"Jesus Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of Almighty God"

“Jesus Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of Almighty God”

 

But Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God to those people God has called---Jews and Greeks.  Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 

Because of God you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God.  In Christ we are put right with God, and have been made holy, and have been set free from sin.  So as the Scripture says, “if someone wants to brag, he should brag only about the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1: 24, 25, 30, 31

 

WISDOM and POWER, two things that every TRUE BELIEVER needs in their relationship with God.  The Apostle Paul tells the church in Corinth, that God called EVERY TRUE BELIEVER, who has FAITH to BELIEVE the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ.   If God had called them on the basis of THEIR WISDOM, INFLUENCE, and POWER, He would have turned them away.  He went on to say that even the FOOLISHNESS of God Is WISER than any HUMAN WISDOM, and the WEAKNESS of God is STRONGER than HUMAN STRENGTH.  

 

There is NO WISDOM that can come close to COMPARING with that of the Almighty God, nor is there any STRENGTH that can COMPARE with God’s POWER.  God is OMNIPOTENT—ALL POWERFUL and OMNISCIENT—ALL KNOWING, and there is NO HUMAN WISDOM or POWER that can come anywhere close to Him. 

 

God’s WISDOM and POWER is personified in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and because of God we, the TRUE BELIEVER, have the opportunity to exercise the WISDOM and POWER of the Almighty God in our own lives, THROUGH the WORK of His HOLY SPIRIT, which is given to the TRUE BELIEVER at the time of their conversion.   In James 1:5, he says:  “If any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it.” 

 

It is in Christ that we are put right or given RIGHTEOUSNESS, with God, this is our JUSTIFICATION, and we have been made holy, this is our SANCTIFICATION, and we have been SET FREE from our sin, this is our GLORIFICATION.  And it is ALL made possible because of the SACRIFICE of the Lord Jesus Christ, on the Cross.  By His Spirit we have ACCESS to God’s WISDOM and POWER.  That, my dear brothers and sisters, is the ONE to whom we can BRAG ON!

However, if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are NOT a TRUE BELIVER, who has received JUSTIFICATION, SANCTIFICATION or GLORIFICATION.  But you are DOOMED and headed for HELL, the place of UNENDING torment, torture, pain, heartache, agony, and despair, with NO way of ESCAPE, unless you TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN 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 tap into His WISDOM and POWER.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"The Door"

“The Door”

 

So Jesus said again “I tell you the truth, I am the Door for the sheep.  All the people who came before me were thieves and robbers.  The sheep did not listen to them.  I am the Door, and the person who enters through me will be saved and will be able to come in and go out and find pasture.  A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life---life in all its fullness.        John 10:7-10

 

Jesus, in His means of relating Spiritual truths to individuals, sometimes used everyday situations or activities to help people see the whole picture and to be able to understand the Spiritual lesson.  In this passage of the Holy Scriptures, He talks about the relationship of the TRUE shepherd and his sheep.

 

The shepherd had a unique relationship with his flock, he had a name for each of them and when he came to the sheep fold to gather his flock, he would call them by name, and they HEARD his voice and KNEW his voice, and they would come to him and FOLLOW him to green pastures.  They normally would not FOLLOW a stranger, they would RUN AWAY from them, because they did NOT recognize their voice.  

 

When Jesus told this story, the people did not understand what it meant.  So He used another tactic to make His point.  The sheep would follow their TRUE SHEPHERD into the green pasture.  Near the pasture was an enclosure for the sheep to run into when they were afraid, for security.  So Jesus told those who were listening to Him, that He was the DOOR for the sheep.  Meaning that His sheep, His people, would come to Him, when He called them by name, and they would come THROUGH Him, into the SAFETY and SECURITY of the enclosure, and they would be SAVED from ALL the DANGERS and PITFALLS, which threatened their lives. 

 

All the FALSE SHEPHERDS who came before Jesus, were nothing more than thieves and robbers, who cared only for their own wants and needs, they actually came to steal, kill and destroy. To lead people away from the DOOR, and to try and lead them to the DANGERS and PITFALLS, of  a sinful lifestyle and to an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of UNENDING torment, torture, pain, agony, heartache and despair, with NO WAY of ESCAPE, unless they LISTENED to the GOOD SHEPHERD’S call and FOLLOWED Him to EVERLASTING LIFE in Heaven.  But they MUST come in at the DOOR that is, they MUST come to God through Jesus Christ, who is the DOOR. 

