“From Old Self to New Self”

 “From Old Self to New Self”

 

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.  Colossians 3:17

 

The Apostle Paul wanted the Colossians to LIVE their New Life in such a way that they would be LIVING with an outward CHANGE as much as the INWARD CHANGE. Notice that he encourages them in WHATEVER they do, whether in WORD or DEED, to do it ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus, and to do it with an ATTITUDE of GRATITUDE. Because they are NOW Children of the LIVING GOD. 

We, who are TRUE believers, need to put off our OLD SELF with its EVIL practices and put on the NEW SELF who is being RENEWED to a TRUE knowledge according to the image of the ONE who CREATED them. In other words, we are to be SO into JESUS that we are JUST LIKE Him in every part of our NEW IMAGE.  We need to be CHRISTLIKE in ALL we DO.  And we should DO it in OBEDIENCE to the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, the MAKER of HEAVEN and EARTH. 

Our demeanor should be one of COMPASSION, KINDNESS, HUMILITY, GENTLENESS and PATIENCE; we should BEAR with one another, FORGIVING each other, and whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave YOU, so also should you be FORGIVING.

Above ALL, put on LOVE, because it is the PERFECT BOND of UNITY.  Let the PEACE of CHRIST RULE in your HEARTS, and in ONE BODY, be THANKFUL.

We are NOT PERFECT, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t be OBEDIENT to the WORD of GOD and WORK at it.  We should be WILLING to STRIVE at that GOAL, because we BELONG to a PERFECT GOD.  And the BEST WAY to do that its to PUT OFF our OLD SELF and PUT ON our NEW SELF. 

If you have NOT DONE this, you have the OPPORTUNITY NOW! If you have been feeling guilty for your SINFUL LIFESTYLE, it is the Holy Spirit of God telling you it’s time for you to come to Him, through His SON, JESUS CHRIST, the ONE who PAID in FULL the PRICE for your SALVATION.  And to be able to receive this SPECIAL GIFT, you MUST COME to Jesus and ADMIT that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS DIED for YOU and that He is ALIVE in Heaven making intercession for you, before GOD. You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His SALVATION.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and OBEY and WORK with your NEW SELF.   Do this NOW while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

“The Source of Resurrection and Life”

 “The Source of Resurrection and Life”

 

Jesus told Martha; “I am the RESURRECTION and the LIFE.  Anyone who believes in Me will LIVE, even after dying.  Everyone who lives in Me and BELIEVES in Me will NEVER EVER die. Do you believe this, Martha?”  John 11:25-26

This is the fifth of the “I AM” statements that Jesus made about Himself, concerning His identity. Martha was one of Lazarus’ sisters. And they were CLOSE friends with JESUS.  Whenever Jesus was in the area He would stay with Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, they were good friends.  And Jesus, though He loved Lazarus and his sisters, He knew that what would happen soon, was for the GLORY OF GOD so that the SON of GOD would receive GLORY from this situation.

And by the time Jesus had reached Bethany, He was told that Lazarus had died and had been in the grave for four days. When Jesus arrived, Mary was in the house, and Martha had gone to meet Jesus, and she said to Him; “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” And Jesus response was: “Your brother will rise again.” 

 These words from Jesus gave Martha, HOPE, She BELIEVED that JESUS was the PROMISED MESSIAH, the Son of GOD, the One who had come into the world from GOD. Jesus was deeply moved by the grief of Martha and Mary, and Jesus wept. 

When Jesus arrived at the tomb, He told them to remove the stone that had been rolled across the entrance.  This troubled Martha, and she told Jesus; “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be TERRIBLE. And Jesus, who has POWER over DEATH and the GRAVE, shouted “LAZARUS, COME OUT!” And the DEAD man CAME OUT!

Now, I told you all of this to show you that Jesus has POWER and MARTHA had HOPE.  I have heard the saying: “Where there is a WILL there is a WAY.” And I BELIEVE that MARTHA had the WILL, because she got word to JESUS, I think her HOPE was JESUS. And JESUS KNEW that He was the WAY, He said:  “I am the RESURRECTION and the LIFE. Anyone who BELIEVES in Me will NEVER, EVER DIE!!”

He also knew that it was to bring GLORY to GOD, so that the SON of GOD, will receive GLORY.  And to STRENGTHEN their HOPE and BELIEF and to solidify the TRUTH:  JESUS is the SOURCE of RESURRECTION and LIFE:  DO YOU BELIEVE THAT??  I DO!!

