"Living in the New Year!"

“Living in the New Year!”

 

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.               Galatians 5:16, 25

 

We are embarking upon a brand NEW year.  Saying ‘good-bye’ to the OLD one and welcoming the NEW.  It is the tradition of many to make resolutions for a NEW BEGINNING, hoping that the NEW YEAR will be BETTER than the OLD Year.  But, sad to say, not too many keep those resolutions, and life in the NEW YEAR is not any better. 

 

However, there is a way to live each NEW day in the New Year and to, in the long run, make life better for you.  The Apostle Paul, told this to the believers in Galatia.  He said if they ‘walk by the Spirit,’ they ‘will not gratify the desires of the flesh.’  Gratifying the desires of the flesh, most of the time brings; heartache, misery, and despair.  The acts of the flesh, such as, idolatry, hatred, discord, jealousy, selfish ambition, envy and the likes thereof, brings about heartache, misery, and despair, and those who live, exemplifying those acts of the flesh will NOT inherit the kingdom of God.  In essence, they have NO HOPE!

 

But Paul tells the Galatian Believers, that since they ‘live by the Spirit’, they should ‘keep in step with the Spirit’.  And in order to LIVE and  KEEP IN STEP with the Spirit, and to exemplify the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, you MUST  have the Spirit abiding in you.  There is ONLY ONE WAY to have the Spirit in you, and that is by coming to God; CONFESSING your sins to Him asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT  His gift of SALVATION, and begin a NEW YEAR, leaving the OLD year and your OLD sinful life behind, never again to go BACK, but to press forward into a BRAND NEW YEAR  and a BRAND NEW FUTURE that is filled with FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.  Do it NOW, while you still can.   He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 Have A SAFE and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

 

"Death or Life?"

“Death or Life?”

 

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!                Romans 5:17

 

We live in a world of uncertainties.  We are embarking upon a new year, which holds a lot of uncertain situations of life.  Will we be READY for whatever we might face in the coming year?

 

One of the things that we will find to be CERTAIN, is the reality of DEATH.  Even though we don’t like to think or talk about that one aspect of our life, it is STILL a very REAL and CERTAIN inevitability that all will face, unless Jesus Christ comes to RAPTURE His people from this poor, sin-ridden world. 

 

We ALL need to come to grips with the fact that we will, at some point and time in our lives face physical death.  And we need to NOW ask ourselves the question:  “Are we READY?” We do not know WHEN or HOW, but we know it WILL happen.  Death is NO respecter of people.  It comes to the young and healthy as well as the old and weak.  No one has a contract telling them when they will die or guaranteeing them the next five seconds of life.   So every day we face the fact that we aren’t guaranteed the next breath.  EVERYONE, Believer or Unbeliever will face a physical death.

 

However, you also face the possibility of a spiritual death, if you have NOT come to Jesus Christ for the SALVATION of your soul.  A spiritual death will be a separation from God and ALL that is good.  It is a guarantee that you WILL spend ALL eternity in a HORRIBLE place called Hell, and will experience a lot of torment, torture, pain, heartache, misery and despair for ALL of eternity.  

 

There is however, the opportunity for you to escape a spiritual death, through your acceptance of God’s gift of undeserved grace, through the OBEDIENT work of His Son Jesus Christ, on an old rugged cross and the shedding of His precious blood for the redemption of your soul.  When you come to Him and ACCEPT His gift, then you have a spiritual LIFE for ALL eternity, in Heaven with God the Father and His Son. 

 

You can obtain this gift by:  CONFESSING your sins to Him and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your Heart, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be READY for your eternity with Him, in Heaven.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"The Necessity of the Spiritual Upbringing of a Child"

“The Necessity of the Spiritual Upbringing of a Child”

 

And the child grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on Him.

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.  When He was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom.  After the festival was over, while His parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.  Thinking He was in their company, they traveled on for a day.  Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends.  When they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him.  After three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and His answers.