 

The way to come to the DOOR is to come 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 enter into an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, by way of the DOOR.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"The Word Brings Life"

“The Word Brings Life”

 

For the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.          Hebrews 4:12

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed from death to life.          John 5:24

 

The Word of God is the instrument that God uses to do some “spiritual surgery” to the human being, who is a BELIEVER or maybe someone contemplating on becoming a BELIEVER.  The Word of God is SHARPER than any double-edged sword that PENETRATES, even dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow.   Now that is SUPER SHARP, and it reaches to the INNER MOST part of the HEART, discerning and judging the THOUGHTS and ATTITUDES of the HEART.

 

NOTHING is HIDDEN from His sight, but EVERYTHING is EXPOSED and OPENED to the eyes of Him, to whom we MUST GIVE an account.  The Day of Judgment is coming, when LOST mankind will be JUDGED for their SINS. They will be JUDGED and CONDEMNED to an ETERNITY in Hell, and ALL its HORRORS.  The TRUE BELIEVER will NOT be JUDGED for their SINS, only their “works” will be JUDGED.

 

In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us that those who HEAR His Word and BELIEVES in the One who sent Him will have ETERNAL LIFE. They will not face JUDGMENT, but will cross from DEATH to LIFE.   Now, when Jesus says those who “HEAR His Word”, I believe that He was NOT meaning those who just LISTEN to His Word, but who also OBEYS His Word and BELIEVES in the One who sent Him.  They will be the ones who will cross from DEATH to LIFE.   Have you done this?  KEEP in MIND that the THOUGHTS and ATTITUDES of your HEART are exposed to God.  NOTHING is HIDDEN from His sight. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God then you will face the Judgment Seat and you will give an account of your SINS to Him.  And you will be SENTENCED to an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of UNENDING torment, torture, pain, agony, heartache, and despair, with NO WAY of ESCAPE.  But God is giving you the opportunity NOW, to turn away from your SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and 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 CROSS from DEATH to LIFE ETERNAL.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"A True or False Disciple?"

“A True or False Disciple?”

 

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven.”          Matthew 7:21

 

The Holy Scriptures are very CLEAR as to who will be able to ENTER the Kingdom of Heaven.  All through the Gospels, and the Apostle Paul’s letters to the churches that he established, gives a VERY CLEAR message concerning the destiny of a TRUE or a FALSE DISCIPLE of Jesus Christ. 

 

Just because a person attends church EVERY SUNDAY, or sings in the choir, or holds a position in a church, or feeds the hungry and visits the sick, it doesn’t mean they are a TRUE DISCIPLE (believer).  In Ephesians 2:8, 9, Paul says:  “For it is by GRACE you have been SAVED, through FAITH---and this is NOT from yourselves, it is the gift of God---NOT by works, so that no one can boast.”  You MUST have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ, because your GOOD WORKS will NOT get you in.

 

There are MANY people who sit on church pews EVERY Sunday, and are FAITHFUL to attend ALL church functions.  They may do EVERYTHING a TRUE DISCIPLE does, and maybe EVEN more, but ALL their GOOD WORKS, will do is secure them an ETERNITY in HELL, if they DON’T have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with the LORD! 

 

In verses 22 and 23, 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!’ “ 

 

You cannot BUY, EARN or WORK your way into the Kingdom of Heaven.  It does NOT matter how many church memberships you have or how long you have been a MEMBER of a church, or how many positions you hold or have held in church.  It doesn’t matter if your family gave the land or large sums of money for the building of the church.  Or if your dad, brother, or grandad were pastors, deacons, Sunday school teachers or sang in the Choir or was the Choir director.  IF you DO NOT HAVE a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with JESUS CHRIST, YOU are LOST and DESTINED for HELL for ALL of ETERNITY. 

