Nail Scarred Hands

Should have been my footsteps
Trailing to Calvary
Should have been me instead of you
But you went any way
Now it seems as if my own hands
Were two of the hands that killed this man
Now every time I think of doing wrong
I think of His nail scarred hands

Now here was a man that knew no sin
There I was sin to the core
He didn’t care where I had been
He loved me anyway
Then he stretched out his sweet hands
Then he died for all the sins of the world
Now every time I think of doing wrong
I think of His nail scarred hands

Nail scarred hands
Nail scarred hands
Every time I feel like I just can’t win
I think of his nail scarred hands
Nail scarred hands
Every time I feel like I can’t go on
I think of his nail scarred hands
Now every time I feel like giving up
I think of His nail scarred hands

Should have been me suffering
Wondering where all my friends had gone
Hanging there all alone, Hanging all day long
Even your Father had to look away
Cause you were carrying all the sins of the world
Now every time I think of doing wrong
I think of his nail scarred hands

Nail scarred hands
Nail scarred hands
Every time I feel like I just can’t win
I think of his nail scarred hands
Nail scarred hands
Every time I feel like I can’t go on
I think of his nail scarred hands
Now every time I feel like giving up
I think of His nail scarred hands

Click on the you tube video in the right column to listen to “Nail Scarred Hands” by Debra Henderson

Contending For The Faith

If you ever want a powerful defense for the Christian Faith Jude is an excellent book to refer to. Defending the Faith is not something new. Jude teaches the importance of not compromising the Word of God! The Word of God is priceless! You cannot manipulate God nor His Word no matter who you are! There are a lot of worldly influences that from the very beginning have tried to twist the Bible and its teachings! Many have been deceived, this is still the case today! Many worldly ways, concepts and methods have been embraced and embedded into the organized church system that are not of God. This is why it is important to know God and know His Word; of Him you can be certain and sure!!!

Jude tells us to “Contend for the Faith!” What does this mean? Contend means to strive against difficulties, to be persistent and assert yourself. Faith means believe without seeing. “FAITH is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By Faith we understand that the universe was formed at GOD’S command so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible…” Hebrews 11 The Bible gives us the real facts! It is was not comprised of misconstrued circumstantial evidence. Many today attempt to use the Word to control others, justify their behavior and lifestyles but are really only promoting sin!

God is powerful as a matter of fact He is OMNIPOTENT meaning He is ALL POWER! He is SUPERIOR and SUPREME! Think about it with all the millions of organized church assemblies opened in the name of God, what is going on in this world should not be! It certainly is not because of GOD! It is because there are so many wolves in sheep clothing. “They are godless men who change the grace of God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord” Saints are supposed to be believers! Not followers of the world. But, followers of Jesus Christ! Too many want to be leaders that are served, rather than Servants of God! All too often you now find that many in the church instead follow the latest trends and adopt the ways of the world. Take some time and think about it? Who are you really following?

We must TRUST GOD! When you know that there is a lot of false teaching going on what do you do? When you know that you have helped those that no one else would help, and they turn on you, what do you do? When you know that you have been mistreated and maligned and falsely accused what do you do? PRAISE GOD!!! Know that you are in good company because this is what happened to Jesus! When you know that manipulation and deception is present you still must remain faithful to God and His Word! God is more powerful than what any man can EVER do to you! You must draw closer to God and TRUST HIM! Seek Him above all else! God will give you a strong sound mind! He CAN KEEP you from falling! “Do not be conformed to this world. But TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind!” Your true security and significance can only be found in the LORD! “If GOD is for us who can be against us!”

