"Word of Life, Life, Eternal Life"

“Word of Life, Life, Eternal Life”

 

 

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched---this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life.  The Life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the Eternal Life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.        1John 1:1-2

 

Jesus is not only the Word of Life, He is LIFE itself.  And when we come to Him for the SALVATION of our soul, we experience a transformation from living a SINFUL life, a life that is sinful and defiled, a life that carries with it a judgment of condemnation, a judgment that will send the sinful person straight to Hell for ALL of eternity.  To a life that is free from the slavery of sin, to the FREEDOM of living a Christ-like life, a life that is modeled after the Lord Jesus Christ, who is LIFE, and with it we have the HOPE of an ETERNITY in Heaven.

 

Therefore, we have LIFE, Christ, who indwells us by the presence of His Holy Spirit.  He who is LIFE, becomes our life.  That is why we should STRIVE daily to live a RIGHTEOUS and HOLY life-style, one that is free from the burden of sin.  This is only possible when we are SUBMISSIVE to the Holy Spirit, which indwells us and NEVER leaves us.  And when we are REPENTANT of any known sins that we commit.  When we sin we bring defilement into the new life we are living, and we MUST CONFESS it before God, and turn AWAY from the sin and back to the life we live in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

 

Jesus is not only the Word of Life and Life, but He is also ETERNAL LIFE, who was with Father, God, before Creation.  Only through the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, are we able to have ETERNAL LIFE, in Heaven.  He who is ETERNAL LIFE, gives it freely to those who are TRUE CHILDREN of the LIVING GOD.  Without Him, we would have NO HOPE of ETERNAL LIFE, in Heaven.  Do you possess LIFE, Jesus Christ?  Do you have ETERNAL LIFE, the HOPE of HEAVEN, Jesus Christ? 

 

You are NOW being given the opportunity to possess LIFE and ETERNAL LIFE, by coming to the Source of LIFE, God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, 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 receive the WORD of LIFE, LIFE, ETERNAL LIFE, Jesus Christ, and the HOPE of HEAVEN.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"The Unique Relationship"

“The Unique Relationship”

 

 

In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.  He who loves his wife loves himself.  After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church---for we are members of His body.  “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”  This is a profound mystery---but I am talking about Christ and the church.      Ephesians 5:28-32

 

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he gives them an example or model of the PROPER relationship between a husband and a wife.  He is indicating that the LOVE that a husband has for his wife should be modeled after the LOVE that Christ has for His Church. 

 

The RELATIONSHIPS are similar to each other, as the church is an extension of Christ, the wife is the extension of the husband.  If the husband TRULY LOVES his wife, then he LOVES himself, and takes care of his own body, feeding and caring for ALL of its needs.  And so it is with Christ and His Church.  He tends to the well-being and needs of His beloved Church. 

 

The PROFOUND MYSTERY of this RELATIONSHIP is that “the two will become one flesh.” Of course they are separate in body, but they are ONE in spirit, heart, and soul.   Paul reminds us that he is talking about the RELATIONSHIP between Christ and His Church.  When we ACCEPT Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we become a part or member of His body.  His Spirit indwells us and we are part of Him and He is part of us.  He is the Head and we are the body. 

 

In Acts 4:32, it tells us that:  “All believers were one in heart and mind.”  In Romans 15:5-6, Paul says, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the SAME attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with ONE MIND and ONE VOICE you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Even though we are separate in our earthly bodies, we can be ONE in our MIND, HEART and SOUL, because of God’s GREAT LOVE exemplified through the SACRIFICE of His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, the Lord Jesus Christ.  We who are TRUE BELIEVERS make up the ONE BODY of Christ, His Church.

 

What is your RELATIONSHIP with JESUS CHRIST are you a part of His Body?  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are NOT a part of His Body, and you are gambling with your destiny.  You have a choice to become part of the Body of Jesus Christ and have a UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP with Him and have the HOPE of Heaven or you can spend ALL of ETERNITY in Hell, the place of torment, torture, heartache, agony, pain and despair.  If you choose JESUS, this is what you MUST do.  Come to God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and have that UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP with JESUS and become a part of His BODY.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"Faith and Deeds"

“Faith and Deeds”

 

Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. 

