Life

FAITh

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FAITH

Today is what many look upon as Easter. It is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave.

On the other hand, it is about the Easter Bunny.

My question is which is the most important to you and your family?

It appears that the Easter Bunny is winning the popular vote.

Let’s look at what each has to offer. Jesus is real and offers eternal life. The Easter Bunny is not real and offers temporary pleasure. God has given each person the right to choose, right or wrong.

By the way our society is going, it is what we believe and have faith in. All a person has to look at, what they have to offer? The Easter Bunny offers nothing but a temporary fix.

Everything you have comes from God including your life. He created you and provides everything that sustains you. Also, He is love. By His love you can have life after death through His Son, Jesus Christ.

If you don’t believe and have faith in Jesus Christ, you lose everything. 1Corinthians 15:13 -14 says; “but if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen, and our preaching is in vain is and your faith is in vain.

The righteous shall live by faith. Faith is so important because it is the way we have a relationship with God. For by grace, you have been saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8). By faith you become heirs of all that Jesus has done for you including the punishment He endured for our sins.

Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is.

Faith is the foundation for hope. It is a supernatural gift from God.

Faith enables a believer to further understands the truths about God that cannot be understood by reason alone.

God requires faith because He is our Heavenly Father. It takes faith to believe He loves us, and He provides everything for us. Without God you could not survive. No one living fully understands the things of God. You can learn if you desire.

The first commandment is that you put nothing before God. He means anything.

On this Easter day I pray that all who reads this remembers that Jesus loves you and if you believe and confess Him as your Savior you will become joint heir with Him. According to Acts 4:12, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Salvation is the most important gift you can ever receive. It is all provided for by what Jesus went through for everyone. He is risen!

I love you and Happy Easter

SPIRITUAL COMPLACENCY

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Spiritual Complacency

Where are you with God and His way? Have you become so overconfident with your relationship with Him that you may have entered into apathy?

Are you aware that spiritual complacency is a dangerous spiritual condition that can lead to an outright rejection of Jesus Christ? It leaves a person open to the attacks of satan and his ways.

In the old testament of the bible, it says that people became so complacent with God, they got into making idols. Do you have any idols in your life? It can be anything that comes before God.

One of the signs of spiritual complacency is being lukewarm in your relationship with Jesus. In Revelation 3:14-22 , the letter written to the Church of Laodicea, according to Jesus they were lukewarm. Evidently Jesus cannot stand people that are lukewarm. Another word for lukewarm is complacency. People will find that complacency is not contentment.

Another sign of spiritual complacency is looking upon success, which is far more dangerous than failure. The fruit of complacency is what you consume. In most cases it is what is dictating the direction of your life.

Here are some other indications of complacency.

Do you look at yourself other than what God does? Especially when we think we are doing okay spiritually. Do we compare ourselves with others? The Bible gives us an example in Luke 18: 10-14 of how to compare ourselves to the holiness of Jesus.

Do you live with an attitude of self-sufficiency? Are you trusting your own ability to handle the ways of life? Have you forgotten that God has control of your body, soul, and spirit? Everything good and I mean everything good including you was created by Him. We need to put Proverbs 3:5-6 in our heart and not depend on our understanding.

You have become comfortable with your life. A believer of Jesus should never be comfortable this side of heaven. Have you become so close to groups, systems, lifestyle, politics, etc. that we no longer seek the spiritual things of God. Do not let 1 John 2:15-17 become your lifestyle and lose what the Kingdom of God has for you.

Are you spiritually aware of what salvation in Jesus Christ is all about? Could you be spiritually dull about the understanding about accepting and believing in Jesus Christ as your Savior? Do you desire to live your life with Him? God gave us a book of instructions called the Bible. He gave us a pathway to communicate with Him, it is called prayer. Do you exercise these blessings in order to have victory over the forces of the devil or are trying to carry on without help from the only one who has provided you with victory, Jesus Christ. Read and follow Ephesians 6:12-18.

The real danger of complacency is when we are not paying attention to the real spiritual dangers such as you no longer have intimacy with Jesus as found in Mathew 7:21-23. You are no longer part of His purposes as stated in John 15:8. You are no longer prepared for the coming of Jesus Christ as found in John 5:28-30.