The Word is often used to justify lifestyles and wrong behavior that are not sanctioned by God! Minimizing sin and embracing tolerance. Often justified under the guise of unconditional love! God never intended for Christianity to become a legalistic doctrinal concept of rules and regulations. The House of God is supposed to be the Pillar of TRUTH! It is written! Christ died so we could have an abundant spiritual life! As a matter of fact it was the religious leaders that conspired to discredit JESUS and secretly sought to destroy Him. How ironic they called Him evil. Does this sound familiar? The Bible is the inspired Word of God! “It is a lamp unto our feet and a Light unto our path…”

The gift of Eternal Life is one of the most precious gifts one can ever receive! Along with that gift comes the promise of His Holy Spirit. The Comforter and ultimate internal Teacher! Jude extends to us Mercy, Peace and Love in abundance! When Jesus ascended to heaven He promised that the Holy Spirit would come. Jesus prepared His disciples for His departure. He told them “Nevertheless I tell you the TRUTH. It is to your advantage that I go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart , I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they do not believe in Me, of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, BUT you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of TRUTH, has come, He will guide you into All truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come…” JOHN 16

Jude known as the brother of Jesus Christ tells us that we have a duty to fight for God’s TRUTH! Not in a physical carnal way! Our weapons are not carnal! We must stay adorned with the spiritual armor! “PRAY also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the GOSPEL, for which I am an ambassador in chains. PRAY that I may delcare it fearlessly, as I should” See Ephesians 6 Without doubt we are in the last days and the Word of God is being fulfilled! We need not be afraid but prayerful! It is important to persevere knowing that God is with you! Jude says:“But dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times, there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. These are the men who divide you. Who follow mere natural instincts and DO NOT have the SPIRIT. But you, dear friends build yourself up in your most HOLY FAITH and pray in the HOLY SPIRIT. Keep yourselves up in God’s LOVE as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh…

One only must watch the news, read the newspaper or search online to see that time is near! “Anything goes!” There is not only a Economic Recession but a “SPIRITUAL RECESSION” as well! Many of our churches are allowing carnal worldly teachings… Bible study on many occasions have turned to group think and mind conditioning! Respect for God and His Word all too often laid aside; carnality takes the forefront because somebody says; “I’m human” The time of increased Apostasy is definitely here! Meaning the abandoning of Faith! LORD HELP US! Anyone can be subject to error. This is why we all need His Holy Spirit to convict the heart of sin and point us to righteousness. What is righteousness? It is right living in the eyes of God! Sin is anything that separates us from God! Jude says: Remember Sodom and Gomorrah? This is why Jesus left us His Holy Spirit!

“To GOD be the GLORY!” Having an encounter with God regularly will bring you closer to Him! It will open your “spiritual eyes” This is also why we must contend for the Faith and stand firm! If you have grown slack in your commitment to God; He can speak renewal and strength to your heart! We must humbly and diligently pursue TRUTH! God can bring a plan and a purpose into your life like no other! “To HIM who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great JOY to the only GOD and SAVIOR be GLORY, MAJESTY, POWER and AUTHORITY, through JESUS CHRIST our LORD, before all ages, now and forevermore! AMEN!!!”

Overcoming Sin

“It is by Grace we are saved not of works lest any man should boast.” Salvation is a gift of God. God has predestined us to be conformed to the image of His son. Once we become saved it is a continual growing process?

The process of salvation was designed by God to redeem us from the curse of sin and death. Due to the original sin of Adam and Eve we have inherited a sin based nature. We have inherited a natural proclivity towards sin. When we begin to grow in the knowledge and grace of our Lord and Savior we can begin learning how to overcome our weaknesses. Not in our own strength but only by His power. Psalms 84:11 says “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

Jesus overcame sin in the flesh as an example. To demonstrate and model to us that when we are obedient to God we can overcome flesh weaknesses. We must make a conscious effort to live lives that are pleasing in the sight of God. The Old Testament is full of examples when God’s children lived Holy lives. We are to live Holy. Holy does not mean we are sinless. It means we consciously choose to be governed by what God says. We are set apart for His use. There should be a definite difference in the way you live. It should reflect change eventually. Your life should reflect some evidence that you have surrendered. God does not ask us to do anything that we are not able to do. God has said, “Be ye Holy because I am Holy”.

When we choose to sin there are consequences. Salvation does not exempt us from the consequences of sin. The law of sowing and reaping is true. You do reap what you sow. Begin to sow seeds of righteousness before your sin harvest overtakes you. The world embraces sin. It continues to lure the believer to think that walking the broad road is safe. God does love us unconditionally but He allows us to be impacted by sin. The world is currently experiencing the consequences of sin. Jesus who was without sin died in shame on the cross for us. He bore the weight of our sins. He died; He gave His life to atone for the consequences of our sin.