James 2:21, 22, 26

 

One who claims to have FAITH, but is lacking in their actions, their FAITH is useless, and not a TRUE FAITH.  Abraham is a GREAT role model for us to gauge our own FAITH.  We probably won’t be asked to sacrifice our child, however we demonstrate our FAITH with our actions or DEEDS. 

 

In verse seventeen of this chapter, James states that:  “…Faith by itself, if it is NOT accompanied by action, is DEAD.”  Abraham could have professed his FAITH all day long and even longer, and without his actions, his FAITH would be DEAD.  As the body without the spirit is DEAD, so FAITH without DEEDS is DEAD.

 

We sometimes believe we have a STRONG, VIBRANT FAITH, but when we try to put our FAITH and DEEDS together, our FAITH FALTERS, because we fail to do the DEEDS that work with our FAITH and COMPLETES its purpose in our SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

 

It is our FAITH and DEEDS together, which gives LIFE to our witness, and makes it what it should be, a STRONG VIBRANT FAITH that produces the DEEDS that exemplify our TRUE RELATIONSHIP with our Heavenly Father.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then your FAITH is DEAD.   In order to have a STRONG, VIBRANT, FAITH, one that is full of LIFE, and produces DEEDS that will WIN the LOST to Jesus Christ, and change your destiny from spending ALL ETERNITY in Hell to spending it in Heaven.  You MUST first come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, 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 workout your FAITH through your DEEDS, and possess a STRONG, VIBRANT FAITH.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"Declare With the Mouth, and Believe With the Heart!"

“Declare With the Mouth, and Believe With the Heart!”

 

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.        Romans 10:9-10

 

The DECLARATION with your MOUTH that:  “Jesus is Lord!” is an acknowledgement, on your part, that Jesus is God in the flesh.  And BELIEVING with your HEART that Jesus died for YOU, and that God RAISED Him from the dead, brings SALVATION. 

 

The gift of SALVATION comes when a person comes to the realization that JESUS IS LORD, and ONLY through HIM comes JUSTIFICATION, and TRUE SALVATION, but it must be a HEART-FELT belief that Jesus died for YOU and was raised from the dead to purchase YOUR SALVATION.

 

It is not given to you by any other means.  We cannot purchase it, or receive it by our OWN works, only through the WORK of Christ on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, are we able to obtain the SALVATION of our souls. 

 

SALVATION is through ACKNOWLEDGEING and DECLARING to God that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh and BELIEVING in Him.  For it is with your HEART and NOT just your mind that you BELIEVE and are JUSTIFIED, and with your MOUTH that YOU DECLARE your FAITH, and are saved. 

 

Have you come to God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, DECLARING, with your MOUTH that “Jesus is Lord?”  If NOT you can do it NOW, and escape spending an eternity in Hell.  Come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him and asking Him to FORGIVE you of your sins, and 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 DECLARE your FAITH to a LOST and DYING world.  Do it NOW, while you still can He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Remedy for SIN"

“The Remedy for SIN”

 

If You, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?  But with You there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve You.      Psalm 130:3, 4

 

ALL TRUE BELIEVERS should be really HAPPY that God doesn’t keep a record of our sins.  We should be OVERJOYED that we aren’t held accountable for our sins.  And we won’t face JUDGMENT for them either.

 

In Psalm 103:10-12, tells us:  He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  This should make us want to SHOUT HALLELUJAH!!!  That is if you are a TRUE BELIEVER.

 

The Psalmist in our Scripture, today, Psalm 130:3, 4, recognized that if God kept a record of ALL our sins and dealt with us according to what we deserved, NO ONE could stand.  We would definitely be doomed.  However, we have CONFIDENCE in the fact that God has a REMEDY for our sins that REMEDY is: His FORGIVENESS, which is so wonderfully explained in Psalm 103.

