Christian

“IN CHRIST”

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“IN CHRIST”

How are things working out for you that call yourself a Christian? Are your prayers being answered, are you being healed of sickness or some life-threatening disease? Are your finances what you would like them to be? Is your marriage what you desire? Today, these are a few of the questions many people are searching for answers.

Many people are searching for answers through their five senses: touch, sight, taste, smell, and hearing. These are carnal abilities. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that God gave us the senses to function here on earth.

What we need to understand is that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are now in the Spiritual realm. In order to communicate with them we must do so in spirit. When God created each one of us, He did so with three parts: spirit, soul, and body. You have a spirit that was given to you so you could communicate with the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:25 says: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. God has given you His Spirit to enable you to live in a way that please Him.

To activate the spirit within you, you must be born again. Otherwise you function as a carnal being. This is not my opinion but what Jesus says in the Gospel of John 3:3 KJV 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. Also, in John 14:6 KJV “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”

Once you are born again you will discover how amazing your life is meant to be “In Christ.” You become a joint heir with Jesus. That means that everything that Jesus has is yours. You must learn what that means and learn how to use them. Your instruction manual is called the Bible. It contains thousands of promises for the born-again believer.

The phrase “In Christ” or “In Christ Jesus” refers to the state of believers and not as Christians. Jesus or Apostle Paul never used the word Christian that was recorded. “In Christ or its equivalent is used 27 times in the Book of Ephesians and In the Bible, it is used approximately 100 times.

The description in the Bible of a follower of Jesus is that he or she is a person “In Christ.” This does not mean that you are inside Christ as salt is in a shaker or water is in a glass. It means you are united to Jesus as your arm is to your body. It means you have a personal relationship with Christ that makes you a distinct and authentic follower of Jesus.

Salvation comes when a sinner (and we are all sinners) confess their sins, ask God to forgive them and repent. They declare their decision to receive Jesus as their Savior and follow Him. You surrender your life to Jesus Christ.

Because Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood to cover our sins we are forgiven. Jesus is the one who will justify us on judgement day before God.

Being “In Christ” brings a personal fulfillment into our life. There are many who are unfulfilled and do not understand the meaning of their life. They are searching for happiness through worldly pleasures. They keep asking where it is to be found. There is a hunger and a thirst that only can be found “In Christ.” Jesus said, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to me will never hunger and he who believes in me will never thirst.

There are many who will trivialize the “Born Again” transformation. “In Christ” brings about a radical change in life. It goes into our very roots of our human soul. You die to the old life and are risen to a new life “In Christ.”

I know that it is hard to understand about being “In Christ.” Thanks be to God’s conviction; I came to realize my sinful ways and surrendered my life to Jesus. Yes, I have a long way to go. What I know is that God loves us beyond our ability to understand. God loves us even if we haven’t loved Him as stated in 1 John 4:10: “In this is love, not that we loved God, but He loved us.”

Sin came into man through the deceit of Satan with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God created man and woman in His image so that He could have a personal relationship with them. Because of sin that relationship was broken because God is Holy and detest sin.

Since God loves us so much, God made a new covenant through the New Testament. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to help us to know God. The Bible says that that God is at work in everyone’s life. Acts 17:27 says “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each of us.”

Although God wants us to become like Jesus, He will not force it upon anyone. The answers to being like Jesus can be found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark Luke, and John.

We have a choice either to be “In Christ or face judgement. In Matthew 7:22-23 Jesus warns us that pious actions on our part will not save us. I pray that you never hear the words Jesus spoke; “I never knew you.”

God wants us to become like Jesus. This takes place when our love for Jesus comes first and we give Him our lives and we do not follow our thoughts and desires that take our attention away from Him. Then we grow “In Christ.”

We all have made bad choices showing indifference to God. Maybe we have opposed God. If you have, God still loves you and wants you to come to Him through His son Jesus. Otherwise you may find yourself separated from God.

Jesus came into this world to bring us to His Father. God has given you His Spirit in order that that you may live “In Christ.” You are saved through faith and not of yourselves; it is a gift of God.

A born-again believer is not under the law. He or she is under the grace of God through Jesus Christ. I cannot emphasize how much Jesus loves you. Jesus suffered one of the most brutal types of death for every person on earth. You owe it to yourself to consider surrendering to Jesus and enter His Kingdom.

God loves you and so do I.

Free Copies

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FREE COPIES
I have 40 brand new copies of THE RIVER OF LIFE Holy Bible, New International Version of the New Testament. It is paper back. It is published by International Bible Society, Colorado Springs, CO. The Bible is free plus I will pay the postage to ship only within the continental United States. The limit is one per address. You may order by contacting me at: deanstuyvesant@gmail.com. Please include your complete name and address with zip code. If you have any questions, please contact me at my email. Please forward to anyone that may be interested. This is a good starter Bible.  God loves you and the Bible will show you how much. When these are gone, the offer expires. Love to all.

Commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

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COMMEMORATING THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST.

A week ago we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. What took place after His resurrection? The Scriptures says that He remained on earth for 40 days instead of ascending immediately into heaven.

Prior to His arrest, trial, and execution, Jesus spent three and one-half years teaching and preaching God’s message. After His resurrection, He stayed on earth 40days to show His followers that He was alive. The people knew that the Romans had put Jesus on the cross and He died, was buried with guards.

God resurrected Jesus from the tomb after three days. He became a sinless sacrifice so that man could be reconciled to God was complete. Before His final departure, Jesus needed to accomplish a few things with His disciples. According to the Bible, Jesus appeared to several people eight times in human form. This was prior to the birth of the New Testament church that occurred on Pentecost. Jesus’ appearances can be seen in both Roman and Hebrew calendar formats.

There are six meanings related to the risen life that are provided for the people that turn their lives over to Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9 (NKJV) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. You cannot keep it secret. John 3:3 (NKJV) Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” This is the new birth. These are just two of the many references to a new (spiritual) birth.

Here are the six meanings of a risen life:

Romans 8:11 (NKJV)  But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

2 Corinthians 4:10 (NKJV) always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

2 Corinthians 5:15 (NKJV) and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Colossians 3:1 (NKJV) If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

Colossians 3:2-3 (NKJV)  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Ephesians 2:5-6 (NKJV) even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

These are free gifts that God gives us because He loves us. If people would read the Bible, there are so many promises of God that we cannot absorb or understand how much He does love us. God put people here on earth with a free will hoping that they see the blessing He offers, not only now but for eternity. God wants everyone to become a member of His family here on earth and in His Kingdom to come for ever.

Yes, there is a condition that we receive Jesus as our Savior. This is a free gift. You don’t have to earn it, just turn your life over to Jesus. That is why Jesus came down to earth, suffered, died, buried, and rose from the dead. When you hear the word “Gospel,” that is what it refers to.

So many people pass from this life to the next without meeting God’s only condition. I hope and pray that those reading this have made the decision to join Jesus in His kingdom to come where He will be the King. Heaven will a place of love (agape) like you have never known. Many are led to believe that you have to earn your salvation, not so. You are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible says that everyone is appointed to die the physical life and then comes the judgment. Don’t delay because no one is promised tomorrow.

Love to all.

THE RESURRECTION

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THE RESSURRECTION

As we approach this Easter season of 2018, we look upon the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. THIS IS THE GOSPEL! I don’t believe that anyone can relate to the pain and suffering Jesus went through for everyone past, present, and future. Some say that you could not recognize Jesus after the beatings he endured prior to going to the cross.

Scourging, called verberatio by the Romans was the worst kind of flogging administered by ancient courts. A person could have been beaten to death by the scourge if it was desired.

The weight of the cross is not mentioned in the Bible. Some estimate that it weighted over 200 – 300 lbs. After the punishment Jesus suffered prior, He could not carry the cross. That is why someone else was appointed to carry the cross.

The hanging on the cross was brutal suffering to say the least. There were several methods used. If you want to know more, I suggest that you read articles concerning crucifixion on the cross. We know that Jesus suffered for our sins. I am not sure some realize what He endured for our sake.

After Jesus was pronounced dead, He was buried in a tomb. Because some thought that someone would steal His body, Roman guards were placed at the tomb. Now on the third day, we find that the tomb was empty.

What does the Resurrection mean to you? I know that each person will have their own definition and what it means to them.

I have to say that in order to understand the true meaning, there has to be a changed life according to the Bible. Jesus is pretty clear when He says that a person must be born again according to John 3:3 (NKJV), Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

We need to understand that He is not referring to being born again physically. He is talking about a spiritual transformation. This can happen at any time according to the individual and according to God’s time frame. God is constantly working in your life until you come to a place in your life that you surrender yourself to Him.

A lot of times this occurs when a person hits rock bottom in marriage, finances, employment, etc. A person comes to realize that what they have done and where they are headed is a disaster. Since God gave each of us a free will to live our lives as we choose we pay the price for our mistakes.

Are you sick and tired of trying and failing at living life your own way? Are you longing for peace and happiness in your life? God offers this and much more for your life here and for eternity. It is usually human stubbornness, pride, belief in self and your own ability that keeps you from having a relationship with God. You fear giving up control and trusting God. The devil has us defeated by making us believe that God is some type of tyrant. I can tell you from my own experience that God loves you so much that He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for you. Easter is God’s way of saying I love you so much I give my Son as a sacrifice for you.