If there ever comes a time when you feel smug or satisfied with yourself regarding your achievements, or feel overconfident, you may be headed into spiritual complacency. I’m sure that most of us have had periods where complacency has entered our lives. If there comes a time when you think you are headed in that direction, get out of it as if your life depends on it.

Find the promises of God. The Bible has around 7000 promises. If you are following Jesus here is 7 promises He has for you.

Life – Matthew 16:24-25 It seems like an incredible contradiction, but we will only find life when we quit pursuing it. When we stop chasing the things we believe will bring us life and instead, pursue the creator of life, we discover life as it was designed to be.

Acceptance – John 6:37 Charles Spurgeon once called this one of his favorite verses. In this passage, we discover Christ’s assurance that he will not send those who come to him away. We see this acceptance peppered throughout his interactions in the Gospels. If we come to him, we will find him waiting with open arms. Christ’s invitation extends to everyone, and he accepts all those who follow him.

Reward – Mark 10:29-31, Following Jesus requires sacrifice. There are times when the immediate benefit of going our own way may appear to outweigh the potential gains of obedience. Jesus wants us to know that our sacrifices aren’t in vain and there’s nothing we can surrender that exceeds what’s attained in following him.

Revelation – John 14:21  When you get down to it, there’s an element of God’s truth that one can only understand from the inside. All the arguments and proofs for God’s existence pale in comparison to actually experiencing a relationship with God through Christ. Jesus promises us that, when we obey him, he will manifest himself to us.

Friendship with God – John 15:14-5 Jesus came to reconcile God to mankind. The surprise there isn’t just that a bridge would be built between God and humanity; it’s that we would enter this relationship as friends. Yet, this is exactly what Jesus promises us. 

Joy – John 15:9-11   We’re instructed to continually exist in God’s love, and he tells us that we can do that by keeping his commands. Our obedience keeps the relationship alive and active, allowing us to remain in his love. Why does he want to securely stay in this relationship? So, our joy will remain full.

Jesus promises us that joy is a byproduct of remaining in God’s love.

Trials – 2 Timothy 3:12 When you get down to it, following Jesus puts you at odds with the world. This persecution can vary in extremes. Some that belong to Jesus will lose friends, family, jobs, opportunities, maybe even their lives. This truth is partially why these other promises exist. It’s as if God is saying, “Following me will be a struggle, but here are the things I will promise those who persevere.”

Jesus says it this way: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me” (Matthew 5:10-11)

There is a very important question you need to answer, do you claim the promises of Jesus but do not believe with living in oneness with Him?

If there is a way, I can encourage you to examine your relationship with Jesus, I do so now. Every one of us is in a learning stage. If there are areas of your life that needs to change, share your heart with Jesus in prayer or just have a conversation with Him, then listen and keep listening. He hears you and will come to you.

Remember that Jesus loves you more than you can understand. We are entering a time when we celebrate the Gospel. Jesus suffered, died, buried, and rose from the dead and is alive so that we may live.

Jesus loves you and so do I.

OUR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

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I did not write the following post, and I do not know the author, but I thought it is worth reposting due to the way our children and young people seem to be headed. Yes, I came out off the old school where we were taught about God. We recited the Lord’s prayer in school along with the pledge of allegiance to flag of the United States of America. Today, both are gone and look at how society is going. Whether you are a parent, grandparent or great grandparent, follower of Jesus or not I want to assure you that God is real, and Hell is real. There is coming a time in everyone’s life when they will come to know the truth. I pray that that those that disregard God’s warnings and instructions come to see the truth. Everything you have at your disposal comes from God’s source. God’s source includes everything He has provided by his grace. That includes the precious children, grandchildren, great grandchildren. My question is, what are you teaching them? What are they learning from you? Yes, someday you will answer to the Creator for what they have learned. It is never too late to reverse the way they are going. God loves you so much He gave His Son, Jesus Christ to die for you so you can receive His blessings. Jesus loves you and so do I.  Dean Stuyvesant

DEUTERONOMY 6:6-7 NKJ 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 “You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

God holds all parents responsible for teaching their children. But that does not require some formal approach to instruction. The best way is a natural flow of information as we go through life.