 

I know these are some STRONG words, but I MUST TELL YOU THE TRUTH!!  And the TRUTH is if you DO NOT HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ, you will NOT enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  So are YOU a TRUE DISCIPLE or a FALSE DISCIPLE?  Have you EVER come 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 have you ACCEPTED His gift of SALVATION, and have you TRULY become a TRUE DISCIPLE of Jesus Christ?”  If NOT you NEED to do ALL of the above NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

"The Final Warning!"

“The Final Warning!”

 

See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks.  If they did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from Him who warns from heaven?  At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”  The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things---so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”           Hebrews 12:25-29

 

How POWERFUL is our God!  The One who issued a WARNING to those of Moses’ time, those of the Old Covenant, who had gathered at the foot of Mt. Sinai, where the Old Covenant was given.  Exodus 19:18 gives us a picture of what happened:  “Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD came down on it in fire.  The smoke rose from the mountain like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook wildly.” 

 

Since those who REJECTED the Old Covenant did NOT ESCAPE God’s hand, how could those of the New Covenant who REJECT or TURN AWAY from the New Covenant expect to ESCAPE?  They won’t. 

 

At the time the Old Covenant was given, the people gathered at the foot of the mountain, the mountain was covered with smoke, and it SHOOK WILDLY.  At the time of His voice, the EARTH SHOOK, and the people trembled with fear.  Even still, some rejected the Old Covenant, and perished. 

 

God promises to once more, shake the EARTH, but not just the EARTH, but the HEAVENS too.  This will take place after the millennial kingdom of Christ, at the remaking of the heavens and earth, and what remains will be ETERNAL. 

 

We who are of the New Covenant of Christ, and have NOT REJECTED Him, should be THANKFUL we have a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.  We should WORSHIP God in ways that will PLEASE Him, with RESPECT, REVERENCE, and AWE.  OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE! 

This WARNING could be your FINAL WARNING,  if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are REJECTING  His New Covenant, and His Son, Jesus Christ, the Mediator of that New Covenant.  He is your ONLY way to Heaven.  You MUST come 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 ESCAPE the ETERNAL, HORRORS of HELL.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

"The Persecuted Christian"

“The Persecuted Christian”

 

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you. 

…If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.  If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.        John 15:18, 19, 20b

Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.       Matthew 10:38

 

PERSECUTION:  To cause CONTINUAL pain or suffering.  To annoy constantly. 

 

Throughout history, mankind has been PERSECUTED for their faith.  They have been shamed, humiliated, had their children ripped from their arms and fed to hungry, beasts, while they are made to watch.  They have been TORMENTED, TORTURED, THROWN into PRISONS.  They have been BEATEN, STONED, BEHEADED, CRUCIFIED, Their wives and daughters have been BEATEN, RAPED, SODOMIZED, and KILLED.  All because they were BELIEVERS in JESUS CHRIST. 

 

We, here in the United States have NOT been subjected to too much of the intense persecution, I would imagine that the incident at Columbine High School, and a few beheadings here and there are about as brutal as we have had it here, speaking of PHYSICAL PAIN and SUFFERING.  So we can be THANKFUL that we haven’t been INTENSELY PERSECUTED, like some around the word have been.  However, when I think of the PERSECUTION that comes against God’s Children, I ask:  “Why?”  For the most part, Christians are GOOD people, peace-loving, honest, dignified, compassionate, loving, faithful, people of Faith.    So why are they so BRUTALLY PERSECUTED?  Well, Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John, the fifteenth chapter.

 

He says:  “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”  It is because of our RELATIONSHIP with Christ Jesus that we are PERSECUTED.  The closer we walk to Him, the more we are PERSECUTED.  Satan is like a ROARING LION SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR.  He wants to make God’s people SUFFER or DENY their RELATIONSHIP with Him.  

 

Jesus went on to say:  “If they PERSECUTED Me, they will PERSECUTE you also.”  He warns us to be ready, it’s coming.  Do you have a RELATIONSHIP with God?  If so, are you SPIRITUALLY STRONG enough to face the type of INTENSE PERSECUTION that the early church faced?   