 

Because of His FORGIVENESS, the TRUE BELIEVER is NOT held accountable and will not have to face the JUDGMENT SEAT of the Almighty God, for their sins.  They are FORGIVEN and FORGOTTEN, and because of this the Lord is NOT keeping a record of our sins.  The FORGIVENESS of God cannot be treated lightly.  It takes a WRETCHED, FILTHY, UNRIGHTEOUS, SINNER and turn them into a HOLY, CLEANSED, RIGHTEOUS SAINT.  It is DEFINITELY a LIFE-CHANGING experience. 

 

With God’s FORGIVENESS, the TRUE BELIEVER can, with REVERENCE or FEAR, not being afraid, but having a godly reverence for the Almighty God, worship and serve Him in obedience and confidence.

 

 If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God, then your sins have NOT been FORGIVEN or FORGOTTEN, and you will have to face the JUDGMENT SEAT of the ALMIGHTY GOD, who will hold you ACCOUNTABLE and give you the sentence you deserve. 

So why not come to Him NOW, and receive His REMEDY for your SIN-SICK SOUL, and be FORGIVEN of your sins.  You do that by, coming to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, 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 receive His FORGIVENESS.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

"Telling, Hearing, and Believing"

“Telling, Hearing and Believing”

 

But before people can ask the Lord for help, they must believe in Him; and before they can believe in Him, they must hear about Him; and for them to hear about the Lord, someone must tell them;

So faith comes from hearing the Good News, and people hear the Good News when someone tells them about Christ.  

Romans 10: 14, 17

 

HEARING and BELIEVING goes hand in hand.  You cannot possibly BELIEVE in something of which you have not HEARD anything about.  Our Scripture tells us that in order for one to come to the Lord for help, they MUST BELIEVE in Him; and before they can BELIEVE in Him, they MUST HEAR about Him, and in order for them to HEAR about Him, someone MUST TELL them.

 

We have a lot of LOST people in our world today who do not BELIEVE in the Lord, mainly because NO ONE has told them about Him and what He has already done for them, and what He wants to do for them.  They may have heard the name of Jesus, but they don’t KNOW Jesus as their SAVIOR and LORD, because they have not been given the full account of the GOOD NEWS that JESUS SAVES, that He died for them and was risen from the dead, which gave Him VICTORY over death and the grave, and He is NOW ALIVE in Heaven, sitting at the right hand of the Almighty God, making intercession for the redeemed.

 

Have you been the recipient of the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ, has anyone told you about how Jesus left the glories of Heaven, to come to earth as a human being and the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE for ALL of mankind, to take on the sins, past, present and future of ALL people and to give His LIFE so that YOU might have ETERNAL LIFE, and that if you come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, and seek 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 an HEIR to ALL the glories of Heaven for ALL of ETERNITY?

 

If you have been the recipient of that GOOD NEWS, then it is YOUR responsibility to SHARE or TELL someone else, so they might become a recipient of the GOOD NEWS, by HEARING and BELIEVING, remember they can’t BELIEVE unless they HEAR and they can’t HEAR, unless someone TELLS them about Jesus Christ.

If you have NOT been told, in the past, about what Jesus has done for you, and what He wants to PROVIDE for YOU NOW, the gift of SALVATION and ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven.  You have received the GOOD NEWS NOW!  So it is up to YOU, what YOU will do with the GOOD NEWS that you have HEARD.  Will you RECEIVE it and become a TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD, and then TELL someone else, so they might HEAR and BELIEVE in the Lord Jesus Christ as their SAVIOR?  Or will you REJECT it and risk your destiny and the destiny of others, who will spend an ETERNITY in HELL, the place of perpetual torment, torture, heartache, pain, agony and despair?  Be the bearer of the GOOD NEWS, JESUS SAVES!!! Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                               

"Is Jesus Under Your Roof?"

“Is Jesus Under Your Roof?”