God’s Word tells us that teaching our children should happen during the normal events of daily life. We can illustrate truth and apply it to what happens every day, just as Jesus did with His disciples.

We must also realize that everything our children see us do in life is also unintentionally teaching them. Whatever they see you do is a lesson your children are watching and learning from.

If you never speak of God and His Word, it communicates to your children that God is not very important to you. If you don’t read your Bible, don’t expect your children to read the Bible.

It is also important to mean what you say and say what you mean — to always tell the truth. If your children know you don’t keep your word, they won’t expect God to keep His Word either. So, if you tell your child something, either do it, or ask their forgiveness for not keeping your word.

Don’t try to leave the responsibility for teaching your children about God to someone else. You may not feel qualified, but God will help you. Just be honest with God and honest with your children, and you will make progress with both.

DO YOU BELIEVE OR DON’T BELIEVE?

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DO YOU BELIEVE OR DON’T BELIEVE?
According to a book called the Bible, this book was given to people for instructions on living our lives here on earth and preparation for the hereafter. The Bible was given to us by God through the Holy Spirit’s leadership of men and women chosen to write instructions for us to follow.
Ever since the Bible was created, it has been the most sought-after publication ever written. Also, it has been the target for destruction or prohibited from the public on several different occasions.
What is so interesting is that it still exists. I believe that it still is a popular book because it is a book that has with stood attempts to destroy it by the many ways of satan and his followers.
God and His Bible receive numerous accusations that God and His Word are lies since there is so much suffering and disasters taking place on a regular basis and God doesn’t do anything about it. That is just one example.
So, let’s look at other reasons why there is so much pain and suffering in our world today. The main reason is satan also known as the devil and he is real. Since he is not omnipresent, as God is, he has many demons, fallen angels, evil spirits, evil forces, and human followers at his disposal. They are constantly attacking people and things to create problems.
Another main problem is with people. There is apathy regarding lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern, with what the Bible instructs us to be and do. There is an ignorance factor because we do not take time to acquaint ourselves with the book of instructions.
2 Timothy 2:15 KJV;NKJV – Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. That verse tells us to study. It does not just say to read. There is a big difference between studying and reading. Anyone who studies the Bible will come to know the truth and the truth will set you free according to John 8:32.
When Jesus redeemed mankind, He restored to us dominion through His Name. The responsibility for what we allow to happen on earth lies on the Christian, because Jesus has given us His authority.
Matthew 18:18 NKJV – “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
God gave mankind dominion on earth. Our failure to know what the Bible is instructing us do will cause us to do nothing and that will cause problems in our lives. All you must do is look at the way our world is going. Look at the events that are happening in America today. Does anyone think that this is what God wants? Remember that God gave us dominion. Somehow it appears we are giving dominion over to the devil. I believe that very few people know what the Bible tells us because of ignorance and lack of believing what it says.
Luke 22:67 NKJV “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means believe.
No one can force anyone to believe anything. Each one of us chooses whether we will believe something, based on our belief of the evidence presented to us. True evidence is in the Bible. Many of the events mentioned in the Bible have been proven and taken place to prove that the Bible is accurate. According to some statistics, there are approximately 2500 prophecies listed in the Bible. Of those listed approximately 2000 have been fulfilled. You are free to believe or not believe. It’s your choice.

Bible reading in America has dramatically decreased; people who do read their Bibles experience significant hope in their lives. When we read the Bible daily, it reminds us of how God has worked in ages past and what He will do for us in years to come. Someday the shock of reality will be revealed to you.

Faith and belief may have different English meanings, but in the New Testament they are different forms of the same Greek word. Believe is the verb and Faith is the noun for the same word.
Instead of people putting their belief in the Bible, they put faith in a person, a church, or someone’s book, or some other means. Why not the Bible? Maybe because it requires effort, time, interruption of job, fun or some other excuse. Whatever you put before God is a sin according to the Bible.
Either we trust God’s Word and His promises, or we live outside of His instructions and live a life of misery. Believe or don’t believe, the choice is yours. It’s never too late to make the right choice for God is love, peace, and joy and a whole lot more.

