"The Spirit of Christ in You"

“The Spirit of Christ in You”

 

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.  But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.        Romans 8:6-9

 

The UNREGENERATED person, the one who has NOT come to Jesus Christ for the SALVATION of their soul, their mind is SET on the FLESH, which is SPIRITUAL DEATH.  Meaning, when they leave this world, through DEATH, they will suffer in HELL.  Because their mind is SET on the FLESH, which is HOSTILE towards God.  Their actions is more than just DISOBEDIENCE, it is the MANFESTATIONS of the inner content of the HEART.  And they CANNOT please God, no matter what they do.  They CANNOT work, pay, bribe, or talk their way into ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  It is ONLY possible by coming through the SHED BLOOD of Jesus Christ, and RECEIVING the SPIRIT of CHRIST. 

 

The one who has come to JESUS with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, and has sought FORGIVENESS, will NOT LIVE in the FLESH, but in the SPIRIT of GOD, who is INDWELLING them.  And they have been adopted into God’s Family, and their spirit will be made ALIVE for ALL of ETERNITY, even though the body will die.  But the BODY will be RESURRECTED and CHANGED into a BRAND NEW, PERFECT, and GLORIFIED BODY, one that will be EVERLASTING.  However, the one, who does NOT have the SPIRIT of CHRIST living in them, does NOT belong to the FAMILY of GOD, and will SUFFER throughout ETERNITY, with ALL the HORRORS of HELL.  Do You POSSESS the Spirit of Christ?

 

If you have NOT TRULY given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you do NOT POSSESS the Spirit of Christ, and will spend ALL of ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  So, in order to ESCAPE HELL, and to RECEIVE the SPIRIT of CHRIST, you MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and LIVE by the SPIRIT because the SPIRIT of CHRIST is LIVING in you.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"The Unrepentant Heart"

“The Unrepentant Heart”

 

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the Day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed.        Romans 2:5

 

One of the characteristics of an UNREPENTANT HEART is STUBBORNNESS.  It is one of Satan’s main tools to prevent a person from coming to God for FORGIVENESS, and the SALVATION of their soul.  STUBBORNNESS is an inherent characteristic, and for some, it poses to become a REAL, FULL-BLOWN problem.  When it comes to a person’s UNREPENTANT HEART, it is a VERY CRUCIAL PROBLEM, which will determine their ETERNITY.  It is also a SURE-FIRE way of Satan keeping you away FROM God and sending you to an ETERNITY in Hell.

 

When a person comes to God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, seeking the FORGIVENESS of their sins, they will RECEIVE that FORGIVENESS, and ALL their sins are FORGIVEN, PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE.  Jesus Christ DIED and was RISEN from the GRAVE, ONCE FOR ALL.  So ALL sins are COVERED by His BLOOD, and are FORGIVEN and FORGOTTEN, as far as the EAST is from the WEST.  (Psalm 103:12)

 

But for the UNREPENTANT HEARTS, which STUBBORNLY REJECTS God’s gift of SALVATION, and an ETERNITY in Heaven with ALL its BLESSINGS, they are STORING up GOD’S WRATH against themselves.  This WRATH will be poured out on them at the Day of Judgment, when God’s RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT will be revealed.  And those who are in this situation, will SUFFER ALL through ETERNITY, in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  Is this where you are?

 

You can change your DESTINY NOW, by WILLINGLY TURNING AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURNING TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, and ESCAPE HIS WRATH!  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"PRAY!"

“PRAY!”

 

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.  Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”       Matthew 6:6

 

Jesus is giving His disciples a crucial lesson in PRAYING, in this chapter of the Book of Matthew.  PRAYER is a LIFELINE to the Heavenly Father, for the TRUE BELIEVER.  It is also the means of obtaining SALVATION.  The Scripture in 1 John 1:9 says: “If we CONFESS our sins, He is FAITHFUL and JUST to FORGIVE us our sins and to CLEANSE us from ALL unrighteousness.”  This act is carried out through PRAYER, and brings us the gift of SALVATION.  This PRAYER is the FIRST and ONLY PRAYER that will CAPTURE the HEART of the LIVING GOD.  It is IMPERATIVE that you have done EXACTLY what 1 John 1:9 has said, if you expect your PRAYERS to be HEARD by the ALMIGHTY GOD. 