 

Jesus says:  “Whoever does not take up their CROSS and FOLLOW me is NOT worthy of me.” If we aren’t willing to face INTENSE PERSECUTION for Christ, even to losing our life, then we are NOT WORTHY of Him.  We are NOT WORTHY of SPENDING an ETERNITY with Him and God in Heaven.   If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God then you will NOT spend ETERNITY in Heaven, but will be spending it in HELL, the place of UNENDING, TORMENT, TORTURE, PAIN, HEARTACHE, AGONY and DESPAIR, with NO WAY OF ESCAPE.  But God in His INFINITE MERCY and AMAZING GRACE is giving you the 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 be WILLING to take up your CROSS and FOLLOW HIM.  Do it NOW while you still can.  He waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"The Great Overcomer"

“The Great Overcomer”

 

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”      John 16:33

 

Who is it that overcomes the world?  Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.      1 John 5:5

 

In John 16:33, Jesus was giving His disciples words of ENCOURAGEMENT.  He was preparing them for His departure back to God.  He tells them that if they will ABIDE in Him, they will have PEACE, PEACE, NOT like the world affords, but His PEACE.  He tells them that in this world they will have TROUBLE, mainly because they possess two DIFFERENT existences.  They exist in Christ and they exist in the world. 

 

The world brings HOSTILE PRESSURES on the TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD, causing a multitude of TROUBLES, but Jesus says that we should “TAKE HEART” or be COURAGEOUS in our walk with Him, because He has OVERCOME the world.  The VICTORY is ours for the taking.

 

So who is able to OVERCOME the world? The TRUE BELIEVER in Jesus Christ, those who have TRULY GIVEN their HEART and LIFE to God, through their FAITH in Jesus Christ.  And that UNDIVIDED FAITH helps them to be able to KEEP God’s COMMANDS. 

 

Living in this sinful, corrupt, depraved world can be burdensome for the TRUE BELIEVER, but the words of Jesus should SUSTAIN us and ENCOURAGE us to PRESS ON in our relationship with God the Father and God the Son.  We might get knocked down, but we are NOT DEFEATED, for we are MORE than CONQUERORS in Christ Jesus, who is the GREAT OVERCOMER!

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are NOT a TRUE BELIEVER, and you are NOT a CONQUEROR or OVERCOMER, but you are ETERNALLY lost, and will spend ALL of ETERNITY in Hell, the place of UNENDING torment, torture, pain, agony, heartache, and despair, with NO WAY of ESCAPE, unless you come 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 become MORE than CONQUERORS, and OVERCOMERS of this world.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"PRAYER: Our LIFELINE to God"

“PRAYER:  Our LIFELINE to God”

 

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”       Ephesians 6:18

 

I shudder to think what it would be like without PRAYER.  If we had NO WAY of communicating with our Heavenly Father.  For some it would NOT make that much DIFFERENCE, because they have very little, if any communication with Him, to begin with. 

 

PRAYER is the LIFELINE for MOST TRUE BELIEVERS.  The Apostle Paul, knew that the TRUE BELIEVERS, in Ephesus, would come under SPIRITUAL attack because of their RELATIONSHIP with the Lord Jesus Christ, so in the previous verses, Paul instructs them to put on the FULL ARMOR OF GOD, in order to STAND AGAINST the devil’s schemes.  And he also knew the IMPORTANCE of having an OPEN line of communication.  

 

For some, the ONLY time they PRAY is in DESPERATE situations, then they are willing to MAKE time to talk with our Heavenly Father and cry out to Him for HELP.  The rest of the time they are too busy to MAKE time for Him.  Paul knew that PRAYER is TRULY a LIFELINE to God, and SHOULD be a PRIORITY to EVERY TRUE BELIEVER.

 

I believe the MOST IMPORTANT PRAYER, a person can pray is the PRAYER of TRUE REPENTANCE, because, that is what OPENS the LINE of COMMUNICATION, between the Father and His Child.  He will NOT hear the prayers of an UNBELIEVER, until they PRAY that PRAYER of TRUE REPENTANCE, CONFESSING their sins to Him, and SEEKING His FORGIVENESS.  When they become a TRUE CHILD of His, then He will OPEN the LIFELINE of COMMUNICATION.