Bible reading in America has dramatically decreased. If you have lived during the 1930’s to present, you have seen a difference in life then and now. I believe it centers around the loss of following God’s instructions. Biblical knowledge and history illustrates the deterioration.

Today, people who do read their Bibles experience significant hope in their lives. People who study the Bible have a better insight of what God is planning. The Bible gives us knowledge of what God has done in the past and what He will do in the future.
I don’t contend that this life is perfect, but it is a lot better when Jesus Christ is in your life. We must trust the Word of God and His promises or suffer the consequences.
Along with reading and studying the Bible, there needs to be the companion of prayer. Prayer is an important part of our relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is love. He suffered and died for everyone and is alive. He awaits your choice. He loves you and so do I.
For me to help others become acquainted with God’s Word, may I ask you to forward this message and free Bible offer to anyone who will help spread the Gospel. God Bless!
To help those that may not have a Bible, I am offering a free paperback copy, postage paid, of the New International Version (NIV) of the New Testament published by the International Bible Society. This copy is in English only and is only available to residents in the continental United States. This offer will only last as copies are available. Only one copy per address. I only ask that you are sincere about looking into God’s Word.
To place an order or answer any questions, please send an email with complete name and address to the following address: deanstuyvesant@gmail.com

WHO IS TO BLAME?

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WHO IS TO BLAME?

Are you blaming God for your troubles and circumstances? Why?  Most of them have come from you not listening to what God has to say in life’s book of instructions called the BIBLE. Accept the responsibility for the choices you make because you do not follow His way or consult Him.  Don’t expect Him to help you when you ignore Him.

One way the devil gets into your thinking is through the words you speak. Matthew 12:36, 37; I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

On the reverse side is the benefit of having Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Then you have the Holy Spirit as your teacher. MARK 16:17 NKJ 17 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons. For believers to cast out demons, it means they must have authority over the devil and his forces. However, unused authority conveys no benefit.

COLOSSIANS 1:13 NKJ 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness (Satan) and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. The only true powers the devil holds over a believer now is the power of deception, unbelief, and lack of knowledge of what God’s Word says. Look at how Satan deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden.

One of the ways the devil operates against you is through ignorance. God’s Word gives you the information that will set you free from both fear and ignorance.

God loves you and wants you to come into the salvation that He offers through His Son, Jesus Christ. The choice is yours to make. God has given each person the free will  to make their choices. What he hopes you will choose is His salvation in Jesus Christ and then receive the Holy Spirit who then will guide you into the truth. So many people think they know more than God and make their own choices that cause problems because the devil can enter their thinking and actions.

Take the step of inviting Jesus Christ into your life and experience His love. God loves you and so do I.

>Hello

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Hello,

This post is an addition to my story posted on my web site. The information is not in any way to promote myself. I pray that it may help someone realize the need to follow God’s instructions so they will enter God’s Kingdom when they pass on from this life.

How you may look at God, Jesus, Christianity, the Bible, or any aspect related to the Christian era, the facts have been proven. How much a person takes seriously is up for grabs? The question individuals need to ask themselves, where do I stand with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit?  Once a person takes that final breath, there is no turning back or second chance.

In addition to the previous statement, have you asked yourself, why am I here on earth? Your purpose is clearly defined in the Scriptures. I can honestly say it is not for your self-satisfaction. If you don’t know, I will leave it up to you to search the Holy Bible for yourself.

Also, I am not going to promote or demote any denomination, church, or anyone’s belief. Everyone will stand in judgement before God on judgement day. We are all sinners, me included. The Bible says we have an advocate in Jesus Christ if we confess Him as our Lord and Savior. I have accepted His invitation, have you?

I do not profess to know everything that is written in the Bible. Also, I don’t know any human that does. The only person that knows is the Holy Spirit who through men inspired and wrote the Bible. Even the Apostle Paul who was taught by Christ said he knew very little.