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.         Luke 2:40-47, 52

 

To me it is heartbreaking to hear a child say that they don’t know who Jesus is?  They have NEVER been in a church, nor have they ANY knowledge of God whatsoever.  There are a LOT of children who are spiritually dead.  They have NO spiritual upbringing at all, and are left to the wiles of the world and worldly deeds.  MANY grow up doing ungodly things and ends up in horrendous situations that is disastrous for them, if not fatal.  I would venture to say, there are many in hell today, who NEVER had a “Spiritual Upbringing,” because of a lack of concern on the part of the parents to make sure their children have a strong, healthy “Spiritual Upbringing.” 

 

Our Children are at RISK of being LOST forever if we, as parents, don’t take a STRONG initiative to secure a “Spiritual Upbringing” for each of them.  Of course, a LOT of parents have not had any “Spiritual Upbringing” either and there, within lies the problem. 

 

Mary and Joseph did have STRONG “Spiritual Upbringings” and brought Jesus and all their children up in such a manner.  Even though Jesus was the Son of God, Mary and Joseph brought Him up with a “Spiritual Upbringing” by teaching Him and taking Him with them on their Spiritual excursion, the Festival of the Passover.   The Scripture tells us that; “He grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on Him.   I believe that His “Spiritual Upbringing” enhanced His wisdom.  God came to Mary, to be the mother of His Son, because she and Joseph were godly and righteous in His sight.  And He knew that they were the BEST choice to bring up His Son. 

His wisdom astounded those who heard Him in the temple courts as He sat among the teachers.  Everyone who heard Him was AMAZED at His understanding and His answers.  Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.  We as parents and grandparents, have an obligation to our children/grandchildren to bring them up with a STRONG “Spiritual Upbringing, so they don’t end up living a horrid, sinful lifestyle and end up in Hell, suffering for ALL eternity.  We MUST do everything in our power to bring them up with the knowledge of God and His Son, Jesus, and to allow God to work in their lives to bring them into a “right” relationship with Him and to have a home in Heaven. 

 

However, if you have NEVER had a “right” relationship with God or have NEVER had a “Spiritual Upbringing,” you cannot possibly provide it for your children, UNLESS, you come to God, NOW, and CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE in Heaven making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and START NOW providing a “Spiritual Upbringing” and the HOPE of Heaven for your Children and or grandchildren.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"The Royal Birth Announcement for the King of Kings"

“The Royal Birth Announcement for the King of Kings”

 

But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people:  Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.  This will be the sign for you:  You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”  Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:   Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors.           Luke 2:10-14

 

The angel was addressing a bunch of lowly shepherds that were out in the field watching their sheep.  How fitting it is that Jesus would be known as; ‘the Good Shepherd,’ and identified with their profession.  He called Himself, the Good Shepherd and also the door to the sheepfold.  Maybe this was why God chose the shepherds to be the very first to receive the ROYAL BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT. 

 

Now these shepherds were TERRIFIED, because this incident was very uncommon to them and it brought FEAR to their hearts.  You can imagine them sitting or lying around a campfire, on a very dark, star-studded evening and some may have been sleeping, when all of a sudden an angel of the Lord stood in their midst and the glory of God shone around them. 

 

But the angel said:  “Don’t be afraid, for look I proclaim to you GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY, which shall be for all people.”  The angel knew that the shepherds would not hear all that was proclaimed if they didn’t calm down and get focused on the MESSAGE that the angel had to deliver.

 

Then the angel proceeded to tell the shepherds, whose whole attention was now focused on what the angel was proclaiming, the divine announcement that a SAVIOR, who is Messiah the Lord, had been born FOR THEM.  But He was born NOT ONLY for them, but for ALL who would come to Him, and accept God’s gift of SALVATION. 

 

As soon as that angel was finished with the proclamation, there appeared a multitude or great crowd of the Heavenly Host joining the angel, PRAISING God and saying:  “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!” 

