever. I know because I have experienced His love, grace, mercy, and blessings in many ways during my life. I can only say I love you Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, and Holy Spirit and love to all.

 

DO YOU KNOW JESUS WITH YOUR MIND OR WITH YOUR HEART?

deanstuyvesant , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Image result for heart vs mind images

DO YOU KNOW JESUS WITH YOUR MIND OR WITH YOUR HEART?

The first thing I have to say about this blog is that it is not about the vital organ that pumps blood through our bodies nor does it refer to romantic, philosophical, or literary definitions.

I must ask, who is this Jesus to you? When you hear the name Jesus, what does it mean to you? With today’s technology, almost everyone has heard His name. Sadly, it may have been used in vain.

Would you say you know Jesus in your mind or in your heart? Many people look towards God with a self-salvation through good works and moral behavior. If they were honest, they are miserable most of the time. They are never sure they are good enough or compare themselves to other people. I would have to say that they know Jesus with their mind. They need a transformation by the renewing of the mind.

Look at what the following verse says: Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding (mind). In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.

Have you ever thought about how much information you put into your brain (mind) each day? Some of it stays and some of it goes away. Some of what stays, we will apply to our heart. It can easily become a god and become very real to you. Whatever that something or someone is can take over our mind, emotions, and affections. A person needs to be aware of what the heart stays fixed upon.

“Jonathan Edwards from his sermon Divine and Supernatural Light has a great illustration to make this point using honey. He says, “your mind can know honey is sweet, people can tell you it’s sweet, you’ve read books about it, etc. but if you haven’t actually tasted it, you know with your head, but not with your heart. When you actually taste it, you experience it for yourself, you know it in a full way, and you can know it in your heart.”

God has given us His Word, the Bible, so that we can learn what we should or must do in order to receive His blessings. The following verse is another reference to the word “heart.”

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” – Psalm 139:23-24.

The human heart is mentioned about 300 times in the Bible. We need to understand that the heart is the spiritual part of us where our emotions and desires dwell. Because of the fall of Adam and Eve, every human being is born into sin. Our heart is naturally evil and deceitful above all things, who can understand it? As stated in Jeremiah 17:9. Although we may not understand, God does and He knows our every thoughts.

In order for you understand your heart, you must learn what God teaches in His Word. It is not enough just to hear teachings on the subject. The Bible teaches us that we must feed on the scriptures so they speak to us through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Then you must exercise your faith and believe for it to grow strong. Your faith will become stronger the more you feed it regarding any subject.

In order for you to receive the gift of salvation from God, your heart must be changed. This only happens by the power of God in response to faith. Romans 10:10 (NIV). 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and in Psalm 51:10 (NIV). 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God. Salvation is by the grace of God.

I can say through my own experiences that God will test your heart in order to keep you on course. He will fill you with new ideas, new desires, new wisdom, and new hope if you follow Him with your heart and not with your mind. As you continue in your new life, God places a high importance on keeping our hearts pure. Everyone must work at keeping their heart from evil. I must say that God’s way is the best way. Love to all.

FIND OUT WHY GOD LOVES YOU?

deanstuyvesant , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FIND OUT WHY GOD LOVES YOU?

According to statictics, this time of the year seems to bring out depression in people’s lives. They don’t feel they can survive through another day. Their friendships seem to go astray. It appears that loved ones hurt us more during this time of the year than any other time. Finances weigh heavily this time of the year. Many are overtaken by some type of health problem or sickness. There seems to be an increase in the loss of a loved one. Suicides increase. People feel that their dreams are shattered.

I believe that the main reason for all this is the devil. He wants us to turn against God with our doubt, fears, worries, and anything else he can get us to think about. The more he can get you to concentrate on self the more likely he is to cause you lay blame on God. Satan’s attacks seem to be more this time of year because we look upon God’s gift to us by sending His Son, Jesus Christ who will later become our sacrifice for our sins.

What we need to realize, God loves us more than we love ourselves. God is always there for you. He will take you through the toughest of times if you let Him. The thing you have to understand is, when God created you, He gave you a free will. You are responsible for all the decisions you make in life. God is not going to rule your life.

The only solution is in Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us in the Gospel of John 3:3 that Jesus Himself said that we are to be born again. If you trust God always, never lose faith and hold onto hope you will have all that God has promised. Although I am not any where near what I want my relationship with Jesus to be, I have experienced several of His miraculous promises of which has drawn me closer and closer to Him. Until I realized how much God loves me even though I am a sinner, He still blesses me. In order to receive His blessings, I had to surrender myself and my desires and enter into God’s spiritual realm through His spiritual rebirth. I cannot tell you what revelations of God’s Word (the Bible) have opened up and continue to show me the truth that He gives us. When you give yourself to God, all that He has is now available to you.

I present this message to everyone as I am Bible Believing, Born Again Disciple of Jesus Christ and not just a Christian. As every day that passes, you draw closer to meeting your Creator. Is your name written in the Book of Life? Love to all.

What Do You Call Yourself?

deanstuyvesant , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WHAT DO YOU CALL YOURSELF?

If someone was to ask you to define yourself, what would you say? Are you going to call yourself a Christian or are you going to say that you are a Believer? Before you answer, it is important to know what the Bible says about this subject.

Only three times in the New Testament (Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; and 1 Peter 4:16) will you find the word Christian used. In Antioch (Acts 11:26) followers of Jesus were called Christians due to their behavior, speech, and activity because it resembled what Jesus Christ said and did. The unsaved people of Antioch used the name Christian to make fun of the followers of Jesus.

Now, let us look at the word Believer. There does not appear that the word Believer is found in the New Testament. The word Believers (not Believer singular) is found twice in the New Testament, Acts 5:14 and 1 Timothy 4:12.

