Christianity

FIND OUT WHY GOD LOVES YOU?

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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?

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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?

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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.

Sometime We’ll Understand

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I thought the words to this hymn might help those that are suffering through some trial(s) in their life and don’t understand why. Mr. Cornelius was going through some very difficult times when he wrote these words. He quoted the words at his wife’s funeral which he  presided over.

The words to the song “Sometime We’ll Understand” was written by Maxwell Newton Cornelius

July 30, 1842, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

March 31, 1893, Washington, DC, of pneumonia.

SOMETIME WE’LL UNDERSTAND

Not now, but in the coming years, It may be in the better land, We’ll read the meaning of our tears, And there, sometime, we’ll understand.

Then trust in God through all the days; Fear not, for He doth hold thy hand; Though dark thy way, still sing and praise, Sometime, sometime we’ll understand.

We’ll catch the broken thread again, And finish what we here began; Heav’n will the mysteries explain, And then, ah then, we’ll understand.

We’ll know why clouds instead of sun Were over many a cherished plan; Why song has ceased when scarce begun; ’Tis there, sometime, we’ll understand.

Why what we long for most of all, Eludes so oft our eager hand; Why hopes are crushed and castles fall, Up there, sometime, we’ll understand.

God knows the way, He holds the key, He guides us with unerring hand; Sometime with tearless eyes we’ll see; Yes, there, up there, we’ll understand.

THE HEART

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THE HEART

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The word “Heart” occurs over one thousand times in the Bible, making it an important subject that Christians should become aware of what God has to say about it. The “Heart” is the center for both the physical and spiritual activities of our lives.

The heart is the core of our being and the Bible sets the importance of keeping our hearts pure.

Proverbs 4:23 NIV Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

This article is not about the heart as a vital organ, a muscle that pumps blood throughout the body. Neither is this article concerned with romantic, philosophical, or literary definitions. When the Bible in the Old and New Testaments speak about the heart, it never means merely human feelings.

The Biblical word “Heart,” is the inner part of man, made of three parts all together, with the primary part:

  1. Mental Process, which is the major part, which is to lead a person in their life.
  2. Emotions, enriching our lives.
  3. Will, where decisions are made between rational and irrational.

We need to remember that God created male and female in His image. Geneses 1:27, so God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. With that in mind we must realize that God has a heart.

We have a heart because God does. David was a man “after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22).

And God blesses His people with leaders who know and follow His heart (1 Samuel 2:35 and Jeremiah 3:15).

Let us look at some additional verses regarding the “Heart.”

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NIV) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Proverbs 3:5 (NIV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

Rather than trust our hearts, we are to commit our hearts to God. In all your ways submit to him.

Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Now, let us look at the other side of the “Heart.”

Mark 7:21-23 (NIV). 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.

We all have a heart problem. Our biggest problem is not external but internal.

Jeremiah 17:9-10, (NIV) The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind to reward a man according to his conduct.

Matthew 12:34 (NKJV) For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

There is hope, for God has provided a way for our “Heart” to be changed. In order to be saved, the heart must be changed. This can only happen when we have faith and believe in Jesus Christ. It happens when the power of God, by His grace creates a new a new heart of the one who believes in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for that is the Gospel.

Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV). 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone.

He will fill your “Heart” with new ideas, new wisdom, and new desires. It is a free gift. All you have do is receive Jesus as your Savior. God loves you and so do I. Love to all.

POWER IN THE WORDS YOU SPEAK.

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POWER IN THE WORDS YOU SPEAK.

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Have you ever considered how the words you speak affects your life? I have come to learn that what I speak has a great bearing on how my life is going to turn out. It is going to be good or it is going to be bad depending on what words I speak.
According to the Bible, the words you speak are going to affect your life in way you cannot imagine. The most important factor we need to realize is how the enemy (Satan) can use the words you speak and cause you so much grief. On the other hand, how the Word of God can give you so much peace.
The devil cannot read your thoughts, but if you speak aloud, he knows what you say and he knows if you put any of your words into action. In other words he can hear what you say, read what you write, and observe what you do.

 There is nothing in the Bible to indicate that Satan is omniscient. There are no verses that say he knows everything or that he can read our thoughts. But he is very adept at predicting human behavior. That’s why you should Choose Your Words Carefully.