Many people are not favored by the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS God of this universe, because of their sin and unrighteousness, and they do not possess that PEACE that passes ALL understanding. If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to Christ then you fall into this category.  But you have the opportunity this Christmas Eve morning to make a BIG difference in your life, and to be able to experience that PEACE that passes ALL understanding.  You do that by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that Jesus came and died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and do as the shepherds did.  Go tell somebody what God has done for you.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and Coming SOON!!!

 

Merry CHRISTmas, Y’all!!!

"The Birth that Changed the World!"

“The Birth that Changed the World!”

 

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”           Matthew 1:21

 

The birth that changed the destiny of mankind.  The birth of Jesus, a baby boy born in the most humble surroundings.  Yet His mission was a remarkable act of a RIGHTEOUS, GOD, who loved the crown of His creation so very much that He was WILLING to GIVE His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, to come and suffer and die at the hands of His enemy.  And from an old rugged cross the battered, beaten, bloody body of His Son spoke these words:  “Father, forgive them for they know NOT what they do.” 

 

He was born to die.  To die for sinful mankind, and that He did.  In essence, we should celebrate His death, burial and resurrection, Easter, with the same intensity that we do His birth.  His OBEDIENCE to His Father, the giving of His life, in order for mankind to be redeemed from their sins and to have the HOPE of Heaven, was what catapulted His mission, and truly changed the destiny of mankind. 

 

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that the birth of our Lord is what brought about our SALVATION.  But the act of OBEDIENCE on His part, is what sealed the deal.  He came, and He completed His mission as a VICTOR.  And He will come again very soon as that VICTOR and REIGNING KING.  Will you be READY?

 

You can be by:  CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that Jesus came and died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and let Him change your world and destiny.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!   

 

"The Glorious Gift from an Awesome God"

“The Glorious Gift from an Awesome God”

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made.  The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.          John 1:1-3, 14

 

This time of year we celebrate the birth of God’s Only Begotten Son, whether some like it or not.  They can change the name of the holiday, but they can’t take it out of our heart.  I heard on the news that someone wanted to change the phrase of: “Merry Christmas!” to “Happy Federal Holiday.” How STUPID is that?   Just another sign that we are DEFINITELY living in the LAST days, if not the last HOURS.  

 

In the Gospel of John, he tells us that in the BEGINNING was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God.  Now there is no doubt that the Word is the Lord Jesus Christ.  And He was with God when the world was created.  As a matter of fact, ‘through Him ALL things were made; without Him nothing was made.’   

 

God knew from the very BEGINNING that mankind would sin against Him, and He knew that they would need a SAVIOR. So He sent the ONLY ONE who could be a PERFECT SACRIFICE, Jesus.  John says that; “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.”  This is what Christians, the TRUE BELIEVERS, celebrate EVERY DECEMBER, but we actually should celebrate EVERY DAY.  We should realize the purpose of His coming to this earth in flesh and blood and dwelling among us, NOT as a Mighty King, even though He is one, as a matter of fact, He is the KING OF KINGS, and He didn’t come as a Lord ruling over the entire earth, even though He is one, He is the LORD of LORDS.   But Jesus came as a baby wrapped in flesh and blood, just like any other human being.  He wasn’t born into a wealthy family or a royal family, but just a poor lowly carpenter and his wife.  He came and lived among the common, ordinary people, even though He was anything but, common or ordinary.  He was the Word who was God and who made ALL that was made.

 

He was and is God’s GLORIOUS gift to mankind, for the salvation of their soul.   He came, He lived, He died for YOU and ME!  And He is my GLORIOUS gift from my LOVING, HEAVENLY FATHER.   He is the HOPE OF HEAVEN, and the ONLY WAY to get there.  You MUST come to Him by:  CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, that GLORIOUS gift from an AWESOME GOD, who LOVES you SO MUCH that He GAVE Himself to SAVE you from Hell.  So come to Him NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!  Oh yes, MERRY CHRISTMAS Y’ALL!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

"Who is the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"

“Who is the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

 

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.  “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “            Matthew 18:1-4

 

The disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, were still anticipating an earthly kingdom, when they posed the question:  “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  And they, like most people today, were wondering just what great positions they would have in the kingdom of heaven. 