 

Since they could not find a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on a mat through the roof tiles into the middle of the crowd before Jesus.  Seeing their faith He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”        Luke 5:19

 

Jesus went with them, and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell Him, “Lord, don’t trouble Yourself, since I am not worthy to have You come under my roof.  Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel!”      Luke 7:6, 9

 

The question I pose to you today is:  “Is Jesus under your roof?”  Now that might sound like an odd question, but it isn’t really, when you stop and think about it.  Here are two instances where we have two men, who needed Jesus’ help and they found that getting to Jesus might be a little bit of a problem. 

 

Our first instance, is with a paralytic, who was in desperate need of getting to Jesus and the only way he had of accomplishing that ask was to have his friends take him to the house where Jesus was.  They tried to get the man in to see Jesus, the GREAT HEALER, but the crowd was too big for them to get anywhere close, so in their desperation, they took their paralytic friend to the roof, and commenced to tear the roof apart, when they had created a hole big enough, they lowered the paralytic man down through the roof and right in front of Jesus.  The first part of the HEALING process was bringing SALVATION to the sin-sick, paralytic man, which Jesus did.  Then Jesus, seeing the STRONG FAITH of the paralytic and his friends, HEALED the man of his affliction.  All because of Jesus being under someone’s ROOF. 

 

Our second instance, takes place in a town called Capernaum, which was Jesus’ adopted hometown, a place where He performed many miracles.  This day, a Roman Centurion was in need of help from Jesus.  The Centurion was well-liked by the Jewish people because he loved them and had built them a synagogue.  Now the Centurion’s servant was gravely ill and about to die.  The Centurion had a STRONG FAITH that Jesus could heal his servant.  So he sent some Jewish elders to bring Jesus back to his house and to have Him lay hands on His beloved servant.  However, the Roman Centurion, sent word to the Jewish elders and stopped them and Jesus from coming to the house.  The Roman Centurion told Jesus:  “Lord, don’t trouble Yourself, since I am not worthy to have You come under my ROOF.”   Jesus was amazed at the Centurion, and turning to the large crowd that was following Him, He said:  “I tell you, I have not found so great a FAITH even in Israel.”  When the Jewish elders returned to the house, they found the slave in GOOD HEALTH.  All because the Centurion had a STRONG FAITH, and EVEN though he felt UNWORTHY for the Lord Jesus to come under his ROOF, his STRONG FAITH, brought HEALING to his servant.  Is Jesus under your ROOF?  DOES He abide in your life, your home, your family?  He will NOT force His way in to be under your ROOF, but He will come and ABIDE UNDER YOUR ROOF, if you have a STRONG, ABIDING FAITH in Him.

 

In order to have Him under your ROOF, and in your HEART to bring both physical and spiritual healing to you, your family  and friends, you MUST come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, 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 invite Him into your LIFE, into your FAMILY, and  under your ROOF, because of your STRONG FAITH.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"WARNING: PERILOUS TIMES AHEAD!!"

“WARNING:  PERILOUS TIMES AHEAD!!”

 

 

Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.        2 Peter 3:17-18

 

This is the end of the Apostle Peter’s letter to Christians, in churches, in various areas of his ministry.  And it is very INFORMATIVE, ENLIGHTENING, THOUGHT-PROVOKING and for some of us very INSPIRING.  

 

In this letter, the Apostle Peter is issuing a call to Christians for SPIRITUAL GROWTH, in order for them to be able to fight apostasy as they anxiously await the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  This was an impassioned plea for the Christians to GROW in their FAITH and to become MATURE in their Christian life.  He described the characteristics of MATURE Christian believers, and encouraged them to GROW in the KNOWLEDGE and GRACE of their FAITH.

 

The verses preceding our verses, today, describes some of what lies ahead in the last days.  Peter, tells us that there are some DANGEROUS or PERILOUS times ahead, there will be scoffers who will ridicule our FAITH, they are the ones who follow their own evil desires, but they forget the DESTRUCTION that lies ahead for them and those who follow their example.  In Noah’s day the world was destroyed by WATER.  In the LAST DAYS, the world will be destroyed by FIRE, it is now being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of the UNGODLY.