There are over a hundred verses in the Bible that caution you about the words you speak. With that information, you must admit that God is telling us to use our words carefully. Have you ever considered that the words you speak may be the reason you are in the circumstance you are in. Let us look at a few of the Bible verses that tell us about the words we use.

Ephesians 4:29 (ESV) Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Matthew 12:37 (ESV) for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Proverbs 18:21 (ESV) Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Colossians 3:8 (ESV) But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

James 1:26 (ESV) If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

James 1:19-20 (ESV) Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

DEUTERONOMY 30:19 (NLT) “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!

The last verse above says that you choose between blessings and curses. Let me point out some illustrations that the devil uses against you. Remember what I said about the devil using our words against us. Somebody says they have a cold or the flu and a person responds with “Oh, I’m sure I’ll catch it”. That person just opened the door for Satan to go to God and demand the right to infest them and then it happens. God has done His part by warning you through His word, the Bible. Satan is roaming about like a lion seeking to devour people like that. It could be more serious than something like a cold.

Let’s look at some other examples. Have you ever said something like, “How could I have been so stupid,” or “I’ll never amount to anything,” or “I am so confused?” I cannot imagine what the devil is going to do with those statements. Here are just a few more words that we hear that can cause our lives to be in turmoil: “I’m afraid not,” “I’ll be damned,” “Dam you,” “That scared the life out of me,” “I’m so sick of hearing that,” “I laughed till I thought I would die,” “This heat is killing me,” “My arthritis is killing me.” “I am heavily in debt and don’t know how I’m going to get out,”   I’m sure you get my point regarding the words we use in describing a situation in our lives.

There are going to be people that will believe that I may be stretching the subject. I used to think the same way until I began to understand some of what God is trying to tell us in His Word. Oh, I don’t know everything and I don’t pretend I do. There is not a human being alive that knows everything. God wants us to know as much as we can learn about Him while here on earth.

Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, this world we live in is infested with the influence of Satan. He has conditioned us to speak and act with doubt, fear, and death. If the devil gets you to speak negative words, you give him an opening to bring destruction into your life. Any negative attitude is giving the devil an opportunity to attack you.

Is it common for you to put yourself or others down? Do you have a chip on your shoulder? Do you have a negative comment or bash every imperfection in the world around you? If so, you have opened the door for Satan and his demons to attack you. Satan and his demons are relentless in their efforts to bring you down and influence you in what you say. They watch and consider everything you say and do.

Satan and his demons are in a supernatural realm. We are not able to combat him on our own. If you try, you are sure to fail. We need to partner with God. This a decision you have to make or you can continue on the pathway of destruction. This is the case with most spiritual issues. We must act first and then God will do His part that only He can do. We have to equip ourselves with “Sword of the Spirit and the Word of God.” In any war we have to study and know the capabilities of the enemy. Yes, we are at war with the devil and those that are his soldiers.

When Jesus died on the cross, He not only provided the gift of salvation but gave us everything He inherited from God. Jesus defeated the devil and stripped him of all his authority by the power of His blood.

PROVERBS 4:20-22 (NKJ) 20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.

The above promise is just one of thousands that are found in God’s Holy Word. Each person is responsible for learning what God has given us. He isn’t going to force you to accept His gifts. He wants you to come to Him willingly. When you speak, you are expressing a choice, life and blessings or what the devil offers…destruction. Personally, I will take the written guarantee that Holy Father has given to us in his Word. If you agree, you must learn to speak words of love, kindness, life, blessings, faith, praise, thanksgiving. These are words of life in its fullness. Jesus spoke words of life and when we speak in agreement with His Word, we are speaking words of life, health, and happiness. Follow His example. Love to all.

WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS?

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WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS?

In our world today, I’m sure most people are looking for some form of good news. Most of the news on the media, for the most part, is bad news. Even in our personal lives most of us are searching for some good news. It appears that we are all suffering from some sort of trial(s) in our life. Trials appear in all aspect of our lives: marriage, family, financial, jobs, friendship, health, and the list goes on. It seems that on rare occasions, we have a brief encounter with some good news. No one has a perfect life although some appear too.

So what is the answer? In order to understand why we have all this bad news, we have to understand what caused the problem. It all started back with a couple called Adam and Eve. They were disobedient in regards to God’s commands. This was a sin against God and His instructions. God hates sin because He is a Holy God. Everyone needs to understand this. When you come to understand what your Creator expects from you, then your life will be transformed into His love and peace and understanding. That is why He provided you with a Book of Instructions called the Bible. This is where you will find the truth for your life.