 

The Apostle Paul instructs the TRUE BELIEVER, to PRAY in the SPIRIT on ALL occasions.  Praying in the Spirit is to allow the Spirit to LEAD you in your PRAYER, and when we don’t know what to PRAY, He will PRAY for us.  We should PRAY at ANY OCCASION, not just when we want or when we are in DESPERATE times, but we SHOULD be in a PRAYERFUL state of mind CONTINUALLY with ALERTNESS and PERSERVERANCE, and ALWAYS PRAYING for ALL of the Lord’s People.

 

Do you have an OPEN LINE of COMMUNICATION with Father God?  Have you 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 become a TRUE BELIEVER, with an OPEN LIFELINE of COMMUNICATION with God.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"The Marks of Jesus"

“The Marks of Jesus”

 

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 

From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

Galatians 6:14,17

 

In the conclusion of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia, he wrote to them concerning his RELATIONSHIP with our Lord Jesus Christ.  Saying that he NEVER wanted to boast of his own merits, ONLY in the CROSS of our Lord Jesus Christ.  To the Judaizers the CROSS was an object of shame, but to Paul it was a GLORIOUS thing, because of the SACRIFICE that was made upon it, for the SALVATION of MANKIND.   Paul GLORIED in the CROSS, and that was what he would BOAST about.  Because the world was CRUCIFIED to Paul, and Paul to the world, he became a SLAVE to the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  WHO or WHAT are you a SLAVE to?

 

Because of Paul’s RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ, he separated himself from the world and ALL of its allurements, fleshly desires, and religions that were spawned by human efforts.  He was BRANDED for Christ, and bore the MARKS of persecution, which showed that he belonged to Jesus Christ, and they demonstrated that he was a SLAVE of Christ, and NOT just a PEOPLE-PLEASER.   DO YOU BEAR the MARKS of JESUS CHRIST?  HAVE YOU TRULY GIVEN YOUR WHOLE HEART and LIFE to HIM?

 

It is the UTMOST DESIRE of GOD that we give to HIM our ALL, even at the cost of having to bear the MARKS of JESUS, MARKS that show we belong to Him and NOT to ourselves, we are His SLAVES, FREE from our SINS, but SLAVES to His will.   We do His will and NOT our own, because of our RELATIONSHIP with Him. 

Do you have a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ?  Can you BOAST in the CROSS?  Are you WILLING to BEAR the MARKS of PERSECUETION for HIM?  If your answer is NO to ANY or ALL of these questions, then you probably have NOT TRULY GIVEN ALL of your HEART and LIFE to Him, and if that is the case, you are BRANDED with the MARKS of SATAN, and will spend an ETERNITY in HELL, the place of UNENDING torment, torture, pain, agony, heartache and despair, unless you TURN AWAY from your sinful lifestyle, and TURN 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 be able to BOAST in the CROSS of CHRIST, and BEAR the MARKS of JESUS.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"The Acts of the Flesh"

“The Acts of the Flesh”

 

The acts of the flesh are obvious:  sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.  I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God.        Galatians 5:19-21

 

We presently live in a world, NOW, where the ACTS of the FLESH are demonstrated daily, and in a lot of instances, it is flaunted and promoted by society.  The Apostle Paul gives us a pretty exhaustive list of ACTS that are carried out by those who LIVE by the FLESH.  And in some cases are found in our churches.

 

Why or how would ACTS of the FLESH creep into our churches? We know that the church is made up of people, many of who are TRUE BELIEVERS, but there are some within the church, the body of believers, who are NOT TRUE BELIEVERS, but they have a FALSE assumption that they are TRUE BELIEVERS, when they REALLY do not have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Christ Jesus.

 

They may be a product of being brought up in church,  or one of their relatives might have been a deacon, Sunday school teacher, sang in the choir, or even been a preacher.  Well, that does NOT make them a TRUE BELIEVER, especially if they are LIVING by the ACTS of the FLESH.