If you have DOUBTS about it and have NOT come to JESUS for the SALVATION of your SOUL, then this is what you MUST DO to obtain God’s Gift of SALVATION and ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  When you have that tugging on your HEART. You MUST SURRENDER and COME to JESUS and ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, God’s ONLY SON, who GAVE His LIFE to save our SOULS from spending an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.  You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART, that JESUS DIED for you and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and BELIEVE that JESUS is the SOURCE of your RESURRECTION and ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

“Dead to Sin and Alive to Righteousness “

 “Dead to Sin and Alive to Righteousness”

 

He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be DEAD to SIN and LIVE for what is RIGHT. By His wounds you are healed. Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have TURNED to your SHEPHERD, the GUARDIAN of your souls.  1st Peter 2:24-25

 

When I read this Scripture, there is always the question WHY?  And the conclusion is that: Jesus’ SUFFERING and DEATH makes it POSSIBLE for believers to be FREE from BOTH the PENALTY and the POWER of SIN and to LIVE for Him; so that we might DIE to SINS and LIVE to RIGHTEOUSNESS. He SUFFERED so it would be POSSIBLE for BELIEVERS to FOLLOW HIM, by His example in suffering and in righteous living.

“By His wounds you are healed is NOT REFERRING to a “physical healing,” the reference is to SALVATION.  The WOUNDS refer to the SCOURGING and DEATH accomplished “HEALING,” the SALVATION of every person who TRUSTS Him as their SAVIOR and LORD.

Christ not only sets the example and provides SALVATION, but He also gives us GUIDANCE and PROTECTION and He is the GOOD SHEPHERD and OVERSEER of our souls. We sometimes are like sheep who wander away from the safety of the flock but then TURNED BACK to the SAFETY and PROTECTION of the GOOD SHEPHERD, the One who who LOVES them and CARES DEEPLY for their SAFETY and PROTECTION.

Do you KNOW the GOOD SHEPHERD, who PERSONALLY carried MINE and YOUR SINS to the CROSS, that we may be DEAD to our SINS and ALIVE to RIGHTEOUSNESS so the ALMIGHTY GOD might be GLORIFIED in and through our RIGHTEOUS LIVING.  We, like JESUS CHRIST, may have to SUFFER for our FAITH, but if we do, we have a COMFORTER, who knows how to SOOTHE our SUFFERING. If we will not WANDER from Him to SEEK another SHEPHERD.  REMEMBER:  He PERSONALLY took YOUR SINS and CARRIED them to the CROSS, and they were on His BACK. And when He SUFFERED and DIED, we were on His MIND and in His HEART. 

Have you felt GUILTY or REMORSE for your SINFUL LIFESTYLE?  That may be the HOLY SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD convicting you of your SINS. And if you keep REJECTING His invitation, HE may quit offering it. You NEED to ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, who carried YOUR SINS to the CROSS and is WAITING for you to COME to Him for your SALVATION.  You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN making intercession for you before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT heart.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and be DEAD to SIN and ALIVE to RIGHTEOUSNESS.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can. He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!! Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 

“FORGIVE and be FORGIVEN”

 “FORGIVE and be FORGIVEN”

 

Make allowance for each other’s faults and FORGIVE anyone who offends you.  Remember, the Lord FORGAVE you, so you MUST forgive others.  Colossians 3:13

The Apostle Paul tells the Colossians, those who were believers of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, what they should wear as clothes for their NEW SELF.  He tells them to put on COMPASSION, KINDNESS, HUMILITY, GENTLENESS, and PATIENCE and above ALL this, we SHOULD put on LOVE, which is the PERFECT BOND of UNITY. 

One very important way we make these characteristics visible is; by FORGIVING one another.  Some believers may hold on to UNFORGIVENESS, and it results in ANGER and BITTERNESS. They may feel this because they have been mistreated in some way. And therefore, they deserve to be APOLOGIZED TO.

However, they FORGET that God has FORGIVEN them and they in RETURN should be FORGIVING others.  Forgiveness does NOT MEAN that you are APPROVING SIN or EXCUSING EVIL.  But it DOES mean you are RELEASING them from OBLIGATIONS that were incurred by their WRONGDOING against you.  It’s FORGIVING someone who has not ASKED for FORGIVENESS.

What makes FORGIVENESS possible, is REALIZING that the LORD FORGAVE YOU. However, if you REFUSE to FORGIVE, you have STOPPED GOD’S MISSION in your life. But when you FORGIVE, you NO LONGER GRIEVE the Holy Spirit, and you ACT LIKE the ONE who has FORGIVEN YOU.  If there is someone who has WRONGED you, and YOU are a BELIEVER of JESUS CHRIST.  You NEED to FORGIVE them and PRAY for them and for yourself as well.  And above all, CLOTHE yourselves with LOVE, which BINDS us ALL together in PERFECT HARMONY. And let the PEACE that comes from Christ Jesus RULE in your HEARTS. For as members of ONE BODY, we are CALLED to LIVE IN PEACE.  And ALWAYS be THANKFUL!!