The translation of “Good News” comes from “What is the Gospel?” The problem is no one deserves to go to heaven. Christians, Muslims, Jews, Agnostics, and Atheists are not worthy to go to heaven. Worthy means to be deserving. Do you think you deserve to go to heaven when you die? Do you deserve an eternity of peace and good in return for the life you’ve lived? Everyone was born into a world of sin. That makes everyone a sinner and according to God, we all sin. God’s Word tells us if we break one of God’s commandments, we break them all. Look at what 1 John 1: 8 (NIV) says: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

In Romans 3:23 (NIV) it states: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

God is “holy, holy, holy”. He is set apart from all that we know. What we do know is that He is revealed in the Bible as just and very loving. He created each one of us in order to love us and for us to love Him. He wants everyone to enjoy His presence for eternity. That is why He provided a salvation solution through His son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ is the core of the Gospel or the Good News. This provision is by the grace and mercy of God Almighty.

God provided a sacrificial Lamb for our sins. His name is above all names. It is Jesus Christ. Jesus took everyone’s sins upon Him when He was crucified on the Cross of Calvary. This gift of salvation is a free gift. According to the Bible, we must receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. According to John 3:3 (NIV): Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again,” he cannot see the kingdom of God.” This birth is a spiritual rebirth where the Holy Spirit joins together with your spirit and guides you into the truth. You repent (turn away) of your sinful life and join Jesus as a new person fully cleansed of your sins by the blood of Jesus Christ and now have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life where you will spend eternity (forever) with a Heavenly Father who loves you very much. This is the Good News. No more bad news forever (eternity). Love to all.

Growing in Christ

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 I am going to assume that the majority of people reading this post are adults or soon to be. Everyone started out in this physical realm as a new born child. As you continued to grow physically, you are now an adult. Depending on your age, it has taken time for you to become an adult. As a child you continued to grow as you were fed physical food. I only bring this up because it helps us to gain understanding of spiritual growth.

There are many similarities between physical growth and spiritual growth. In order for you to enter into a spiritual growth, you must be born again. John 3:3 Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” It comes down to this, flesh gives birth to flesh and Spirit gives birth to spirit. Born again literally means born from above. Also, it can mean becoming children of God through your trust in Jesus Christ.

God created you in three parts, body, soul, and spirit. Our body is our outer part containing our five senses with which we contact all the things of the physical, material realm. Our soul is our inner part containing our mind, emotion and will with which we contact all the things of the psychological realm. Our spirit is our innermost part with which we contact God and substantiate all the things of the spiritual realm.

You may ask, why does a person have to be born again? The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:1 (NKJ), and you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. In Romans 3:23, Paul said sinners are spiritually dead when they receive spiritual life through faith in Jesus Christ. This is related to a rebirth. Only those who are born again have their sins forgiven and begin their relationship with God.

Let us look at additional verses from God’ Word that follow your rebirth in receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior.

2 PETER 3:18 (NKJ) 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen

MATTHEW 4:4 (NKJ) 4 but He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'”

EPHESIANS 4:15 (NKJ) 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ –

1 PETER 2:2 (NKJ) 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.

1 TIMOTHY 4:15 (NKJ) 15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.

James 1:22 (NKJ) 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

The Holy Bible is your spiritual food. You must feed your spirit on the Word of God and act on what you learn just as you have done in your physical life. When you were a toddler, you learned to walk after falling down many times. Even as you got older you attempted many things and failed. You only mastered something after many attempts. You will fall many times or fail to understand what God has said to do or don’t do as a new born Christian. You don’t become an adult Christian overnight. When you fall, get up and try again.

There are several versions of the Bible that are easy to read. My suggestions are that you begin to read Books of the Bible that are easy to understand such as 1, 2, 3, John, the letters to the Galatians, Ephesians Philippians, and Colossians. Before you begin to read any Scripture, ask for the leadership of the Holy Spirit as He is the one that will guide you into all truths. Meditate on what you read and pray for God’s revelation on what you read.

Always remember that God is your Heavenly Father and He will watch over you and protect you as any good parent would do. Don’t ever be afraid of Him as He loves you very much and so do I. Love to all.