 

Just because they have walked an aisle, and repeated a prayer, been baptized, and a member of the church for forty years.  It still does NOT make them a TRUE BELIEVER.  You MUST have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and striving to LIVE by the SPIRIT, NOT by the FLESH.  Sure, NOBODY is perfect, even a TRUE BELIEVER will fall to temptation, but they DO NOT CONTINUALLY LIVE in the ACTS of the FLESH.  So this is how some of the ACTS of the FLESH, such as, ENVY, DISCORD, HATRED, JEALOUSY, SELFISH AMBITION, DISSENSIONS, FACTIONS, and the like, creep into the church.  They are brought in by those who are duped into believing they are SAVED, when they do NOT have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Christ. 

 

The Apostle Paul says that those who CONTINUALLY LIVE by the ACTS of the FLESH will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God.  Instead, they will inherit HELL and all of its UNENDING torment, torture, pain, agony, heartache, and despair, with NO WAY of ESCAPE for ALL of ETERNITY.  However, God has a plan to keep you from such a HORRIBLE DESTINY, if you will 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 TURN AWAY from LIVING by ACTS of the FLESH and TURN TO God, and start LIVING by the HOLY SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"Living the Christian Life"

“Living the Christian Life”

 

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.       Ephesians 4:29-32

 

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the TRUE BELIEVERS in Ephesus, gives them instructions on LIVING the CHRISTIAN LIFE.  He gives them some advice as to what NOT to do, and then what they SHOULD do as TRUE BELIEVERS.

 

First, he tells them to NOT let ANY UNWHOLESOME talk come out of their mouths, but ONLY what is HELPFUL for building others UP according to their needs, that it may BENEFIT those who listen.  A TRUE Christian should NOT allow ANY UNWHOLESOME, or UNHEALTHY talk come out of their mouths.  They SHOULD be WILLING to use words that will EDIFY other TRUE BELIEVERS, in order to HELP them GROW in their FAITH.  The TRUE Christian, needs to watch closely what they say, so they will NOT cause anyone to STUMBLE, but that their words would BENEFIT those who are listening.

 

Then the Apostle Paul gives a WARNING:  “DO NOT GRIEVE the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD!”  with whom you were sealed for the Day of Redemption.   The Holy Spirit of God is a HELPER to the TRUE Christian, and He helps guard their words.  To GRIEVE the Holy Spirit of God, they would be IGNORING His help and they would NOT be SUBMISSIVE to His LEADERSHIP.  God SEALED the TRUE BELIEVER with the Holy Spirit for the Day of REDEMPTION, or the day when they will receive their NEW bodies. 

 

The Apostle tells them of five vices that they SHOULD get RID of:  BITTERNESS, RAGE, ANGER, BRAWLING, and SLANDER, along with every form of MALICE.   These are ALL attributes of an UNBELIEVER, and has NO PLACE in the TRUE BELIEVER’S LIFE.  So they NEED to GET RID of ALL these vices, and WORK at being COMPLETELY FREE from their HOLD.

 

He then gives them some POSITIVE THINGS that they should incorporate into their lives.  He tells them to BE KIND and COMPASSIONATE to one another, FORGIVING each other, just as in Christ God FORGAVE them.  If we carry the title of CHRISTIAN, which indicates that we are CHRISTLIKE in our WAY of LIVING, then we NEED to exemplify KINDNESS, COMPASSION and FORGIVENESS, ALL of which are attributes of CHRIST.  THIS IS HOW WE SHOULD LIVE A CHRISTIAN LIFE.  ARE YOU?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you do NOT possess the POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES of Christ, nor do you possess His Holy Spirit and you are NOT SEALED for the Day of REDEMPTION, but you are headed for the Day of Judgment, where you will be CONDEMNED and SENTENCED to an ETERNITY in HELL, with NO WAY of ESCAPE, unless you come to God NOW, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING 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 become a TRUE CHRISTIAN living a TRUE CHRISTIAN LIFE, who is SEALED with the HOLY SPIRIT of God for the Day of REDEMPTION.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"What is Mankind?

“What is Mankind?”

 

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?        Psalm 8:3-4

 

What is MANKIND? And why is God MINDFUL of them?  Have you ever wondered just exactly what MANKIND is, or why God would be MINDFUL of them and their EVERYDAY, EVERY SECOND, situations, their problems, and their needs? 