 

We live in DIFFICULT TIMES, and I hate to say it, but I BELIEVE that it will only get worse.  For the TRUE BELIEVER in the LORD JESUS CHRIST, we have our LIFELINE to the Father, and can TALK DIRECTLY to HIM anytime.  Jesus tells us in our Scripture, today, that we NEED to have a “SPECIAL TIME” to talk with our Heavenly Father, we NEED to GO into our room, CLOSE the door, and PRAY to Him, who is UNSEEN.  God, who SEES and KNOWS EVERYTHING, will HEAR our PRAYER, and will REWARD us ACCORDINGLY.  We cannot afford to NOT have that INTIMATE TIME ALONE with Him.  We must MAKE it an EFFORT and MAKE TIME FOR HIM.  It MUST BE the MOST IMPORTANT thing you do EVERYDAY.  COMMUNICATE with Him, THROUGH your PRAYERS, and BE ASSURED that He HEARS and WILL ANSWER, according to HIS WILL.  He DESIRES to have an INTIMATE, CLOSE RELATIONSHIP with His CHILDREN.  Are you His Child? 

 

If you have NOT GIVEN your HEART and LIFE to Him, you are NOT His CHILD, you are His CREATION, but NOT His CHILD, because you have NOT been ADOPTED into His Family.  And He will NOT HEAR any of your prayers, UNTIL, you PRAY to HIM for the SALVATION of YOUR SOUL.  In Psalm 66:19, the Psalmist tells us:  “If I had ignored my sins, the Lord would NOT have listened to me.”  So you MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before GOD.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and GO to Him DAILY and PRAY, LIFTING UP to HIM, WORDS of ADORATION, PRAISE, and REQUESTS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Receiving Mercy and Finding Grace"

“Receiving Mercy and Finding Grace”

 

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.       Hebrews 4:16

 

Living a Christian life is NOT easy, especially in this day and age.  We LIVE in the world, but we are NOT to partake of the things of the world, things that are contrary to the WILL and WAYS of the ALMIGHTY GOD.  Being a Christian, a TRUE BELIEVER in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must conduct ourselves in a manner that would exemplify our relationship with Him.  This can be difficult to do, but NOT IMPOSSIBLE, as long as we DEPEND on the HOLY SPIRIT of God to GUIDE us.  However, there may be times when we are WEAK and in NEED of MERCY and GRACE to help us STAY the COURSE.

 

Our Scripture, today, tells us to COME to the Throne of Grace, with CONFIDENCE.  When Jesus, died and rose from the grave, He paid the price for the REDEMPTION of ALL of MANKIND.  His SACRIFICIAL BLOOD was brought before the Throne of Grace and poured out on the ALTAR as the ULTIMATE, ONCE FOR ALL, SACRIFICE, which cleared the way for MANKIND to RECEIVE GOD’S MERCY, which is NOT receiving what WE DESERVE, but instead we FIND HIS GRACE, which is RECEIVING the BLESSING of SALVATION that we do NOT DESERVE. 

 

God is MERCIFUL, and is therefore, offering His MERCY to those who have NOT RECEIVED it, and are destined for an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  He is GRACIOUS, and when you RECEIVE His MERCY, you WILL FIND His GRACE, the BLESSING of SALVATION, which you DO NOT DESERVE on your OWN MERITS. 

 

If you have RECEIVED HIS MERCY, and FOUND HIS GRACE, then you can come to His Throne of GRACE, with CONFIDENCE that He will provide you with help in the time of your need.  But in order for you to do this.   You MUST FIRST come to His Throne of GRACE, WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that JESUS died for YOU, and that He IS ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and RECEIVE His MERCY and FIND His GRACE, the BLESSING of your ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Inheritance"

“The Inheritance”

 

In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.  In Him you also, when you heard the Word of Truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.     Ephesians 1:11, 13-14

 

I have never received a TRUE inheritance.  But I have one NOW, which I will receive in FULL, when I reach my Heavenly Home.  Because of the REDEMPTIVE work of Jesus Christ, I have OBTAINED an INHERITANCE.  I not only HAVE an INHERITANCE, but I have been MADE an INHERITANCE for the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

Before creation, God predestined that ALL, both Jews and Gentiles, who BELIEVE and ACCEPT Jesus Christ as their SAVIOR and Lord, will RECEIVE this INHERITANCE, which is the FULL and COMPLETED SALVATION.  It is ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its RICHES and BLESSINGS. 

 

The TRUE BELIEVER, being the INHERITANCE for Christ Jesus, is that they BELONG to Him, they are His BODY, BRIDE and His TEMPLE.  They are His REWARD, His INHERITANCE.  When one HEARS the Word of Truth, and BELIEVES in CHRIST JESUS, then the PROMISED Holy Spirit indwells the TRUE BELIEVER, GUARANTEEING their INHERITANCE until they ACQUIRE POSSESSION of it.  Do you have this INHERITANCE awaiting YOU?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then I’m afraid you do NOT POSSESS this INHERITANCE.  Instead, you are destined to spend ALL of ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  Your ONLY HOPE for this INHERITANCE of an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, is for you to be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and RECEIVE your INHERITANCE of ETERNAL LIFE with CHRIST in HEAVEN.  So do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Results of Forgiveness"

“The Results of Forgiveness”

 

“I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”        Acts 26:17-18

 

These Scriptures are a part of the Apostle Paul’s recounting his calling to the ministry of Christ, by the Lord Jesus Christ, who commissioned Paul to carry the GOOD NEWS to the Jewish people and primarily to the Gentiles.  These are the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ to Paul.