We have been justified. This means we have been declared righteousness. We have been sanctified. Pardoned from the guilt and penalty of sin. This still does not give us an excuse to sin. God’s grace shields us from the total impact of our sins. Roman 5 says; “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into His grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of GOD and not only that, but we glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces patience and patience, character and character hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Why do we continue to encourage sin to prevail? When we condone sin we are doing just that. Scripture tells us ” If we confess our sins He is faithful to forgive us of our sins and His blood will cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. We must begin to move to a higher level of functioning. Our works do not save us. But our works are supposed to display our faith. If we allow sin to recycle and reign in our lives we water down the effectiveness of salvation. We must implement self- control over our sin weakness. Jesus was strong yet compassionate. Breaking unhealthy cycles can be painful. The old cliché’ no pain no gain is warranted.

God’s grace is the equalizer. It reminds us that he has given us salvation in lieu of who we are! No one deserves or can earn salvation. Each of us must develop a personal relationship with the Lord. This is where your personal strength comes from. If we hide God’s Word in our heart it helps us not to sin against Him. The scriptures are designed to shine the light on our sin so we can be convicted. When truly convicted we can feel remorseful. This is the process that leads to true repentance. “Grace and peace is multiplied by the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” According to II Peter 1:2

Quite often people don’t know the difference between persecution and conviction. Persecution is to harass in a manner to injure, grieve, or afflict. Convict means to find or prove guilty! The two are often confused. When you allow someone to feel convicted they may often see you as negative. Why? Because they will often associate you with the guilt they are feeling. They quite often feel you are persecuting them. It is very important to know your motives. You must learn to be a guardian to your heart. When you know your motives and you are aware God knows your motives you will have inner peace. Take time to study the prophets. You will be able to clearly see that they were considered as very negative. You see God’s grace is crucial for the Christian. It will sustain you when you are misunderstood.

Life is full of many valley and mountain top experiences. The casual acceptance of sin has allowed many to be deceived. Dysfunction has been sanctioned and embraced. Weakness nourished and comforted. Dysfunction has become an unhealthy comfort zone for many. God does not want any of His children to be a slave to sin. When you are a slave to something or someone it or they control you! Abandoning unhealthy cycles can be painful. But it actually leads to freedom! We begin to embrace freedom when we learn to take responsibility for our actions. Abandon the tendency to blame someone else. This will also begin to free you from the difficult merry-go-round of dysfunction. Did you know it is much easier to blame someone else for your unhappiness? If you take an honest examination you may possibly be able to determine the origin of your unhappiness. Quite often it was there long before you met your current accuser. Begin to take control by taking responsibility. Find healthy ways to meet your physical emotional and spiritual needs. Hebrews 4:16 tell us to”Come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”

Paul had a thorn in his flesh but God told him his grace was sufficient! We today still don’t know what that thorn was! Perhaps it was the very thing that brought Paul in such close fellowship to the Lord? God allows people, situations, and things in our life for a reason. Discipline is not usually something we naturally welcome. Why? We would really rather avoid pain! Many times we would actually rather discipline someone else. But for the child of God discipline is absolutely necessary! A little acronym I learned long ago; Grace is actually Gods, Riches, At, Christ, Expense!

Christ did not need to suffer to learn obedience. He suffered for us! He humbled Himself for us! He fulfilled all of the requirements of righteousness for us! Roman 6:1 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? We as children of God must strive to continuously discipline ourselves to His principles! Ask your self have you died to sin? Or should I say or you dying daily to sin? Is sin reigning in your life? Have you ventured onto the broad road? Or are you sitting on the fence? Begin to lay aside any sin that hinders your walk with the Lord! Commence living and standing on the Word of God! Jesus sacrificed his life for us. The blood sacrifices of animals would not do. God said if you truly love Him you will keep His commandments. In Roman 12 we are told to; “Present your body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of GOD.”

What Is Repentance ?