 

MANKIND was created in the image, and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26, 27), The Scripture says that God created MANKIND in His OWN image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.  In verse 28, it tells us that God BLESSED them.  Verse 31, says, “God saw ALL that He had made and it was VERY GOOD.

 

But, MANKIND was tempted to DISOBEY God, their creator, and they fell to the temptation.  They SINNED against God by DISOBEYING His Word, and SIN entered the HEART of MANKIND from that time on.

 

From Adam to Noah, MANKIND became more and more WICKED.  In the sixth chapter of Genesis, it tells us that the WICKEDNESS of the human race had become VERY GREAT, and that EVERY inclination of the thoughts of the HUMAN HEART was EVIL ALL the TIME.  So much so that the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS God of this Universe, REGRETTED that He had made HUMAN BEINGS on the earth, and His HEART was DEEPLY TROUBLED.

 

The Earth was so corrupt in God’s sight, and was full of violence, and ALL the people on earth had corrupted their ways.  So God told Noah, “I’m going to put an end to ALL people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.  And He did, with the GREAT FLOOD.  

 

Do you think God REGRETS restoring the earth and MANKIND, after their destruction by the GREAT FLOOD?  Look around you MANKIND is WICKED, and EVERY inclination of the thoughts of the HUMAN HEART is EVIL.  WICKEDNESS, CORRUPTNESS, DISOBEDIENCE permeates the HEARTS of MANKIND from the home to even some churches there is some form of EVIL or DISOBEDIENCE to God’s Word. 

 

The Bible tells us in 2 Peter 3:7, that the present heavens and earth are being reserved for FIRE, they are being KEPT for the Day of Judgment and DESTRUCTION of the UNGODLY.  Where are you in this scenario? 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God then you are a part of the UNGODLY who will stand before the JUDGMENT SEAT for the sentencing of your soul. You will end up in the Lake of Fire, unless you come 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 become a part of MANKIND that brings PLEASURE to God, and NOT REGRET.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

"How to Know Who the True Children of God Are"

“How to Know Who the True Children of God Are”

 

This is how we know who the Children of God are and who the children of the devil are:  Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s Child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.       1 John 3:10

 

The Bible teaches us that we need to have the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God in order to have a RIGHT relationship with Him.  This does not mean that your SALVATION is by all the GOOD DEEDS you do.  But it means that because of your TRUE SALVATION experience, you will strive to do those things that are the RIGHT things to do, in order to have a RIGHT relationship with FATHER GOD.

 

In verse nine it tells us that:  “No one who is born of God will continue to sin.”  That is the one who is TRULY born of God will NOT make it a point to CONTINUE to sin, as they had before their SALVATION experience.   They may be TEMPTED, but they KNOW that the Holy Spirit of God indwells them, and so they will do ALL they can to NOT fall to that TEMPTATION, because of the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Yet the TRUE Children of God will at their weakest time fall into sin.

 

Wherefore is the difference between the TRUE Child of God, and the child of the devil.  The TRUE Child of God, SHOULD CONFESS IMMEDIATELY, their wrongdoing, (sin), and TURN AWAY from the SIN, and TURN towards God to renew their RIGHT relationship with Him.  However the child of the devil will continue to live in their sins, with NO REMORSE or GUILT. 

 

Another very IMPORTANT evidence of being a TRUE Child of God is; TRUE LOVE for EACH other.  All throughout the Bible we are told that we MUST LOVE each other as Christ LOVES us.  And to NOT have that TRUE LOVE, which can ONLY come from God, indicates that we are NOT a part of His family. 

 

“God is LOVE.  Whoever lives in LOVE lives in God, and God in them.  This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have CONFIDENCE on the Day of Judgment:  In this World we are like Jesus.”  (4:16b-17) 

 

We LOVE because He first LOVED us.  Whoever claims to LOVE God yet hates a brother or sister is a LIAR.  For whoever does NOT LOVE their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot LOVE God whom they have NOT seen.  And He has given us this COMMAND:  ANYONE who LOVES God MUST also LOVE their brother and sister.  (4:19-21)

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you cannot keep His commands, nor can you possess the LOVE that He wants us to have for EACH OTHER.  This means that you do NOT have a RIGHT relationship with Father God, and you are NOT His TRUE Child, but you are a child of the devil, which will send you to an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of UNENDING, torment, torture, pain, agony, heartache and despair.  But God in His INFINITE MERCY and AMAZING GRACE, has provided a WAY of ESCAPE, but 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 become a TRUE CHILD of GOD.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

"Gotta Tell Somebody!"