 

 Jesus then took a little child, who had no rights according to the Law and stood him in the middle of the group.  And told His disciples that they needed a change in their thinking.  Because GREATNESS in the kingdom of heaven was not based on good works or words, but on a CHILDLIKE HUMILITY OF SPIRIT. 

 

Jesus indicated that they were concerned about the wrong thing, they should have been concerned about SERVING the Lord, and not asking about positions in the kingdom.  In other words, they should have been concerned about the one IMPORTANT thing, their service to Him, which is truly an act of humility, the act of being a SERVANT, and NOT the SELF-GRATIFYING act of being the GREATEST or having the GREATEST position in the kingdom of heaven.

 

Many people today, don’t want to be considered a ‘SERVANT,’ but they desire to be the ‘GREATEST’ of all in the kingdom of God.  They exude an air of being better than anyone else, and deserving of the position of being the ‘GREATEST.’   When in all actuality they are the least, because of their SELFISH, SELF-CENTERED desires to be the ‘GREATEST.’

 

The Lord Jesus Christ warns that unless, you are converted and become humble as a child, you will NOT enter the kingdom of heaven.  Doing the GREATEST works and saying the GREATEST words will not get you there.  You MUST come to Him with a HUMBLE heart and a CONTRITE spirit.  Jesus then says that the one who comes to Him with this kind of heart and spirit will be considered the GREATEST in the kingdom.

Many reject the thought of being humble, because they consider humbleness a sign of weakness, but in the eyes of our Lord, it is a sign of GREATNESS.  If you have not come before God with a HUMBLE heart and a CONTRITE spirit then you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, and instead are headed for Hell, where there is NO humbleness just heartache, pain, torment and torture throughout eternity.  But you NOW have the opportunity to turn things around and come before God with a HUMBLE heart and a CONTRITE spirit and CONFESS your sins to Him, asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING with ALL your heart that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and begin SERVING Him with a CHILDLIKE HUMILITY OF SPIRIT.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

"Continue in the Teaching of Christ"

“Continue in the Teaching of Christ”

 

Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.          2John 1:9

 

This verse of Scripture is a warning of a doctrinal deviation, to the believers. It does NOT suggest the loss of salvation, but of being “swayed by every wind of doctrine,” and not following the TRUE teachings of Jesus Christ.

 

John wanted his readers to realize the danger of not staying on course, of moving away from the TRUTH.  This seems especially true with new converts, who are babes in Christ, and who fall prey to false teachings.  That is why being faithful to a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching and preaching Church, which holds to the TRUTH of the Holy Word of God is so important to a Christian’s spiritual growth.

 

In verse eight, John warns of the believer losing his rewards, because of them falling away from the TRUTH of God’s word.  He says: “Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.”  He does not tell them that they will lose their salvation, but they will be in danger of not receiving their FULL reward.

 

To deviate from the TRUTH is to leave God behind and whatever a person, who deviates from the TRUTH, does, he does WITHOUT God.  In other words, the fellowship between God, Jesus and the erring believer is broken. 

 

Notice that John gives the antidote for the sin of deviating from the TRUTH when he says that those who CONTINUE in the teaching of the TRUTH of God’s Word will “abide” with the Father and the Son.  The fellowship is NOT broken, and that believer has a healthy, vibrant, relationship with God, because of their obedience to God and His Word. 