Now, I want to share a little more about my life. I do so to show that having Jesus in my life and yours is important. My life has not been easy nor an easy road to travel. The poor choices I made were mine.

Many times, I chose things that turned out to be the wrong decisions. All because I did not include Jesus in the decision, I take full responsibility and do not blame God for my ignorance. Yes, there are occasions I still fail to ask God for help and I still pay for the outcome. I know that there are going to be some that say God expects us to make our own decisions. Well then, I ask what is the purpose of the Holy Spirit living in our bodies?

I am still alive at 861/2 years all because of the love and mercy of God. I have come close to death a few times. Some while I was in law enforcement and some due to my poor decisions. I am still alive because of the love, mercy, and the grace of God. He still has some missions for me. This post is one as there are many souls waiting to be informed and harvested before Jesus returns to gather up His bride as indicated in the end of the book of Revelation.

At the beginning of this post, I suggested that you search the Scriptures and find out why you came into being here on earth. Let me give you a couple of hints. First reason, God wants a family, so He wants people to join Him in His eternal Kingdom by making their own decision to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Bible goes on and says that you must confess your decision. That means to tell others of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel refers to His death, burial, and resurrection. God wants every born-again believer to take the Good News to those that have not come into salvation of Jesus Christ.

We will soon enter a New Year and I pray that this message will touch your life and that you in return will touch someone. I believe that you know at least one person that could spend eternity separated from God. It may even be a family member. 

There is a Gospel song that says a lot: “GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD”

God loves you and so do I. May God bless your New Year.

I can be reached by email at deanstuyvesant@gmaail.com or at deanstuyvesant.com

FREE GIFT HAPPY EASTER

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A FREE GIFT                 HAPPY EASTER

Most people like to receive a gift, especially a gift that is free. What is surprising is the gift that God offers is rejected by many. What is more surprising is God’s gift results with many benefits.

Since creation, God has given man a free will. They have the freedom to choose their destiny. Now, suppose I offer you $100.00 because I love you. I tell you it is free, no strings attached. You must make a choice, either accept it or decline to take it. If you accept it, there are many benefits that you can enjoy with that gift.

Again, many believe that to accept God’s gift, it will result in giving up self-pleasures that the world (the devil) offers. I can hear some of you say,” God’s gift is not free.” I beg to differ with anyone who makes that statement. The Bible reference to the gift of God is His Divine Love. Love is the Essence of God. You can receive it from Him if you desire.

With God’s Love comes many benefits called blessings. Have you ever considered what your life would be like if God removed His Love from you? Some examples that the Bible point out is the description of Hell. You can look it up in the following references.  It’ll be beyond anything humanly imaginable! The Bible describes it as, weeping (Matt 8:12), wailing (Matt 13:42), gnashing of teeth (Matt 13:50), darkness (Matt 25:30), flames (Luke 16:24), burning (Isa 33:14), torments (Luke 16:23 everlasting punishment! There are more.

God’s Love is shown in many ways. In all cases, you cannot buy, work for, or obtain it in any way. God’s Love is free by His Grace. God’s Love is free but it came with a cost. The horrible example is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Romans executed criminals on the cross. It is said to be one of the most horrible ways to die. The prelude to Jesus’ death on the cross was the beating He took before. He was beaten almost beyond recognition. He was so weak; He could not carry His cross. Why? Because of God’s Love for every person. ROMANS 5:8 8 But God has made clear his love to us, in that, when we were still sinners, Christ gave his life for us.

What many people think of love is a form of selfishness and not pure love. There are several forms of love. Some examples are as follows:

  • Philia — Affectionate Love. Philia is love without romantic attraction and occurs between friends or family members. …
  • Pragma — Enduring Love. …
  • Storge — Familiar Love. …
  • Eros — Romantic Love. …
  • Ludus — Playful Love. …
  • Mania — Obsessive Love. …
  • Philautia — Self Love. …
  • Agape — Selfless Love.

Agape love gives without waiting for the other person to love first. Agape love comes from God. It is a blessing to those who are born again (1 John 4:7).  For you to love your neighbor (a commandment) it must come from God as agape love does not come naturally.