Today, there is a strong distinction between Believer and Christian. The term Christian was not used to describe the first Believers and it should not be used now. Approximately 75% of Americans identify themselves as Christians. If our country had this many people following Jesus as they did in Antioch our culture would not be in such rapid decline as it is today. Many non-believers look at those that call themselves Christians and blaspheme the name. Unfortunately many people who claim to be Christians do not seem to exhibit the characteristics and lifestyles that demonstrate that they follow Jesus Christ.

The use of the word Believers really refers to the act of believing or of having believed. Most people if asked to describe their belief will not say they are Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu or something else. They will say they are Christians without having the slightest clue as to what they are saying. Many people will tag themselves with the title “Christian” without exhibiting the characteristics and lifestyles that show they follow Jesus Christ. The first-century Christians followed the teachings of Jesus Christ. Today, this practice has lost its meaning because people have lost the understanding of what it means to follow Jesus and His way of life.

Do you realize that there are people sitting in church today that do not believe in Jesus Christ, let alone trust Him and they call themselves Christians because they go to church. Unfortunately going to church does not make you a Christian any more than going into a barn makes you a farmer. Our society has put the label of a Christian on those that are considered religious or on someone that they consider has high moral values. It even goes so far as a good person is a Christian. Even a person who attends church regularly and works in the church is considered a Christian and the list goes on.

It appears that many people prefer to take the definition of a Christian that comes from Webster’s Dictionary than believe the Bible on what God says. Many secular definitions and interpretations of God’s Word falls short of communicating biblical truth of what it means to be a Christian.

Biblically, the word Christian comes from the Greek word Christianos which is defined as a follower of Christ who is called the Messiah or the Anointed One referring to Jesus Christ.

The Bible is very clear in explaining what a person must do to be a follower of Jesus Christ. In John 3:3-7 Jesus says: ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again.” What Jesus is saying is that a person must confess and repent of their sins. Then believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He died on the cross for our sins. Now we must put our faith and trust in Jesus in every aspect of our life.

The Bible teaches us in Titus 3:5 that the good works we do cannot and does not make us acceptable to God. Salvation in Jesus Christ is a free gift. You cannot earn it. Jesus paid the price on the cross so we may have eternal life with Him. All you have to do is receive it. . Ephesians 2:8 tells us that it is “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” If you would read and study Acts 11: 20-26 you will learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

I believe that there is another choice for a true follower of Jesus other than Christian and Believer. It is one that I prefer. Look at what Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV) says: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. The word Amen means ‘so be it.’
The keyword or correct title for a true follower of Jesus is Disciple. You will find that title over 296 times in the New Testament. Are you willing to be called a Disciple of Jesus? Then pick up you cross and follow Him. Love to all!

What Do You Know?

deanstuyvesant , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

Most people are going to answer this question with their intellectual being. They live from the neck up, a life of the mind. They will evaluate things based on what they think they know. They will evaluate themselves and others on what they think they know.

One of the main problems we have is that we don’t know what we don’t know. This covers a large area in anyone’s life. This is especially true in the Christian realm. There is not one human being that knows everything especially things related to our Heavenly Father. There may be some that think they know it all.

Even though God gave us a Book of Instructions, the Bible, the majority know very little about God, less about Jesus Christ, and less about the Holy Spirit. Look at what the following verse says in the New International Version and the Living Bible Version.

1 CORINTHIANS 8:2 NIV 2 The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.

1 CORINTHIANS 8:2 LB 2 If anyone thinks he knows all the answers, he is just showing his ignorance.

As long as you are reading accurately what the Bible says (and that only comes through the leadership of the Holy Spirit) will you know the truth. One of the truths is that the Holy Spirit only resides in those who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior.

You must understand that the word “knowledge” in the Bible means to understand, recognize, and acknowledge something. In order to know something you need to perceive it and be aware of it. In the Scriptures, “knowledge” means to have a deeper appreciation of something or a relationship with someone. You cannot just know of God’s existence, you must learn how to appreciate Him and come to a personal relationship with Him. Have you ever thought about why God created you? He wants a family and He wants to be a Father to you. He wants that personal relationship with you just as you have with your earthly family.

I have questions for those reading this post. Do you know God or do you know about Him? Do you know Jesus or do you know about Him? Do you know the Holy Spirit or do you know about Him. To find the answer you must look deep inside yourself.

I know of Billy Graham, I know of George W. Bush, I know of Donald Trump but I do not know them because I do not have a personal relationship with them. So, I ask again, do you know God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son or the Holy Spirit. It is quite another thing to know them personally.

With a lot of people, they may attend Church, Sunday School, Youth Activities and Worship Services but their quest to know more about God ends there. Any further action requires a commitment to Him and that is where a major problem occurs.

People struggle with the aspects of the Christian life due to lack of knowledge, wrong information, laziness, apathy or anything that takes away from what they think is theirs. Perform a self-evaluation and ask yourself, do I know as much as I think I do? Are my evaluations correct? Am I using the right criteria? Do you see things as God sees them? Everyone has to make choices. We have to rely on what we know in making decisions or we can proceed with God helping us. You can trust God and know it is the truth or you can continue in the path of self-destruction. I still make mistakes when I rely on my own judgement as I’m not perfect. I do know without any doubt that when I trust God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit for their help, life is much better. Each day I draw closer to my Heavenly Father and someday I will join Him in His Kingdom. I hope to see many of you there.

One becomes wiser when we realize that we need God’s wisdom and guidance in all we do. Walk humbly before God and invite Him to guide you in all you do and enjoy His blessings. After all, He knows everything regardless of how small it may seem.

God loves you and He created you to know Him personally. We need to know that our faith is what continues our relationship with our Savior. Love to all.