 

So believers, STAY in the WORD of God and READ, STUDY, and OBEY it.  Do NOT be “swayed by EVERY wind of doctrine,” but CONTINUE in the Word of TRUTH, God’s Holy Word, the Bible. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you do NOT possess a relationship with Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. And you are headed for an eternity in Hell, where there is nothing but heartache, torture, torment, misery and pain.  You NOW have the opportunity to escape that condemnation, and to receive rewards for being FAITHFUL to the Word of the Almighty God by:  CONFESSING your sins to Him and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and be OBEDIENT to His Holy Word and have fellowship with the Father and the Son.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"Three Attributes of Christian Faith"

“Three Attributes of Christian Faith”

 

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.  For our heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in His holy name.  Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in You.          Psalm 33:20-22

 

Three attributes of the Christian faith are the abilities to:  WAIT, TRUST, and HOPE.  The Psalmist starts this verse saying; “our soul waits for the Lord;” Waiting can be one of the hardest things we do.  In this day and age, we are becoming more and more impatient to life’s demands, and therefore we produce, anxiety, frustration, being short tempered, and in some cases down-right ill-mannered.  These attributes are NOT part of the Christian faith.  Nonetheless, they develop in us when we refuse to WAIT. 

 

In the Christian faith, waiting is a fruit of the Spirit and an attribute that God wants us to have.  It is the fruit of being LONGSUFFERING, the ability to possess ‘staying-power,’ in whatever situation we might be.  We, as TRUE believers, need to practice WAITING. 

 

Now WAITING produces another attribute of the Christian faith, and that is; TRUSTING.  When we are able to WAIT, then we are able to TRUST in God for whatever we are anticipating.  We have the assurance of His lovingkindness and divine intervention.  WAITING and TRUSTING goes hand and hand, and helps us to grow or mature in our faith.  They are evidences of our FAITH in the One True Living God. 

 

WAITING and TRUSTING exemplifies the HOPE we have in God’s AMAZING GRACE, to provide ALL that is needed to give us our eternal inheritance. 

 

These attributes of the Christian faith must be practiced and put to use, in order to strengthen our faith and to help us be a strong witness to a hopelessly lost and dying world.   Our witness is the one HOPE that God uses to reach those who are lost, and dying in their sins.  So let these three attributes exemplify your faith in God to a lost and dying world.

 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are a part of this hopelessly lost and dying world, and are destined to spend ALL eternity in a wretched, miserable, painful, place known as HELL.  You NOW have the opportunity to change that destination, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and receive the ability to WAIT, TRUST, and HOPE, and be the witness that God desires you to be.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

"Living By Faith"

“Living By Faith”

 

All these people were still living by faith when they died.  They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.  People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.  If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.  Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.  Hebrews 11:13-16

 

“All these people,” refers to ALL the Old Testament saints, and ALL their families who were LIVING BY FAITH.  None of them had received the things promised.  But they remained steadfast in their FAITH.  Seeing and welcoming those promises from a distance, they felt like foreigners and strangers here, on earth.  They were searching for a country of which they could call their OWN.  However, it was NOT the country from which they came.  If it had been that country, they would have had the opportunity to return.  But they were looking for a BETTER country—a heavenly one.  Because of their STRONG FAITH to reach that country, God is NOT ashamed to be called their GOD, for He has prepared a city for them.

 

We too, who are a part of God’s family, are “LIVING BY FAITH,” we are waiting for the promise, of a Heavenly home, to be fulfilled.  An eternal home, that we can call our own.  More and more I am feeling like a stranger on this earth.  I long for the day when I can feel like I belong to a land that is NOT contradictory to my FAITH.  A land in which I TRULY belong.  Living here on this earth is detrimental to our FAITH.   We must be STEADFAST in our FAITH, and the only way I know we can do that is to have a CLOSE, INTIMATE, and PERSISTENT relationship with our Heavenly Father. 

 

The Old Testament saints were STEADFAST in their FAITH, and believed that God is, Himself, FAITHFUL to bring His promises to completion, and that PLEASED God to the point that He is not ashamed to be called their God, and has prepared a city for them. 