Repentance is when one is truly sorry for a wrong action. Sincere repentance causes one to change their sinful direction. Genuine regret will facilitate a move towards Godly direction. It does not mean to say you are sorry then commence to repeat or express the same previous behavior. One must not confuse repentance with guilt. Oftentimes when one’s sinful behavior is exposed or they become self-conscious of wrongful behavior they will experience conflict. To alleviate their discomfort they may say “I’m sorry”. Saying sorry releases the immediate pressure. Don’t let sorry become a sorry meaningless word. True repentance impacts one to the point that the desire to modify their actions overrides the once prescribed behavior.

When one has compulsive behaviors their ability to relinquish such behavior may not immediately manifest. But admitting to oneself that their behavior needs modification is a favorable inception. The process to extinguish compulsive behaviors can sometimes be lengthy. However, the benefits yield self-control. Self- examination is a prerequisite on the road to recovery. Remember nothing is impossible with God.

When we become aware of behaviors that don’t produce the fruits of the spirit we should be thankful. Remember God is a spirit of truth. His truth will constantly allow us to see the folly of our ways. When we read and digest the scriptures it will promote spiritual growth. Spiritual growth will enlighten your perspective.

The old nature within us is enmeshed with a faulty response system. We must repattern our responses by fostering an internal environment which invites the infilling presence of the Holy Spirit. The new nature can arrest the old nature. Remember the power of God is stronger than anything! God’s power is unlimited. We never become the power but as His children we have access to it.

We are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ. A disciple is a learner. Disciples must exercise discipline. Remember a fool speaks his whole mind. We should be slow to speak, quick to hear and slow to anger. God has given us His written WORD and His internal COMFORTER to lead guide and direct each of His children. Whenever we find ourselves in err we should welcome a repentant spirit. Our desire should not let pride nor man’s opinion prohibit humility. John the Baptist constantly preached repentance! Repent! For the kingdom of God is at hand. We have been thoroughly conditioned to respond in fashions that actually hinder our spiritual development. We can be consumed by what others think or how it appears rather than what God knows.

Never sacrifice inner peace for exterior acceptance. Don’t allow others to control you by remote. When they try to provoke you to anger don’t get pulled in. When they hurl insults don’t engage in verbal combat. Let self-control intercede. Wait and respond when and if you feel it’s necessary. Just let them feel the impact of their own tongue. There are many things that won’t be understood on this side of heaven. Just remember God knows your heart. The spiritual armor must become a habitual attire.

Our purpose is to please and Worship God. Worship does not only exist between 11:00 a.m.– 1:00 p.m. on Sunday morning. The true worshippers must worship Him in spirit and in truth. We should live a life of worship. We do this by acknowledging His authority in our life and being obedient to His WORD. We should encourage others to embrace the scriptures and accept Jesus as their personal Savior. Let’s be about our Father’s business. Repent! Repent! The Kingdom of God is at hand!

The truly repentant soul has an innate inclination to please God after one experiences salvation. Priorities yield to inner peace and contentment. To compromise and join the way of the majority looses its intimidation. Jude encourages us to pluck others from the fire. Satan is such a deceiver. His deception allows tradition, superstitions and old wise fables to parade themselves as the WORD of God. When you study and show yourself approved to GOD it will allow you to discern and properly navigate through the deception. Don’t be fooled like the Pharisees; be schooled by the scriptures and lead by the Holy Spirit. Repent the kingdom of God is at hand!!!

Spending Time With God

Spending time with God is one of the most important things you can do. If you read the Scriptures you will find that even Jesus often took time alone to spend with the FATHER! Spending time with God will help you how to respond properly or not to respond at all to others. Spending time with Him yields patience and understanding. The wonderful thing about God is that He has provided so many ways to continually enhance our personal relationship with Him. He has given us His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us to all truth! He has given us His Holy Word to teach us and equip us to do whatever He has planned for our lives. He has even provided spiritual armor to protect us from evil. To even tell us when we are right or wrong! His Word also gives us directions as to what not to do! His Word teaches us how and when to stand in the midst of spiritual warfare! The scripture tell us “trust in the Lord will all thine heart and lean not to your own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths.” He has given us His precious Son Jesus, who will be your personal Savior once you truly invite Him into your heart. It is in Him you will always find victory!