 

So the Apostle Peter WARNS the TRUE BELIEVERS that they should be on GUARD, and protect their FAITH. They should CONTINUALLY GROW and MATURE in their SPIRITUAL life.  READING and STUDYING the Word of the Living God.  GROWING in the KNOWLEDGE and GRACE of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that they will NOT be INFLUENCED by the error of the lawless, and risk falling from their SECURE position.  This does NOT mean that they could lose their SALVATION, but they would definitely lose their rewards and will be chastised for their disobedience.  Their SPIRTUAL GROWTH would truly suffer from such an act.  It is a lot like raising a child, when a child is BORN into a family, the parents realize that the child must grow and mature, when the child disobeys the parent, that parent doesn’t make the child leave the family, but they discipline the child and TEACH them to do the RIGHT THING.  So it is with our LOVING Heavenly Father and His Children.  He expects us to GROW in our FAITH and to develop a STRONG, INTIMATE relationship with Him, so we are not led astray by every wind of doctrine, but we have KNOWLEDGE of who we are and to whom we belong, and will FOLLOW our Lord and live in His ways. 

 

Have you come to God for the SALVATION of your soul?  Or are you walking in darkness, living like those who are following their own evil desires, those who are headed for DESTRUCTION.  Those who will spend an eternity in Hell, the place of ETERNAL torment, torture, pain, agony, heartache, and despair with NO WAY of escape.  God is giving you the opportunity NOW, to change your direction, by coming to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, 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 GROW in the KNOWLEDGE and GRACE of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

  

 

 

"The God-breathed Scriptures"

“The God-breathed Scriptures”

 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.    2Timothy 3:16-17

 

These words that were penned by the Apostle Paul was to help his young disciple, Timothy in his ministry.  Paul was teaching Timothy about the importance of the God-breathed Word, or the Holy Scriptures, and the impact of OBEYING the teachings of the God-breathed Scriptures.

 

Paul says that ALL Scripture is given by God, and is USEFUL for TEACHING, instructing believers in God’s truths. Imparting knowledge to the believers about the God-given Scriptures.  Giving them instructions on the TRUE meaning of God’s Holy Word.

 

He also says that ALL God-breathed Scripture is USEFUL for REBUKING, letting those who are practicing sin, know what is WRONG in their lives. Showing it to them in the Word, with a LOVING, COMPASSIONATE HEART.

 

The God-breathed Scripture is also USEFUL for CORRECTING faults, by SHOWING the one erring, the ramifications of their thoughts, words, and actions, not only on themselves, but on others as well.  They provide guidance for CORRECTION in one’s life, and helps them make the changes needed to live as God wants them to live.

 

ALL the God-breathed Scripture is also USEFUL for TRAINING in RIGHTEOUSNESS.  It gives the NEW believer the TRAINING that is NEEDED to live a HOLY and RIGHTEOUS life.  It instructs them in the way they should go.  It equips them for their life journey and for their ETERNAL DESTINATION into the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

And ALL the God-breathed Scripture is also USEFUL to EQUIP the servant of God THOROUGHLY for EVERY good work.  For the one who provides SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP to others, the God-breathed Scripture makes them CAPABLE, and PROFICIENT in meeting all the demands of their ministry.  Only through the READING and STUDYING of the Scriptures can this be accomplished.

 

The God-breathed Scripture is NOT ONLY USEFUL for all of the above, but it can also LEAD a POOR, LOST and DYING soul to a LOVING Father, who has provided a way for that POOR, LOST, and DYING soul to come to Him for their SALVATION.  The God-breathed Scripture, indicates that you must come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, 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 FOLLOW the God-breathed Scripture on your life journey to the Kingdom of Heaven, your NEW eternal home, and escape ALL the HORRORS of an eternity in Hell.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"Winning the Approval of Mankind or of God Almighty?"

“Winning the Approval of Mankind or of God Almighty?”

 

 

Do you think I am trying to make people accept me?  No, God is the One I am trying to please.  Am I trying to please people?   If I still wanted to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.     Galatians 1:10

 

Many people go through life trying to PLEASE everybody.  One thing I have learned right from the start is that you CANNOT PLEASE everybody that may cross your path and enter into a segment of your life.  If you try to PLEASE EVERYONE you will soon find out that it is TRULY IMPOSSIBLE.  It will only cause you great distress.