 

He has done the same for ALL of His children, we are NOT destined to have to spend our eternity here on earth, but God has prepared a place for us too.  But we must be FAITHFUL and not let Satan deter us from our work while we are still here on earth.  We need to be about our Father’s business, that of being a witness of HIS faithfulness to us and bringing His SALVATION to a lost and dying world. 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God then you are not His child nor a member of His family and that Heavenly home is not in your future, but you are headed for a place that is a lot worse than this wretched, old, sinful world, a place called Hell, a place of torture, pain, misery and torment.  However, you NOW have the opportunity to change your destination to a Heavenly home, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for you and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and become a part of His family, one of His children, and be able to say:  “This world is not my home, I’m just passing through,”  and start LIVING BY FAITH!  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting, and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

"The Spirit: Our Guide into the Full Truth"

“The Spirit: Our Guide into the Full Truth”

 

The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth.  The Spirit doesn’t speak on His own.  He will tell you only what He has heard from Me, and He will let you know what is going to happen.  The Spirit will bring glory to Me by taking My message and telling it to you.  Everything the Father has is Mine.  This is why I have said that the Spirit takes My message and tells it to you.            John 16:13-15

 

The Holy Spirit of the Living God is our guide into the FULL truth of God’s Holy Word.  He will illumine the Word of God to us, and we then will have a better understanding of God’s plans for mankind and for us individually.    Understanding the FULL TRUTH of God’s Holy Word doesn’t just come to us automatically, but when we seek, with ALL our HEART, to grasp the meaning of His Word and hunger after it.  The Spirit will guide us, and teach us the FULL TRUTH of His Holy Word. 

 

He will not speak on His own initiative, but will tell us ONLY what He has heard from the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will enlighten us as to what is going to take place.  We will not be UN-INFORMED or MIS-INFORMED, but will have the knowledge that God, Himself, wants us to have.  The Spirit will bring glory to Christ by taking His message and revealing it to us, His Children, so we will be FULLY informed as to what will take place. 

 

Since the Lord Jesus Christ and God Almighty are the same, Jesus being God in the flesh, has EVERYTHING  that the Father has, and that is why He, Jesus, is able to state that the Spirit takes HIS message and tells it to us, His Children. 

 

God’s plans are PERFECT and they are carried out by His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, Jesus Christ.  It is the work of God’s Spirit to educate, enlighten and spiritually evolve the FULL TRUTH of God’s Holy Word in our HEART and MIND.   In order for us to KNOW and GROW in His Word, and to not be swayed by every wind of doctrine, but to FULLY rely on the FULL TRUTH of the Holy Word of the Living God.  When we TRUST the Spirit to lead us to the TRUTH of the Word, He will show us and teach us the plans of our Heavenly Father, and we will be READY and EQUIPPED to SERVE God, and not be ashamed that we quenched the work of His Spirit in our lives.   Don’t be guilty of quenching the Spirit, and don’t be un-informed about God’s plans.  TRUST God’s Spirit to lead and teach you the FULL TRUTH of His Word.

 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God, then His Spirit does not indwell you, and you are living in the darkness, and are ignorant to the plans of the Almighty God.  You are living a lie, and you are deceived in your thinking, and are headed for Hell, the place of torment and misery.  You have the opportunity NOW to change your course by:  CONFESSING your sins to God, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and allow His Spirit to lead and teach you the FULL TRUTH of God’s Holy Word.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Realm of the Flesh versus the Realm of the Spirit"

“The Realm of the Flesh versus the Realm of the Spirit”

 

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.  The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.  Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.  You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.  And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.  But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you.           Romans 8: 6-11

 

The Apostle Paul is explaining to the believers in Rome, the difference between living in the realm of the flesh and living in the realm of the Spirit.  When the mind is governed by the flesh then the outcome is a spiritual death, because the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God and the things of God.   It will not submit to God’s laws nor does it possess the ability to do so.  Those living in the realm of the flesh CANNOT please God, because of their unrighteousness and they are doomed to spend an eternity in Hell, a place of; unending heartache, misery, despair, torment and torture.