The book of Galatians clearly tells us; “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” Christ lived a sinless life! Christ became flesh! He conquered sin in the flesh so He could be our example! He died for us! He did not die for us to continue to make excuses for our shortcomings. When we accept Him as Lord and Savior we are able to rely on Him to “save us from the power of sin in our life”. A truly dedicated life to God will result in an increased ability to exercise self-control! Spending time with God will help you to discern between good and evil. To be as “wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove!” God is aware of everything. He is omniscient! It does not matter how things appear or seem. Neither does it matter when everyone else pretends everything is okay when something is terribly wrong! God knows how things really are! In the midst of a declining world you can still enjoy a wholesome clean life. Spending time with God will also teach and direct you how to be a good steward of the things and people He entrusts to your care! His Word also tells us “He will supply all of your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus! God is a Spirit of TRUTH!

Paul also warns us of false teachings. Spending time with God will help you recognize those who pervert the Gospel of Christ! He even goes so far to tell us that they use it for a license of licentiousness. Which merely means to excuse their loose behavior? He tells us to not receive the message regardless of the person or position. I encourage you to study God’s Word. Listen closely when some one says they have a message from God. Allow the Holy Spirit to sift its contents and validate its Truth. Just ask yourself how often did Jesus talk about how many horses or chariots someone had? How many suits of clothing did Joseph, Priscilla and Aquilla or anyone else for that matter possess? How much money it took to feed the multitudes? I don’t think that Jesus told the woman at the well that He “loved her and all of her faults”. He told her “TO GO AND SIN NO MORE!” Furthermore are you spiritually enriched by the message? Have you been provoked to good works or spiritual growth? Or do you just continue to feel content in disobedience?

Jesus said “If you abide in My Word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and truth shall make you free.” Jesus also tells us in His Word; “whoever commits sin is a slave to sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free you shall be free indeed.” The point that I am trying to make is Christ died to make us free! Spending time with God will give you freedom! We must commence embracing a Christ centered life! Christ took back the power the enemy stole! God’s Word really is “a lamp unto our feet and a light unto out path.” Paul goes further to say “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let Him be accursed.” There is much spiritual warfare about us! This is really not a game! We are living in the perilous times that the bible talks about! Please do not settle for a life that pleases man. Commence to really put God first in your life! Man’s approval is not necessary to accomplish God’s will in your life. He will and can make your path straight! God is the source of everything you possibly need to accomplish whatever He has for you to do.

Spending time with God will yield much peace. It will also consecrate your heart and your conscious! God will teach you how to guard your heart! You see God is a Spirit of Truth! I am thankful for His presence in my life! The devil is the father of lies! Deception and trickery are not a part of God’s fruit. Many are greatly deceived. I encourage you to spend some time reading Exodus. It is fear-provoking to know how much time they spent consecrating themselves for worship. They had reverence and deep respect for God. Worshipping God was sacred! Today it is not necessary for many. Many see worship as a time for them to “stand up for their gifts.” In times past God’s presence was earnestly welcomed. God is all knowing! God is truly Holy! God said that the true worshippers “worship Him in Spirit and in TRUTH!” I thank Him that I can freely lift my hands to thank and praise Him for the freedom He has given me.

Spending time with God will teach you how to properly navigate through this world of sin! Spending time with Jesus allows you to be calm in the midst of spiritual warfare. Jesus quite often did not respond to His accusers! You see many times just enough detail was omitted to prohibit the real truth from coming out. They sought to discredit His sincerity. More often than not a one sided story was and is embraced as truth! God is Light in Him is no darkness. “Perfect Love casts out all fear!” Just know it is more important what God knows rather than what others think! We must stand for the TRUTH! Jude tells us to contend for the faith! We must measure what is being taught against the Word of God. There are many false teachers who are misleading those who really need to hear the Gospel! He tells us “ these are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts, and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you beloved remember the words which were spoken before the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how they told you that their would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons who cause division, not having the Spirit.” Jude ends telling us “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding JOY!”