 

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the believers in Galatia, is telling them that IF they think he is trying to get people to ACCEPT him they are sadly MISTAKEN.   To Paul the ONLY ONE whom he was trying to PLEASE and ACCEPT him was the ALMIGHTY GOD.  He wasn’t concerned about winning the approval of mankind as much as, winning the approval of God, the ONLY ONE who REALLY MATTERS.  The ONLY ONE who we will give an account to at the end of time.  The ONE who will determine our destiny throughout eternity. 

 

The Apostle Paul, says that if he still wanted to PLEASE people, he would NOT be a servant of Christ.  There is NO WAY that you can PLEASE EVERYBODY and SERVE CHRIST.  He is RIGHTEOUS and HOLY, mankind is NOT, unless they have come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, and have CONFESSED their sins to Him, SEEKING His FORGIVENESS, and BELIEVING with ALL their HEART that Jesus died for them, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for them, before God, then they ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and become a GOD PLEASER, and DON’T fret about being a PEOPLE PLEASER.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Do You LOVE Me?"

“Do You LOVE Me?”

 

 

When they finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John do you love Me more than these?”  He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed My lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John do you love Me?”  He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Take care of My sheep.”

A third time He said, “Simon son of John do you love Me?”  Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you Love Me?”  Peter said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love You!”  He said to him, “Feed My sheep.”      John 21:15-17

 

This incident happened after Jesus’ resurrection, early one morning Jesus stood on the shore, of Galilee, but Peter and the other disciples didn’t recognize Him.  Until He told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat, and so they did, and they caught so many fish they could not pull the net back into the boat.  Then the Apostle John said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” 

 

When they got to shore, Jesus had cooked breakfast for them and when they had finished eating, He looked at Simon Peter and said, “Simon son of John do you love me more than these?”  Basically, what Jesus was saying to Simon Peter was:  Do YOU love me more than these other followers do?  At one point in time, Peter had avowed that he would NEVER fall away from the Lord, no matter what the other disciples did.   

 

His denial of the Lord Jesus must have been weighing heavily on Peter’s mind, to think that he had denied Him not once, but three times.  And NOW Jesus asked Peter: “Do you love me?” three times, and added to it, “Feed my sheep.” 

No matter the strength of a person or the stability of their position in this life, they still can fall way from the Lord, but because of His GREAT MERCY and FORGIVING GRACE, they can be brought back into God’s good graces. 

 

Jesus didn’t ask Peter that question three times because He didn’t know if Peter really LOVED Him, but I believe He wanted Peter to KNOW his TRUE feelings for Jesus.  I think Peter had REMORSE for his denial of the Lord, and may have even been to the point of questioning his TRUE FEELINGS for the Lord.  And as Peter said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you!”  I believe Jesus definitely knew Peter’s TRUE FEELINGS, and I believe that He wanted Peter to be assured of his TRUE FEELINGS, in order to answer His call to Peter to “Feed My Sheep!”  Peter’s call was to help spread the GOSPEL to a lost and dying world.  It was not to tend to a flock of sheep, but to bring SALVATION to a LOST and DYING PEOPLE. 

Is Jesus asking YOU the same question?  “Do YOU love Me?”  If your answer is “YES!” then open your HEART to Him, and let Him use YOU to further His Kingdom by bringing the SALVATION GOSPEL to a LOST and DYING world.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to Him, then you are a part of the LOST and DYING world, which is headed for an eternity in Hell.  However, Jesus is standing before you with open arms and saying to you:  “I Love you this MUCH!  Do you LOVE Me?”  He is offering you His gift of ETERNAL LIFE, all you have to do, is come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, 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 help “FEED HIS SHEEP!”  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"Do YOU Know the Way?"

“Do YOU Know the Way?”