If you are NOT a TRUE BELIEVER in CHRIST JESUS, who is GOD’S ONLY SON, and He GAVE His life to SAVE YOUR SOUL and to GIVE you an ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, and to be ABLE to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE ONCE YOU are there. You MUST BELONG to GOD’S Family and be FORGIVEN of your SINS.

First, you MUST be CALLED, when you feel GUILTY for how you are living, and the Holy Spirit of GOD touches your HEART, you will KNOW that He is CALLING you to FOLLOW JESUS.

 YOU MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, He is the ONLY WAY to be a part of GOD’S FAMILY. You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to HIM and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS. YOU MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINS and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and FORGIVE OTHERS, and BE FORGIVEN!!!  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“Christ—the Fullness of God in a Human Body”

“Christ —the Fullness of God in a Human Body”

 

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.  For in Christ lives ALL the FULLNESS of God in a human body.  So, you are COMPLETE through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.  Colossians: 2:8-10

 

If you have accepted Christ Jesus as your LORD, you must NOT be led astray from EMPTY PHILOSOPHIES and HIGH-SOUNDING NONSENSE that comes from the spiritual powers of this WORLD, and NOT from Christ, because Christ is the FULLNESS of GOD in A HUMAN BODY.

You MUST FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST and STAY with Him. Let the ROOTS of your BEING grow DEEP DOWN into Him and let your LIVES be BUILT on Him. Then your FAITH will GROW STRONG in the TRUTH you are TAUGHT, and it will produce an ABUNDANCE of THANKFULNESS. And you will be TRULY FREE from being a SLAVE to your SINFUL LIFE-STYLE. 

The LONGER I live the MORE I HEAR and SEE the work of Satan in this SIN-LADEN world.  Some of the things that are being taught to our young people are DEFINITELY EMPTY PHILOSOPHIES, and HIGH-SOUNDING NONSENSE. And they are HARMFUL to them as FUTURE LEADERS in our WORLD.  And their DOCTRINES are FALSE and UNGODLY.  In some instances, the next generation is being GROOMED for the period of TRIBULATION. We are already SEEING a DISREGARD for HUMAN LIFE.  And more seriously, a DISOBEDIENT NATURE, one that is grounded in LIES, REBELLION, and HATRED and LAWLESSNESS.  And the FUTURE is BLEAK to say the LEAST, for those who ACCEPT these teachings and take part in the actions of such mindsets. 

However, for those of us who have ACCEPTED CHRIST as our SAVIOR and LORD, there is DEFINITELY HOPE. For the ALMIGHTY GOD, has made us ALIVE with CHRIST and our SINS ARE FORGIVEN. God has CANCELED the RECORD of the CHARGES against us and took it AWAY by NAILING it to the CROSS.  We have DIED with Christ, and He has SET us FREE from the spiritual powers of this world.  Since we have been RAISED to a NEW LIFE with Christ, let us SET our SIGHTS on the REALITIES of Heaven, where the LORD JESUS CHRIST sits in the place of HONOR at the RIGHT HAND of the ALMIGHTY GOD. 

So, are you FREE from YOUR BURDEN of SINS?  Have you been drawn to JESUS, by the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD?  Are you REBELLING against GOD?  If you have NOT GIVEN your HEART to GOD through the SHED BLOOD of JESUS, God’s ONLY SON, this is what you SHOULD do, to COME TO GOD through JESUS, He IS the ONLY WAY to spend your ETERNITY in HEAVEN and ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE ONCE you are there.

You MUST ADMIT that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.  You MUST BELIEVE that JESUS DIED for YOU and that HE is ALIVE in Heaven making intercession for you before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS. You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and be COMPLETE in CHRIST JESUS.  Do This NOW, while you STILL can.  HE’S WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!  BE READY!!!

 

 

 

 

“God’s Plans”

 “God’s Plans”

 

I pray that you will be grateful to God for letting you have part in what He has promised His people in the Kingdom of Light.  God rescued us from the dark power of Satan and brought us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, who forgives our sins and sets us FREE.  Colossians 1:13-14

 

Christ Jesus is EXACTLY LIKE GOD; He is the VISIBLE image of the INVISIBLE GOD. He EXISTED before ANYTHING was CREATED and is SUPREME over ALL creation, through Him God CREATED EVERYTHING in the heavenly realms and on earth.  He made the things we CAN see and the things we CANNOT see—-such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers and authorities in the unseen world. EVERYTHING was CREATED through Him and FOR HIM.

Jesus EXISTED before ANYTHING else, and He holds ALL CREATION together. He is also the Head of the Church, which is His BODY, which is made up of the TRUE BELIEVERS.  He is the BEGINNING, supreme over ALL who rise from the dead. So, He is FIRST in EVERYTHING.