It is very easy to become attached to a spiritual leader. When one has helped you it is natural to feel loyalty. Especially when you have confided in them. Paul warns us against having such pride in our favorite leaders that causes divisions in the church. The Corinthian Church for an example was a very carnal church. It continually indulged in the immorality that was practiced culturally. The culture of that day embraced a temple of prostitution. The Corinthians needed specific instructions because of their immoral standards. Paul tells us “the body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” It was because of their carnality that Paul continuously warned them! It is spiritually dangerous to create an environment that embraces sin and labels it unconditional love. That really worships God in flesh and half truths!

Paul encourages us to imitate Christ because He himself spent time with God and walked closely with Him. I would like to encourage you to commit to spend at least 10 minutes of time alone with God each day! Just you and God with no distractions! Learn how to “ Be still and Know”. Start your personal devotion with prayer & Thanksgiving to give you the proper focus. Then just quietly discipline yourself to listen. To be still. Watch how someone or something tries to distract you. Please do not give up. (You see the enemy is so clever at distracting you.) Remember the idea is to exercise discipline. Increase your time gradually with God. This will also enhance your personal Bible Study time. I assure you any burden you might have will begin to lift. You see God really is a burden bearer. Honoring God by spending time with Him will give you direction. You cannot change anything that has happened but you can begin to really “walk in the light.” End your time Thanking Him for all He has done. Remember when you pray you must obey. To Love God is to obey Him! God’s Word is true!

We too must stand on the Word of God even when we are called anything but a child of God! Spending time with God and obeying His commandments will free you from sinful strongholds! I am thankful that God has provided us with many gifted men and women of God who are committed to spreading the true Gospel! They take seriously their responsibility to present Biblical Truth. A true spiritual leader is a representative of Christ. and has nothing to offer that God has not already given him or her! Loyalty should not cause strife, or slander. The truth can disable slander! God really is a Spirit of Truth! Our deepest loyalties should be to Christ and not to human agents! Those who spend more time debating the importance of church leadership than declaring Christ’s message don’t have Christ as their first priority. God’s Word clearly tells us “that we should not go beyond what is written. Spending time with God will cause you to attach yourself to God, rather than a spiritual leader. Commence to spend time with God “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding in all thy ways acknowledge HIM and HE shall direct your path”. When you spend time with God you shall know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall make you free!

Pray

God knows your thoughts, motives, desires and intentions. He even knows why and what you are praying for before you make your request known! God’s omniscience is often overlooked. Omniscience means God has universal awareness, understanding and insight. There is nothing that is said, thought about or done, anywhere or any place that He is not aware of. Omnipotent means God virtually has infinite unlimited authority or influence. Omnipresence is another attribute that solely belongs to God. God is everywhere at all times. How do I access the Father? Jesus is the door. Jesus is the way to the Father! It is through prayer we communicate with Him. Once you truly commit your life to Jesus Christ you are adopted into the family of God. He is the one and only Almighty Sovereign God!

Did you know that prayer is the key to your relationship with the Lord? Prayer is simply communication with God. Prayer is a supplication or expression that should be expressed earnestly and sincerely. Prayer is often sometimes inaudible. God tells us in His Word that we should pray without ceasing. Prayer in this circumstance is essentially a state of mind. God even tells us to go into your closet and close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. “Then your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” He can open doors no man can close. God is so GOOD! Prayer time with God will give you a healthy and clear conscience. Prayer is not always asking God for something. We should readily thank God for all He has done when we pray. It is in HIM we move and live and have our being! God is truly worthy of our thanks and praise!

If you are a child of GOD you should relish your personal prayer time with your Father. God is aware of what we need as well as what we do not need. This is why it is so important that we are honest and sincere when we call upon His name. Remember prayer is not always asking God for something! It is not something we just do in the presence of others to get their attention. But when others are in attendance you should include them in prayer. Prayer is not just mere words we utter repetitively. Prayer is not a time to just let those who are present know how you feel. The effectiveness is not determined by the cadence, tone or volume of your voice. It is not just a time to just emotionally charge others. It really is the content and posture of your heart that concerns God. To humbly and sincerely usher oneself into the presence of the Lord one must relinquish self. Any unconfessed sin hinders your prayer encounter. With God you must be real! When you truly enter into the presence of the Lord it can change the unchangeable. Prayer can heal a broken heart, life, home or relationship. The things that are impossible with man are possible with God! “Oh give thanks unto the Lord for He is GOOD and His mercy endureth forever!” It is important when we pray, that we pray, God’s will be done in our lives.