 

 

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 

Jesus answered, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14: 3-6

 

In verse three, Jesus is telling His disciples that He is going away, but He will return and will take them back with Him so that they may be where He is.  The preparation, which He mentioned, is NOT a building program in Heaven.  NOTICE:  In verse two, He states:  “My Father’s house HAS many rooms.”  NOT, WILL HAVE, but HAS.  Jesus was referring to His death and resurrection as the PREPARATION, because of the FACT that He is the WAY.  NO ONE comes to the Father, but by Him.  You can’t go to Heaven, unless you come THROUGH His BLOOD to the foot of the CROSS, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and ACCEPTING the fact that He was RESURRECTED and is ALIVE in Heaven. 

 

Notice also, that He says:  “You KNOW the way to the place where I am going.”  Jesus had taught this to His disciples many times, but until His death and resurrection, they were perplexed about what had to take place, for the SALVATION of mankind.  

 

Thomas, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Still perplexed about what Jesus way saying to them.  Then He replied, “I am the WAY and the TRUTH, and the LIFE.  NO ONE comes to the Father except through me.” 

 

I believe, at this point and time that statement may have added to their perplexity.  But when they had met with the Master, after His RESURRECTION, I think many of them began to grasp what He had been telling them all along, and at the coming of the Holy Spirit, upon them they began to see and KNOW the WAY.

 

Do you KNOW the way?  Or are you groping in darkness, LOST and SEARCHING for the Way.  You can KNOW the Way, and ESCAPE all the HORRORS of Hell, by coming to God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, 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 KNOW the Way, the TRUTH and the LIFE.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and COMING SOON!!!

 

 

"Don't Hide Your Lamp!"

“Don’t Hide Your Lamp!”

 

“No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed.  Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.         Luke 8:16

 

Every TRUE BELIEVER is a LAMP that provides LIGHT in a DARK, EVIL world, a world of SIN and DEPRAVATION, a world that is cloaked in DARKNESS.  Those who are of the worldly nature, are blinded by the DARKNESS, and when they start SEEKING the LIGHT, they need to be able to see the LIGHT of a lamp that is NOT hidden in a clay jar or shoved under a bed. One that is put on a stand so ALL who come SEEKING may see the LIGHT, and come into the realm of its illumination.  And they should be able to find the TRUE LIGHT of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Can you imagine, if EVERY TRUE BELIEVER would allow their LAMP-LIGHT to shine bright, how it would illumine the SINFUL, DARKNESS of this LOST and DYING world.  How it would SHINE so those who are living in the DARKNESS, might come into the LIGHT and be SAVED from an ETERNITY in a place of perpetual torment, torture, agony, pain, heartache and despair, the place that is known as Hell? 

 

We who are TRUE BELIEVERS MUST let our LAMP-LIGHT shine BRIGHT, we MUST NOT try to HIDE its illumination, but we MUST let it be a BEACON of SALVATION for this LOST and DYING world.  Have you placed your LAMP on a stand in order for its illumination to reach those who are groping in DARKNESS, SEEKING the Light of the World, who can take away their blindness and bring them the GLORIOUS, ETERNAL LIGHT of SALVATION?  Then they too, can be a LAMP that is placed on a stand to help dispel the DARKNESS of this DARK, SINFUL, world. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are living in the DARKNESS, and heading to that place called Hell.  However, God is NOW giving you the opportunity to come out of the DARKNESS, and into the realm of LIGHT, with the HOPE of an ETERNITY in Heaven.  You do that by coming to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, 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 become a LAMP that is put on a stand so its LIGHT might reach a LOST and DYING world.  SHINE FOR JESUS!  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"Hope"

“Hope”

 

 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.      Romans 15:13

 

Hope, a feeling that what is wanted will happen, or the thing that one has a hope for.  These are some definitions of the word ‘HOPE’ from Webster’s Dictionary. 

 

In the Holman Bible Dictionary it says that ‘hope’ is:  Trustful expectation, particularly with reference to the fulfillment of God’s promises.  Biblical hope is the anticipation of a favorable outcome under God’s guidance.  More specifically, hope is the confidence that what God has done for us in the past guarantees our participation in what God will do in the future.  This is a contrast to the world’s definition found in Webster’s Dictionary.