GOD was PLEASED to live FULLY in His Son.  And God was PLEASED for His Son to make PEACE by SACRIFICING HIS BLOOD on the CROSS, so that ALL beings in heaven and on earth would be brought back to GOD, to be able for them to have ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.

The GENTILES (non-Jews), used to be far from God. Our EVIL thoughts and actions made us His ENEMIES. But NOW He has RECONCILED US unto HIMSELF through the Death of CHRIST JESUS in His PHYSICAL BODY.  And as a RESULT, He has brought us into His OWN PRESENCE, and we who have come to JESUS and have REPENTED of our SINS are counted as HOLY and BLAMELESS as we stand before Him on JUDGMENT DAY without a SINGLE FAULT.

We will be able to do this BECAUSE we are NOW a part of HIS FAMILY. And will be with Him for ALL ETERNITY.  AND that is God’s PLAN for the Crown of His CREATION. You MUST RESPOND to His CALL, by COMING to Him and ADMITTING that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS, and BELIEVING with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFE-STYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  And then ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and become a PART of His FAMILY.  Do this NOW, while you STILL CAN, He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!! Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!  Listen for His CALL and DO all the ABOVE!!!

“Dangerous Last Days”

 “Dangerous Last Days”

 

You should know this Timothy, that in the LAST DAYS there will be VERY DIFFICULT TIMES.  For people will love ONLY themselves and their money.  They will be BOASTFUL and PROUD, SCOFFING at God, DISOBEDIENT to their parents, and UNGRATEFUL, they will CONSIDER NOTHING SACRED. They will be UNLOVING and UNFORGIVING; they will SLANDER others and have NO self-control.  They will be CRUEL and HATE what is GOOD. They will BETRAY their friends; they WILL BE PUFFED UP with PRIDE and LOVE PLEASURE rather than GOD.  They will ACT religious, but they will REJECT the POWER that could make them godly.  STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE LIKE THAT!   2ND TIMOTHY 3:1-5

Sound familiar?  The Apostle Paul wrote this in his 2ND letter to Timothy. The LAST DAYS that Paul was referring to is the time between the RESURRECTION and the RAPTURE. NOTICE that Paul is instructing Timothy of what’s to come, prior to the RAPTURE, which can happen at ANY TIME.  And Paul wanted to let, not only Timothy, but also for us to know of the SINFUL ATTITUDES that characterizes the LAST DAYS. And WE ARE LIVING in those LAST DAYS.

These LAST DAYS will be PERILOUS TIMES. People will LOVE ONLY THEMSELVES and THEIR MONEY.  They will be BOASTFUL AND PROUD, giving people the idea that they are SUPERIOR to EVERYONE ELSE. They will be PROUD, STUCK-UP, RUDE AND DISOBEDIENT. They will also be UNGRATEFUL, GODLESS, HEARTLESS and HATEFUL.  Their words will be CRUEL, and they will have NO SELF-CONTROL or PITY.

They will HATE EVERYTHING that is GOOD. They will be SNEAKY, RECKLESS, and PUFFED UP with PRIDE. And INSTEAD of LOVING GOD, they will LOVE PLEASURE. They will TRY to INFLUENCE people to SHOW themselves to be RELIGIOUS, but THEIR religion WON’T be REAL.  

They hunger after POWER OVER people who are NOT of their SOCIAL or POLITICAL persuasions, much like the RELIGIOUS LEADERS of Jesus’ Day.  Paul WARNS Timothy and all of the TRUE CHILDREN of the LIVING GOD, to AVOID THESE PEOPLE!!! They will bring HEARTACHE, BRUTALITY, DESPERATION, and more UNGODLY ACTIONS upon GOD’S PEOPLE.  WE NEED TO DRAW CLOSE to OUR REFUGE and OUR STRENGTH, to HELP us until JESUS CHRIST comes back to take US, who are TRUE BELIEVERS, HOME TO BE with HIM and our HEAVENLY FATHER. 

Are YOU READY?  We know NOT when He will RETURN, but we KNOW that it will be SOON, by the SIGNS of the TIMES. You can be, if you will SURRENDER YOURSELF to GOD, through HIS ONLY SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  Here is what YOU MUST DO: When the HOLY SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD brings you under CONVICTION, and you FEEL GUILTY for your SINFUL LIFESTYLE, COME to JESUS and ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, the ONLY ONE who is WORTHY to be the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE to FREE MANKIND from an ETERNITY in HELL with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE ONCE you are there. You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN making intercession for you before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFE-STYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and DRAW CLOSE to GOD during these LAST DAYS.  BE RAPTURE READY by; doing ALL of the ABOVE NOW while you STILL can!!! He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND.  Once ALL the TRUE BELIEVERS are GONE, there will be NOTHING but EVIL on this WRETCHED WORLD!! PLEASE SURRENDER NOW!!  This might be your FINAL OPPORTUNITY!!!