The love that comes from God is Agape love. It is a selfless love. He proved that by sending Jesus to be a sacrifice for our sins and redeem us. ROMANS 5:8 GWN 8 Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God’s love for us. You need to believe that God loves you. He does because you are valuable and precious and He wants the best for you. After all, He created you and wants you to be a member of His eternal family.

Do you know that love gives? Without giving there is no proof of love. Love always gives, but it does not always give what is requested. Love always gives something.

In the King James Version of the Bible, love is mentioned 310 times

Another free gift of God is His Grace. Again, you cannot earn it, buy it or do anything to obtain it. God’s Grace comes from His essence of His being. God’s grace is gracious, slow to anger, a steadfast love, and His faithfulness. His grace is a favor or gift given to you to bring happiness to your life.

For by Grace, you have been saved through Faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

The Bible tells us that when God gave us Jesus Christ, God gave us everything Jesus has. Romans 8:32.  

So, we need to understand that all things that Jesus has, we have inherited, if you have received Jesus as your Savior and Lord. With Jesus, He freely gave us all things. We are joint-heirs, Galatians 4:7 and Romans 8:17.

Now, if you are a born-again believer, which is a spiritual rebirth, you are intitled to the following blessings: healing, prosperity, peace, joy, and all the blessings God has to offer. They are all free. You need to exercise faith to receive. Faith is the key to open what God has to offer.

I know that there are some and even Christians that will argue that salvation is not free. I do not want to cover that type of argument in this post. As of now I am only going to say that someday I pray that you come to understand what the Bible says.

There is one interpreter that reveals the truth as God wants and that is the Holy Spirit.

Since God gave you a free will, you can choose to go your own way and believe your own thing. If you go through life on your own doing the best you can, how is it working out?

You have control of something so precious and more important than anything you can have and that is your life. If things are not working out, have not worked out for you, maybe you should accept the love of Jesus.

Jesus Christ has a perfect track record and knows more about you than you know about yourself. Your eternal future is in His hands. It all depends on where you have put Him in your life.

Doctrine can separate us; the love of Jesus can bring us together.

In this life we will never agree on everything. Unity will only come through one source and that is through Jesus Christ.

This Friday through Sunday the Christian community looks upon what is considered the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His death, burial, and resurrection.

God loves you and so do I.    

GOD’S SALVATION

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GOD’S SALVATION?

Before I begin, I want to say that this article is not an attack against any denomination, religion, or anyone. The information is from the Holy Bible. If you have a problem with any portion, I suggest that you take it up with the “Author, God the Holy Spirit.” Most of my references are taken from the King James Version.

To find out the truth we need to go to the Bible and study it for ourselves. Perfect teaching comes from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit only comes into your life when you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Then your spirit comes into one with the Holy Spirit and you are “born again” spiritually. You become a new person. You can only learn from the Holy Spirit if you yield to His feeding of your spirit.

The definition of Christian Salvation is the saving deliverance or redemption from human beings’ sin and its consequences. Sin is an immoral act considered to be a transgression of God’s divine law The consequences are separation from God and eternal death. Sin was brought about by the original sin of Adam and Eve by the disobeying God in the Garden of Eden which brought the fall of man. It is referred to as the “hereditary sin.”               

According to The Book of Romans, we are all sinners. ROMANS 3:23 KJV “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” This includes every human being, past, present, and future.

I know that there are going to be some that do not believe in God or Jesus, and last, “the Holy Spirit.” That is the God given right for anyone to believe what they want. God has given each person the right to choose their destination. If I am wrong in my belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I will lose nothing at the end of my life. If a person is wrong on not believing, they will lose eternal life with the love of God and His Son and be separated from God for eternity. There is no possibility of return.

Their destination is a place called Hell. Is Hell real? According to the Holy Bible, it exists. Look at what Matthew 13: 49-50 KJV says; 49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Mark 9:43-44 KJV 43 And if thy hand offends thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

There are other references. The doctrine of Hell has the full support of the Scriptures. We must realize that Jesus had a lot to say about the subject. My goal is not to focus on the dismal end, but to give reference to a new life in the love of God’s Salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.