 

However, those whose mind is governed by the Spirit of God, has life and peace.  But you can ONLY live in the realm of the Spirit, if the Spirit of the Living God indwells you.  If you do not have the Spirit of Christ, you do NOT belong to Christ.  If Christ is in you, then even though your physical body is subject to death because of your sinful nature, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, is living in you, He will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who indwells you. This is the HOPE of the believer.  And when Christ returns for His Children, (Rapture) the bodies of the believers, who have preceded us in death, will be brought up from the grave and changed from mortal to immortal, and those who are alive will be caught up with them to meet Jesus in the air and we all be changed in the twinkling of an eye.  GLORY HALLELUJAH!!!  

 

Which realm are you living in?  The realm of the flesh or the realm of the Spirit?  If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God then you do NOT belong to Him and you are NOT living in the realm of the Spirit, but you are living in the realm of the flesh and are destined for Hell with ALL its sufferings for eternity.  You NOW have the opportunity to change your destiny by: CONFESSING your sins to God and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and start living in the realm of the Spirit of God and be made righteous before Him, so that you might partake in ALL the glories of Heaven.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

"God's Amazing Grace"

“God’s Amazing Grace”

 

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.  This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.          2Timothy 1:9

 

Salvation is a GIFT from the Almighty God.  It is NOT because of anything that we do or have done that has brought His AMAZING GRACE to us, but it is because of His AMAZING LOVE that we have been saved.  Some people believe that they can work their way into Heaven, but Jesus says: “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!’   (Mat. 7:22-23).   This clearly tells us that it is NOT by ANYTHING we do or have done, that secures our SALVATION.

 

Before the beginning of time God had a plan for providing for us SALVATION, He, being the OMNISCIENT God, knew that the crown of His creation, mankind would sin and need a SAVIOR, who was WORTHY  to provide a way for us to come before Him.  God had a plan, a purpose and AMAZING GRACE. 

 

This grace was given to us way before we were even thought of.  It came to us through the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE of God’s only BEGOTTEN SON, our LORD JESUS CHRIST.  Who is and has always been with God.  God’s PURPOSE was to bring SALVATION to a lost and dying world.  His PLAN was REDEMPTION through Jesus Christ, and His AMAZING GRACE was and is given to those who come to Him with a TRULY REPENTANT HEART.  Where do you fit in?  Are you one who thinks that ALL your good works will get you into Heaven? 

 

If you have never given your HEART and LIFE to God through His PURPOSE, PLAN, and AMAZING GRACE. You are one of the ones He will say:  “I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!”  And you will end up spending eternity in Hell.  But you now have the opportunity to change your course and to STOP depending on your OWN good works to get you to God.  You MUST come to Him by:  CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven making intercession for you before God, the ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be ASSURED of your SALVATION because of HIS AMAZING GRACE.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"From Creator to Shepherd"

“From Creator to Shepherd”

 

Bow down and worship the LORD our Creator!  The LORD is our God, and we are His people, the sheep He takes care of in His own pasture.         Psalm 95:6-7

 

The psalmist begins these verses with a command to us, that we should “bow down and worship the LORD our Creator!”  And so we should.  He is the CREATOR of this ENTIRE universe and EVERYTHING in it.  He is the MAKER of the earth and He holds the deepest part of the earth in His hands.  He stepped out into NOTHING and from NOTHING He CREATED SOMETHING.  He created the rolling hills and the mountain peaks, He created the oceans, seas, rivers and lakes, and formed the dry land.  He swept His mighty arm across the vast nothingness of space and flung the stars and planets into place.  He created the sun for heat and light of day and the moon for our night light.  He created EVERY plant, shrub, and tree.  He created EVERY insect, EVERY animal, bird, and fish.  Then He created EVERY human being, which is the crown of His creation.  And so we owe Him our homage and praise, for He alone is our CREATOR and MIGHTY GOD.