It is a free gift to those who will surrender themselves to Jesus. Ask forgiveness of your sins, confess Jesus as your Savior and Lord and repent (turn away from sins). God will take over and give you all the promises (over 4000) that are written in the Bible. God will give you a new desire with the help of the Holy Spirit who will guide and direct you in all that you do. With the power of the Holy Spirit everything is possible even things you thought were impossible Jesus is waiting with open arms to receive you into His Kingdom. You can do it.

After you become one of God’s children and we look at the Good News of Easter. It is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Jesus conquered death. He is risen. As a born again believer we can look at the future with hope and know that the sting of death cannot touch us. We will spend eternity with Jesus forever and forever.

The Resurrection of Jesus gives us 7 promises. They are as follows:

Psalm 49:15 (NKJV) 15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for He shall receive me. Selah

John 5:25 (NKJV)  Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

John 6:40 (NKJV)  And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 11:25 (NKJV) Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

Acts 24:15 (NKJV) I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead,[a] both of the just and the unjust.

2 Corinthians 4:14 (NKJV) knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 New King James Version (NKJV) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Praise and thank you Father for your love. Praise and thank you Jesus for your gift of eternal life. God loves you and so do I. Happy Easter to all.

For additional reading, 1 Corinthians 15 is considered the Resurrection chapter.

WHY?

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WHY?

As a former law enforcement officer, I have to ask, why was there such a demonstration this past week regarding guns behind words such as safety and other words? Don’t misunderstand, I am all for safety as I spent 20 years protecting people, property, and rights of people. I respect the rights of people to have the freedom of speech and to demonstrate as long as it is lawful.

The question I have is why single out guns when there are more important issues of safety than guns? The gun issue falls under the protection of the 2nd amendment of the Constitution. The illegal drug use does not fall under the umbrella of the Constitution. It falls under state regulation.

My career as a law enforcement officer both with local and state departments, I saw the destruction of drugs destroy people’s lives even unto death. I saw chronic marijuana smokers die because of residue built up in their esophagus until they choked to death. I saw the results of LSD users who thought they could fly and jump off high rise buildings. I saw many who just took too much of their drugs and overdosed and died. The examples keep on going.

Today the drug epidemic is worse than when I was involved. There are over 1000 individuals die every week from both illegal and legal use. How many realize that is way more than guns kill. By the way it is not guns that kill people, it is people with guns that kill people. Drugs kill people. Also, it is not the law bidding citizen that is involved. So why is the push to penalize them when there are more important issues to confront?

The main reason drugs continue to survive is because of greed and people wanting and needing (addiction) them. Look at the push to legalize pot which many states have and some are considering. Why, because of the almighty dollar. Many will argue with this point, but I saw it and know that marijuana will lead to more addicting drugs.

It is interesting how the minorities get there way and the majority pays for their rights. Wake up America and realize we the majority need to stand up for our rights and not let the minority rule. Remember how one person took prayer out of the schools. How one person started the kneeling at the National Anthem? There is a great push to take God out of everything and the attacks go on and on.

Like I said, I am all for protection of all people. We need to start using common sense in our priorities. Guns are not the problem, people are the problem. Drugs are more of a problem. It is becoming an epidemic.

We should have learned when alcohol was legalized. Look at what a destroyer it is. How many people die, injured, families destroyed, all because of greed. Alcohol does not take the number of lives that people with guns do, but one life is too many. Oh, yes there are groups that are fighting the cause. Again they are the minority.

Do you realize that more people die at the hands of a knife than that with guns? Nobody seems to want to regulate knives. I know there are some who are saying that I am being ridiculous. Am I! A life is a life.

We cannot depend on our governments to curtail the problems because some on the inside are too deep in the pockets of the establishment. Now, it seems that the majority of politicians both national, state, and local do not care what the American people want or demand.

The movement of demonstration against guns and safety were well organized. The number shows that. I just have one question, why guns when there are more important issues? What about the mental conditions of the shooters? The red flags are there, but nobody wants to look at them. It isn’t the guns, it’s the people. We are headed into a lawless society if we don’t change our ways.

One last thought, plain old common sense knows that bad people will always have guns or some other weapon to attack “maybe you or a member of your family” and we will have no defense if they take away our guns. Do you not understand that evil does not abide by the law. Past and present situations show that to be true.

Maybe we need to bring God back into our lives. Churches and Christians need to stand up to the evil that is taking over our country. Jesus said to come and follow Him. WHY NOT? It sure is better than where we are are headed.

Love to all.

THE DEVIL IS GAINING GROUND

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THE DEVIL IS GAINING GROUND

I am writing this article as a witness of my Christian belief that the Bible is the infallible Word of God. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, He inspired men to write what God instructed for the welfare of His creation. Since God created man with a free will to choose their destiny, we have the privilege to choose the pathway of life as we desire.

In the past year, I have witnessed political rancor and bitterness of feelings towards the President of the United States of America as I have never seen in my 60 years as a voter. I have had the privilege of voting for eleven presidents beginning with Dwight D. Eisenhower.