WORSHIPPING GOD

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WORSHIPPING GOD

This topic follows my experience of going to church with my granddaughter and her husband. I have to say that it was a delightful and rewarding time. Also, I have to say that it is a church of the 21st century. Although it seemed strange at first, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. Most of my experience of going to church during my almost 80 years has been of the old traditional style of church services. Even when I preached, it was the old traditional services. Don’t misunderstand, I love the old time religion, but I believe that we must learn what true worship is regardless of where you are.

The church services are held in the local High School auditorium since it is a new church on the rise. It is a “come as you are” church which I have to say pleased my heart. My past experiences have witnessed churches that had and some still have policies that prevent a certain class of people from attending services. All I can say regarding churches that set standards that make it difficult for people to worship God, “ ask yourselves, is your way the way of God?”

According to Webster’s Dictionary, 1828, it defines worship as to honor with extravagant love and extreme submission. Worship is not songs we sing, nor the amount of money that you put in the offering, nor how much you volunteer. Yes, these and other acts you may perform are important but do not define true worship. The Book of Psalms has many references regarding worship. Look at what (Psalm 96:9 (NKJV) says: Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.

If you believe in God, then you must worship God because He is God. Period. True worship is defined by the priority you and I place on where God is in our lives and where God is on our list of priorities. Do we submit to what God wants or what self wants? I must say that I sought after my selfish desires for part of my life. I know that I missed out on a lot of God’s blessings all because I wanted to satisfy my worldly desires.

So, what is true worship? According to the Apostle Paul. He described true worship in Romans 12:1-2, “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable, or well pleasing and perfect.”

The above passage contains all the elements of true worship, motivation, the mercies of God, the Holy Spirit, everlasting peace, eternal joy, saving faith, comfort, strength, wisdom, hope, patience, kindness, honor, glory, righteousness, security, eternal life, forgiveness, reconciliation, justification, sanctification, freedom, intercession and much more.

When we worship God, I am referring to true worship, God will begin to inspect our hearts. True worship is asking God to inspect our hearts for anything that is not according to His will. This is the promise of true worship as He will begin to reveal His truth about what the condition of our heart is in, then upon surrender of self He will begin to be transform us into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

I would ask you to stop for a moment and reflect on God’s love for you. He has given all he has in order for you to have eternal life with Him in His Kingdom. He will come to you in all His glory and commune with you if you will worship Him as He deserves to be worshiped. The promise is that He will come to you. John 4:23-24 NIV 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Have you ever thought about what it would be like if you lived in a world that God’ Spirit was not present. I’m sure that many will worship their evil desires since this world is under the influence of Satan as many are now enjoying. Yes, there is a day coming that God will withdraw His presence and let those remaining to come under the rule of the devil. The good news is that Jesus Christ will return again and set up His Kingdom.

If you ask the question, how do I know if I’m properly worshipping God? Here are a few simple rules to follow. Jesus stated in Matthew 22: 36 NIV: the greatest commandment is that you Love your Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This does not say we are to divide our attention between God and worldly things. We must give to God the glory He deserves. Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, giving all to God totally. That includes our hearts, mind, thoughts, attitudes and our hands to help. This is done by the renewing of our minds through the reading and studying God’s Holy Word. This will help develop wisdom and prayer. We must not depend on emotions as emotions will not lead you into God’s truth. Where the mind goes, the will follows. 1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us to have the mind of Christ. You can only renew the mind through the knowledge of the Word of God, the Holy Bible. That is followed up with prayer or communicating with our Heavenly Father. True worship is God-centered worship.

Worship is only reserved for God. We are not to worship His servants (Revelation 19:10), saints, prophets, statues, angels, false gods, or anything of this world such as careers, material possessions, money, health or anything that absorbs our time including families. Again, it is important to realize that worship is reserved for God. Also don’t get caught up in the false worship in hopes for something in return. We must not mock God. God knows our every thought, Psalm 94:11.

True worship comes from the redeemed heart of a man or woman who has been justified before God by faith and who has trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for forgiveness of their sins. Sin must be dealt with by the washing of the blood of the sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ. John 3:3-7 says that a person must be born again.