 

Then the psalmist tells us of our relationship with our Creator, he says, “we are His people, the sheep He takes care of in His own pasture.”  So now our relationship switches from God being our Creator to Him being our Shepherd.  Many times throughout the Bible we, God’s people are described as “sheep”.  Jesus, being God in the flesh, says: “I am the good shepherd.  I know my sheep and they know me.” (John 10:14), “I am the good Shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up His life for His sheep.”  (John 10:11),   and so He did.  He gave His life willingly, no one took it from Him, but because of His LOVE and OBEDIENCE to His Father He sacrificed His life for His sheep, truly a GOOD SHEPHERD!

 

So from our CREATOR, who made us to our GOOD SHEPHERD who takes care of us.  He is an AWESOME God, who deserves our homage and praise.  We should shout it from the mountain tops, across the deep valleys, waft it upon the open seas, that God is our CREATOR  and LORD, the ALMIGHTY GOD, who is and ALWAYS will be WORTHY of our PRAISE.   He is our GOOD SHEPHERD who gave His life for us, the sheep of His pasture.

 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are not one of His sheep, but will be numbered among the goats, and are NOT a part of His flock.  However, you NOW have the opportunity to change that relationship and become a part of His flock by: CONFESSING your sins to God, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE, in Heaven making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and become one of His sheep and a part of His flock, let Him be YOUR GOOD SHEPHERD, the only one who laid down His life for YOU.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Rooted, Built-Up, and Established"

“Rooted, Built-Up, and Established”

 

Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude.          Colossians 2:6

 

When a person accepts Jesus Christ as their SAVIOR and LORD, it is their responsibility to grow in Christ, and you do that by “walking” in Him.  The word “WALKING” here means “LIVING” in Him.  We do that by being ROOTED and BUILT-UP in Him and ESTABLISHED in our faith.

 

“WALKING” in Him, means to allow the Holy Spirit to GUIDE your steps and to LEAD you down the RIGHT paths.  When we turn our lives over to the Holy Spirit we are submitting to His GUIDANCE and LEADERSHIP and we can be assured of being on the RIGHT path.

 

“ROOTED” means that we have a STRONG anchoring.  It means that we have a STRONG root system that will HOLD tight to the Lord Jesus Christ, and through which we are nourished and refreshed in our faith.  It is STEADFAST and won’t be swayed or up-rooted when the storms of life batter and beat at us.  We have an ANCHOR that will have a strong hold on us.

 

“BUILT-UP” means that as we are WALKING in Christ, and ROOTED in Him, we are to GROW or be BUILT-UP in Him and this is where it comes down to US being opened to being fed SPIRITUALLY, when we GROW in the Word of God through Bible study and Worship and a very active prayer life, we are then being BUILT-UP in Christ.  This is why it is VERY important for us to study the Word of the Living God, through our local church, by ATTENDING every time we have the opportunity to do so. 

 

“ESTABLISHED” in our FAITH, means that we have an ASSURED understanding and knowledge of God and His LOVE for us, and that we can TRUST His hand when we don’t understand His plans.  We have the ASSURANCE that He is at work in our lives, and our FAITH is STRONG and ESTABLISHED.  We are able to stand STRONG and FIRM when the strong winds of life blow at our poor, battered souls. 

 

And we can accomplish being “ROOTED, BUILT-UP, and “ESTABLISHED” in Christ Jesus, through our being GUIDED and LED by His precious Holy Spirit. 

 

You can ONLY have that ASSURANCE and HOPE if you have given your HEART and LIFE to God.  If you haven’t done that, then you are adrift on an ocean of uncertainties and fears of what the future holds.  We are TRULY living in UNCERTAIN TIMES, and if you were to be taken out of this lifetime, where would you end up?  You can have that HOPE and ASSURANCE of an eternity in Heaven with Christ and the Heavenly Father by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and allow the Holy Spirit to GUIDE and LEAD you down the RIGHT paths, and WORK at being ROOTED, BUILT-UP, and ESTABLISHED in your FAITH, and do it with gratitude.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!