 

Jesus was sending Paul to both the Jews and the Gentiles, but his commission was primarily to the Gentile nations, because the biggest part of the Jewish people would not accept his message, but the Gentiles, for the most part, did accept it.  The Lord gave us a real CLEAR picture of the RESULTS of FORGIVENESS.  Let us look at the very FIRST thing He mentions:  To OPEN their EYES, you see an UNFORGIVEN, UNBELIEVER is SPIRITUALLY BLIND, which means they cannot SEE or UNDERSTAND the TRUE NATURE of GOD nor His Word.  They are SPIRITUALLY living in a SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS.  So Paul must OPEN their eyes to the TRUE NATURE of God, and His LOVE for them.  This is IMPERATIVE for him, to be able to bring them from the DARKNESS of their SINFULNESS and into the LIGHT of God’s LOVE, which is exemplified by the REDEMPTIVE ACT of His SON, Jesus Christ.  This MUST BE DONE, before they can receive FORGIVENESS. 

 

When this is accomplished, then they can be RELEASED from the POWER of SATAN to GOD, and then they will receive FORGIVENESS of their sins.  The ULTIMATE RESULT of FORGIVENESS is; an INHERITANCE that is ETERNAL, and they will take their place among those who are SANCTIFIED or SET APART, by their FAITH in JESUS CHRIST.  So the RESULTS of FORGIVENESS are:  Receiving their SPIRITUAL SIGHT, BEING brought from the DARKNESS of their SINFUL LIFESTYLE to the LIGHT of GOD’S LOVE, and to BE SET FREE from the POWER of Satan to God.  Then to RECEIVE the INHERITANCE of an ETERNITY in Heaven, with ALL of its BLESSINGS.   Are you SPIRITUALLY BLIND, living in DARKNESS, under the POWER of SATAN, who will lead you STRAIGHT to HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY of ESCAPE? 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, then that is EXACTLY where you are HEADED.  However, God is giving you the opportunity NOW, to be brought out of your SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS, and into SPIRITUAL SIGHT.  He wants to bring you out of the DARKNESS of your SINFULNESS and into the LIGHT of His LOVE, and to BE SET FREE from the POWER of Satan.  He wants you to have that SPIRITUAL INHERITANCE of an ETERNITY in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS.  To do that you MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your SINS to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and experience the RESULTS of His FORGIVENESS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

"The Lord's Charge"

“The Lord’s Charge”

 

Hear the Word of the Lord, you children of Israel, for the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land:  “There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land.  By swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all restraint, with bloodshed upon bloodshed.     Hosea 4:1

 

Even though this message was given for the nation of Israel, it sure is a STRONG CASE for the Lord God, against many other nations today.  We live our lives in peril and uncertainty.  Our future holds a lot of UNCERTAIN outlooks, we make plans, but we don’t know if we will be able to carry out those plans.  Proverbs 16:9 tells us:  “A man’s heart plans his way.  But the Lord directs his steps.”  Even nations will attempt to make plans, but the Psalmist tells us in Psalm 33:10: “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing:  He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.”  So we SHOULD LIVE according to the WILL of the ALMIGHTY GOD, who is in TOTAL CONTROL of EVERYTHING.

 

As it was for the Children of Israel, the nation was NOT LIVING according to God’s covenant.  And MUCH AS it is TODAY, the NATION was living in SIN.  There was NO TRUTH, MERCY, or KNOWLEDGE of GOD.  Instead the inhabitants were LYING, KILLING, STEALING, and COMMITTING ADULTRY.  They were devoid of FAITHFULNESS, LOVE and MERCY.  This was/is NOT PLEASING to God, and because of their SINFUL DEEDS, the Lord brought a CHARGE AGAINST the inhabitants of the land, and JUDGMENT was carried out in the matter of a SEVERE DROUGHT, which swept across the land, and people and animals perished.  Then came RESTORATION because of the people’s REPENTANT HEARTS.

 

What is it going to take for the NATIONS of today, whose inhabitants are living sinful lives, to TURN AWAY FROM THAT SIN, and to TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART?  Just as God had a CASE against Israel, He truly has a CASE AGAINST the NATIONS of today.  What will be the JUDGMENT for these nations and their inhabitants?  Are you contributing to the SINFUL CONDITION of your nation?  PROBABLY SO, if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, you are headed for His JUDGMENT, and an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  However, God is giving you the opportunity NOW to TURN AWAY FROM, your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO Him, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and spend ALL of ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!