Now, I want to focus on how to experience the Salvation God has to offer to each person. John 3:16 KJV is one of the most popular verses in the Bible regarding Salvation: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Believing in Him is referring to Jesus Christ.

The Scriptures says that to obtain God’s Salvation, you must be “born again” according to John 3:5-7 KJV  5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

To help understand the phrase “born again” you need to know that when God created humans, He created them in three parts: body, soul, and spirit. Born again is referring to a spiritual birth. This is where God the Holy Spirit comes into a union with man’s spirit. When this takes place, the Holy Spirit will take over the transformation of the person through His revelation of God’s teachings of the Holy Bible.

 A ‘born again” person will go through a process of surrendering their desires and give themselves over to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. A surrendered person will need to choose to give up the fight between their selfish sinful desires and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

We need to understand that there is a process that must take place like with a farmer. When the farmer needs to plant crops, he must prepare the soil, plant the seeds, nurture the seeds, harvest, and then enjoy the fruit of his harvest. It is the same with the “born again” process. A person must put effort into the process.

There is no riding the fence with God. There are specific warnings about sin and entering halfway with God. Look at the following verses and then decide if life is a game. God, Himself says He is a jealous God.

 Revelation 3:16 KJV So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Romans 12:2 KJV I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and perfect, will of God.

Luke 9:23 KJV And He Said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

1 John 4:15 KJV Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

There are many more verses that relate to what God wants from His “born again” people. God created us to know Him, glorify Him, and enjoy Him.

If you put anything before God, you create an idol. An idol is anything that is more important to you than God. It can be something that absorbs your heart more than God. It can be a priority in your life. Love of someone or something can replace the love you should give to God.

Anything or anyone cannot give you eternal life except Jesus Christ, the Son of God who died, was buried, and rose again from the dead and now sits at the right of God waiting to return to claim His bride, those who believe in Him, and have faith that Jesus is their Savior. This is the “Gospel.”

I leave you with one final thought. Jesus gave us a commandment in Matthew 22:37,38; 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.

Do you have that precious gift of God? Eternal life in the love of God. When that trumpet sounds or life ends there is not a second chance. You will have made your choice where you will spend eternity.

Jesus is waiting for you. Jesus loves you and so do I.

SHARING MY FAITH

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SHARING MY FAITH

In 84 years + I have faced death, injuries, and health problems that have caused me to wonder why I am still around. The reason I believe is my God and Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ have always been with me even though I have not always been with them.  I have come to understand that I have a very loving Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus who took my sins to the cross so I may have a new life in Him.

Not only did Jesus give me a new life but I became a joint heir to all that is His. Part of that inheritance is sharing my faith with others regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus suffered and died on the Cross of Calvary for every human being. He was buried and on the third day He rose from the dead. He now sits at the right hand of God the Heavenly Father waiting to return and claim His Bride who are the ones who confess Jesus and believe He is Lord. I do.

Another part of that inheritance comes with what God says in the following verses in Psalms, Chapter 91, NLT during these pandemic times. I believe with all my heart and from experience that if you believe and have faith, God will take care of you especially during these troubled times.

Psalms 91 NLT

1 I live in the shelter of the Most High so I will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

3 For he will rescue me from every trap and protect me from deadly disease.

4 He will cover me with his feathers. He will shelter me with his wings. His faithful promises are my armor and protection

5 I will not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.

6 I will not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

7 Though a thousand fall at my side, though ten thousand are dying around me, these evils will not touch me.

8 I can just open my eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.

9 I make the LORD my refuge, I make the Most High my shelter,

10 so no evil will conquer me; no plague will come near my home.

11 For he will order his angels to protect me wherever I go.

12 They will hold me up with their hands so I won’t even hurt my foot on a stone.

13 I will trample upon lions and cobras; I will crush fierce lions and serpents under my feet!

14 The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.

15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.

16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”

So, there you have the promises of God and the Bible has many more. He has done His part; the rest is up to you. You do not have to face life’s problems alone. God is full of love for you, His creation.

Surrender your life to Jesus and enjoy what God has already given you. I have and I give praise and  glory to Him. Love to all.

“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.