I support the First Amendment of the Constitution. Although the First Amendment to the Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech,” Americans don’t have the luxury of always saying whatever they want. Your right to free speech is limited by where you are, what you say, and how you say it. Now, it appears that we must be extra careful because of political correctness.

My point is to be a Christian witness over political ideology. According to the Bible, we are given instructions by God so that we can live a peaceful life here on earth. Where the problems come into play are because the instructions in the Bible are ignored.

Romans 13, it says “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.

1st Peter 2:13, 14 and 17. “13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and praise those who do good…17 Honor everyone. Love the Brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the Emperor” Peter goes on to talk about also honoring your boss as well as being willing to suffer for doing good. Those are not easy things to put into practice.

Ecclesiastes 10: 20. Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, and don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide.

There are stern warnings from God concerning our speech. Matthew 12:37 says; “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

Following is a list of words that the Bible considers sin. Do you connect any of the words with our present political arena? How about with our news media? How about people?

“Gossip” – “Rumor or talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature.”

“Rumor” – “Unverified information of uncertain origin usually spread by word of mouth; hearsay.”

“Slander” – “The utterance of defamatory statements injurious to the reputation or well-being of a person. … A malicious statement or report.”

“Backbite” – “To speak spitefully or slanderously about (a person).”

“Talebearer” – “A person who spreads malicious stories or gossip.”

“Rail” – “To condemn or attack in bitter, harsh, or abusive language…”

“Revile” – “To denounce with abusive language.”

Have you ever been a victim of false statements? I have and it is not a situation that I would wish on anyone. Fortunately, Jesus was with me and I was exonerated of the false statements. Some people accuse others of doing wrong when they do not know it to be true.

I believe that the deterioration of our great country is due to Satan’s influence of deceit. It all began when God was taken out of daily lives. Today, it continues to be an ongoing trend with a greater influence. Is the devil gaining ground in his war against Christianity and the foundations that America was built on?  Satan has got us spending so much time on judging others that we have lost our prospective of life.

According to Romans 3:23. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That is why God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. According to 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.

2 Corinthians 5:10, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

So, is there a solution to the way our country is going? Yes, if we would follow God’s instructions in His Holy Word, the Bible..

2 Chronicles 7:14, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Mark 12: 30-31, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

I look forward to the day that America and the world will experience a revival and many will come to Jesus Christ and His salvation. Hopefully many will do so soon. I pray that you will consider the Lords invitation as He loves you and so do I.

THE WORDS YOU SPEAK, THAT’S WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE.

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THE WORDS YOU SPEAK, THAT’S WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE.

Before I begin my topic, I want to wish all a Happy New Year. For those that have received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, may the Lord bless you with the desires of your heart? For those that haven’t, may you consider the invitation of Jesus to enter into His eternal gift of salvation? It is a free gift with many promises. The most important is eternal life with Him in His kingdom.

I have written a blog sometime back similar to this. With some, they are able to control their tongue, others speak like the words come from a cesspool. The Bible tells us that we will account for what we speak according to Matthew 12:36 But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the Day of Judgment. Also in Proverbs 6:2 (NKJ) it says; you are snared by the words of your own mouth, you are taken by the words of your mouth.

Words are powerful, they can get you into trouble, and you can curse others of which the devil can then place on a person. You can speak ungodly things and consider them innocent. I ask you, does God? Whether you are a Christian or not you will be held accountable for every idle word regardless if it slipped out of your mouth or not. When you have true faith in Christ it produces obedience. If a Christian is guilty of such behavior, they need to confess and repent and receive God’s forgiveness.

When you speak aloud, the Devil can take your words and put them into action. Most people don’t realize that Satan is the one who increases the problem. When you confess to being a Christian, you cannot praise the Lord one day and speak against God or someone the next. Christians should not willfully practice sin. I know that there are going to be some that will say it is no big deal. I believe that if it wasn’t a big deal, then God would not have made a point of telling us that we need to tame our tongue according to the Book of James.

Jesus said that you will have what you say. It will depend on you faith or your doubt or whether you have His salvation or not. Those that have not received Jesus’ invitation for salvation cannot expect to receive His blessings. On the other hand, you can believe on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and enjoy His blessings according to Mark 11:23 (NKJV) For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

Oh, what a promise. Is there any reason to do otherwise? There is a lot we don’t understand but we must realize that we are responsible for our own destiny. You must know that God loves you more than you love yourself. He already proved this by sacrificing His Son for our sins and Jesus shedding His blood to cover them.

We are entering a new year and you can add a new resolution that you would consider receiving Jesus Christ’s invitation of salvation. If you do, God and the Heavenly Kingdom will rejoice. I love you and pray you don’t delay in making the most important decision of your life.

REPOST

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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

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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?

IN CHRIST

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“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.