True worship is not confined to what we do in church or open praise although these are good and we are told to do them. True worship is our acknowledgement of God and all His power and glory in everything we do. It includes being obedient to Him and His Word.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus discusses the subject of worship with the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus said “you Samaritans worship what you do not know.” They worshipped God in a half-heartedly way because they were not totally committed to God. Today, even true believers can fall into this error.

True worship is a sincere desire to increase your knowledge of God by daily reading and study of the Bible. We need to continue to fill our mind with the things of God. Everything should be done with reference to Him. The Greek word for worship also means “service”. Every day we should offer ourselves first and foremost as a living sacrifice to God. Sacrifice means giving to the Lord whatever He requires of our time, our earthly possessions, and our energies to further His work. The Lord commanded, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). Our willingness to sacrifice is an indication of our devotion to God. People have always been tried and tested to see if they will put the things of God first in their lives.

Today, purify your heart and renew your mind so that you may worship God in spirit and in truth. Remember God is holy and someday we will all stand before Him in judgement. Also, He loves you more than you love yourself. My love to all.

Do You Understand The Covenants?

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Do You Understand The Covenants?

There are two covenants in the Bible, one in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament. What is important is that you understand that the Old Testament is not exactly the same as the Old Covenant. The same is true in that the New Testament is not exactly the same as the New Covenant.

In the Old Testament it is recorded that the Old Covenant was an agreement between God and the people of Israel. In the New Testament it is recorded that the New Covenant is an agreement between God and Jesus Christ.  This means that in order for you and me to have salvation, we must be united with Jesus Christ. As the Book of Ephesians says many times: “all those who are in Christ have salvation.”

Hebrews 8:13 NKJ 13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The New Testament reveals and explains the New Covenant very well. The New Covenant did not begin until after the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. The New Covenant was not sealed until the precious blood of Jesus Christ was shed and He paid the price for the remission of sins for all who confess and believe in Him. Jesus said that the New Covenant involved His blood being shed on the Cross of Calvary.

MATTHEW 26:28 NKJ 28 “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

HEBREWS 9:14-17 NASB 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. 17 For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.

You may ask why this is so important.  Because the Bible says that we need to rightly divide the Word of God. 2 Timothy 2:15 NIV 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

How can you have a clear understanding of the New Covenant and what the New Covenant is about if it is confusing to you? One of the main problems is that many teach different things regarding what is in good standing with God. One of the trends today is to preach and teach a feel good way of life. In these types of messages, the message of Jesus Christ is seldom emphasized. I must ask why the core of our salvation is taken away from the truth.

I believe that one of the best explanations of the New Covenant is found in the Book of Ephesians. The phrase “in Christ” is found 28 times. You must ask, why the Apostle Paul brought this to our attention so many times. A person must realize that Jesus is the Truth.

Let us look in Matthew 19:16 the rich young ruler asked Jesus what to do so he could have eternal life. Jesus’ answer in Matthew 19:17 to “keep the commandments” is much different than the answer in Acts 16:31 which says simply to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,” or 1 John 5:13 which says those who believe in the Son of God may know they have eternal life. In Matthew Jesus is speaking under the Old Covenant. In Acts and 1 John Jesus is speaking under the New Covenant. Although we must not ignore what Jesus said under the Old Covenant, we must realize that we live under Grace and not under the Law.

Under the Old Covenant, keeping the commandments was required as the way to have good standing with God. Under the New Covenant, good standing with God is a gift which comes with believing in Jesus Christ  (Romans 5:17-18, 2 Corinthians 5:21).

In Hebrews 8:6 it says that the New Covenant was established on better promises through Jesus. ROMANS 6:23 NKJ 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If a person is not careful, they can misunderstand the true message of Jesus Christ. We need to realize that there was a dramatic change due to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His teaching changed between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

After Jesus ascended into Heaven, He continued to speak to us through His apostles by the leadership of the Holy Spirit, mainly by the recordings of the letters to the church, Romans through Revelation in the New Testament. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are about the life of Jesus. Acts is the history of the beginning of the Church.

The truth of understanding only comes through the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit only comes to those who have confessed their sins and received and believed in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior according to John 3:3 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.

Don’t be misled by thinking that Jesus is done speaking. If that were so then there would be no need for the Holy Spirit who speaks to those who have come to know Jesus as their Savior. What a promise God has given to them who know Jesus as their Savior in Hebrews 10:16-17 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Praise the Lord for the New Covenant. Love to all.