 

1Timothy 4:10, says:  “This is why we work and struggle:  We hope in the Living God who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.”  In other words: We have a TRUSTFUL expectation in the Living God who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who BELIEVE. 

 

In 1Peter 1:21, the Apostle Peter reminds his readers:  “Through Christ you believe in God, who raised Christ from the dead and gave Him glory.  So your faith and your hope are in God.”   So our FAITH and TRUSTFUL EXPECTATION, (hope) is in God. 

 

In Colossians 1:27, the Apostle Paul states:  “God decided to let His people know this rich and glorious secret which He has for all people.  This secret is Christ Himself, who is in you.  He is our ONLY hope for glory.” 

 

So now we have stated that our HOPE is in God and in Christ.  Paul reminds his readers, in 2Corinthians 5:19 that: “God was in Christ, making peace between the world and Himself.  In Christ, God did not hold the world guilty of its sins.  And He gave us this message of peace.” So since we have HOPE in the Father, we have HOPE in the Son, because of the UNITY between the two, these two are really ONE.  As the saying goes, “you can’t have one without the other!”

So may the God of TRUSTFUL EXPECTATION fill you with all JOY and PEACE as you TRUST Him to fulfill His promises and may you overflow with TRUSTFUL EXPECTATION, which is provided to EVERY TRUE BELIEVER, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you cannot experience the TRUSTFUL EXPECTATION of Almighty God or the God of HOPE, unless, you come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, 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  have HOPE in the Father and the Son, and receive the HOPE of Heaven.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"WARNING: DO NOT QUENCH THE HOLY SPIRIT"

"WARNING:  DO NOT QUENCH THE HOLY SPIRIT"

 

 

For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.  Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you His Holy Spirit.

Do not quench the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 4:7, 8, 5:19

 

In Paul’s letter, to the Thessalonian believers, he speaks to them about the importance of living a PROPER, CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE.  In chapter four he speaks to them about NOT living an IMPURE life, but to live a HOLY life.   He states that it is the will of God that they should be SANCTIFIED or SET APART, and should not participate in ANY sexual impurity, that they should learn to control their own bodies in a HOLY and HONORABLE way. 

 

If a person, who has become a believer, rejects the instructions, which Paul stated in this letter to them, they are NOT rejecting a human being, but they are REJECTING God, the very God who has given them His Holy Spirit.

 

The work of the Holy Spirit is to EMPOWER the TRUE BELIEVER to live that SANCTIFIED life.  He gives them GUIDANCE and will bring CONVICTION into their HEART, whenever they stray away from the path that God has put them on.  He is their COUNSELOR, and will instruct them in the way they should go. 

 

The Apostle Paul EMPHATICALLY WARNS the TRUE BELIEVER:  “DO NOT QUENCH THE HOLY SPIRIT.  He does so because without the FULL WORKING  of the Holy Spirit, we can in NO WAY live the way God intends for us to live.  We are of the flesh and being of the flesh we live by the fleshly desires that are contrary to a HOLY lifestyle and to God’s intended will for our lives.

 

Therefore, we MUST be SENSITIVE, SUBMISSIVE, and OBEDIENT to the WORKING of the HOLY SPIRIT, and we MUST ALLOW Him to WORK in us so we are ABLE to live a SANCTIFIED life before God, and be able to live according to His will.  The Holy Spirit should have COMPLETE CONTROL over each aspect of the TRUE BELIEVER’S life.  We SHOULD NOT quench or hinder the work of the Holy Spirit.

Does the Holy Spirit have CONTROL of your life?  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, the He does not even INDWELL you, much less CONTROL you.  You are CONTROLLED by Satan’s influences and are living by the flesh.  You are in DANGER of spending an eternity in HELL, the place of torment, torture, agony, pain, heartache and despair, without ANY relief or NO WAY of ESCAPE.  However, God is giving you an opportunity, NOW, to come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, 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 RECEIVE His Holy Spirit, then ALLOW the Holy Spirit to WORK in you and DO NOT QUENCH THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!