“Gotta Tell Somebody!”

 

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.  The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).  And he brought him to Jesus.       John 1:40-42a

 

John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, preached JESUS, his message was this:  “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ “  John the Baptist, was the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ 

 

He told the Pharisees, when they questioned him concerning his identity and the fact that he was baptizing, that he, “baptized with water, but among you stands one you do not know.  He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am NOT worthy to untie.”   The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”   

 

The following day John was with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”  When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.  After spending some time with Jesus, the two disciples left.  Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and he followed Jesus.  The FIRST thing Andrew did when he left Jesus, was to find his brother Simon and he told him:  “We have found the Messiah!”  The One that the Jews were and still are looking for.  

 

Andrew had received the GOOD NEWS, and BELIEVED that Jesus was the Son of the Living God, the long-awaited Messiah, who was sent to take away the sins of ALL mankind.  This was something that he could NOT keep to himself.  He just HAD to TELL SOMEBODY, and that somebody was his brother Simon Peter.  We, who are TRUE BELIEVERS, need to be like Andrew, and have a BURNING desire to TELL SOMEBODY, what Jesus has done for us and can do for them.   

 

Do you have the desire that you just “GOTTA TELL SOMEBODY, what Jesus can do for them?  You should!  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you cannot tell what Jesus has done for you, because you have NOT experienced His FORGIVENESS, which was provided to ALL people, through the DEATH, BURIAL, and RESURRECTION of Jesus for the SALVATION of the souls of mankind.  God is still offering you a way of escaping Hell, with all the UNENDING torment, torture, heartache, pain, agony and despair throughout ALL of ETERNITY.  Come to Him NOW, 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 RUN, GO TELL SOMEBODY what the Lord has done!!  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Fruit of Righteousness"

“The Fruit of Righteousness”

 

And I pray this:  that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you can approve the things that are superior and can be pure and blameless in the Day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.       Philippians 1:10-11

 

This is a prayer of the Apostle Paul for the TRUE BELIEVERS in Philippi. It was Paul’s desire that the LOVE of the TRUE BELIEVERS would continue to GROW in KNOWLEDGE and EVERY kind of DISCERNMENT.  It was his desire that they would have a DEEP and CLEAR understanding of things that are SUPERIOR, the things of God.  When they have that KNOWLEDGE and DISCERNMENT, which will produce a DEEP and CLEAR understanding of the SUPERIOR things, then they can be PURE and BLAMELESS in the Day of Christ, if they CONTINUE to GROW and apply the SUPERIOR things they have KNOWLEDGE of to their Christian life.

 

When the TRUE BELIEVER does this they will be PURE and BLAMELESS in the Day of Christ, FILLED with the FRUIT of RIGHTEOUSNESS.  That is, they will live a FRUITFUL life.  A life that will produce SPIRITUAL FRUIT for the GLORY of God.  In other words, they will be able to have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with Almighty God, because they are exemplifying love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control, all of which are not only the FRUIT of the SPIRIT, but also evidences of the FRUIT of RIGHTEOUSNESS, a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God.

 

If you are a TRUE BELIEVER, then you should examine yourself and see if you are producing the FRUIT of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and will be considered PURE and BLAMELESS in the Day of Christ.  If NOT, you NEED to check out your SALVATION.  Because EVERY TRUE BELIEVER should have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with the Almighty God.  If you are NOT exemplifying the FRUIT of the SPIRIT, then you do NOT have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God, and you need to BE SURE.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you definitely do NOT possess the FRUIT of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and will not be PURE and BLAMELESS in the Day of Christ, but you will face JUDGMENT, CONDEMNATION and an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of UNENDING torment, torture, pain, heartache, agony and despair, unless you TURN AWAY from your SINFUL lifestyle, and TURN 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 be PURE and BLAMELESS, exemplifying the FRUIT of RIGHTEOUSNESS.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!