The prophet Jeremiah kept in constant prayer with the Lord. Jeremiah was called to remind Israel of the consequences of disobedience. Jeremiah fervently reminded them of their immoral behavior. The religious establishment plotted to silence Jeremiah. Jeremiah was discouraged. to the point he began to wonder why he was not allowed to just die in his mother’s womb. In his despair Jeremiah cries out to the Lord. He tries to keep quiet since he is constantly mocked for proclaiming God’s Truth. The Word of the Lord is so vehement in his soul that he can not contain it. This is when he says “His Word is in my heart like fire. A fire shut up in my bones.” Jeremiah knew that they were waiting for him to slip. Jeremiah was maturing as a prophet. He knew that the Lord wanted him to continue. He even went so far to tell them if they put him to death that his innocent blood would be on their hands. When the Lord gives you an assignment it is very important that you keep in constant communication with Him. When pressured to conform it is important to be transformed by the renewing of your mind by the Word of God. God in His time will bring everything to the light. God will never lead you to do anything that goes against his principles. Jeremiah’s life demonstrates how important it is to remain faithful to God. Sometimes we must forego the support of others rather than disobey God. Prayer is the key to help you stay focused if you are ever faced with such a situation.

Did you know God can not be manipulated? There is a big difference between uniformity and unity! It is not necessary to manipulate situations or people to get your way. This is why it is important to pray and ask God if something is in His will for you. God allows many things. He did not create us to be robots. Proverbs tell us that there is a way that seems right to man? But the end will eventually lead to destruction. Did you know sometimes your way may be out of the will of God? You only hinder the ultimate plan that God has for your life. God wants us to be disciplined. Daily worship and prayer is crucial. This will strengthen your daily spiritual walk. It will also sharpen your ability to discern!

The Scriptures clearly tells us that the prayers of the righteous are powerful! Life is full of snares for the believer. Wide road travelers are plentiful. Fewer desire to travel the narrow way. When we lift Holy hands to Him we acknowledge and invite His presence! We serve an all knowing and wise God! Denial will keep you in the dark. Honesty really is the best policy! God’s angels encamp around those who have committed themselves to His will and His way. This is why His Word is so marvelous! God will direct you through His Word! He will even warn you. God is faithful! He is the ultimate Father He will provide a way out of no way. Personal as well as corporate “Prayer Time” are essential to the body of Christ. We must learn to relinquish our will and strive to choose God’s way.

Did you know that Jesus withstood great persecution and mistreatment? They even called Him a devil. The enemy is the father of lies. He always cloaks or distorts the truth! He always mixes Truth and error. That is when you know that something is not of God! But don’t be dismayed it will only last for a season. Oh! But remember “What a Friend we have in Jesus!” We are to carry everything to Him in prayer. Remember Jeremiah? Sometimes not responding at all is a good idea. Exercising your spiritual muscles will strengthen your walk. God never tempts us to do anything. As you take time daily for your personal worship you will begin to respond differently. Practice “praying without ceasing!” To be a disciple means you actually learn how to discipline yourself to respond in a way that pleases God. You embrace repentance in lieu of accepting denial.

You must begin to exercise self control! You cannot please God and man! God’s way is always the best way. God’s weapons are not carnal. God tells us to “pray for them that despitefully use you!” You see it is really not about how things appear to others. What is important is what God knows! He knows the posture of our hearts. Remember He knows the TRUTH! He also knows when something is not true! He knows everything!

The time we spend here on earth is relatively short in comparison to the time we spend in eternity with God! There is no need to be afraid. But you must be aware evil is about us. God can and will protect you from all evil. Remember the disciples sample prayer? God can and will deliver you from evil! You can genuinely smile or not respond improperly in the midst of trials and persecution. This does not mean that you are in a delusionary frame of mind. Quite the contrary. It just means your focus is on God rather than the situation. Your character will be strengthened and your Faith and Trust will be renewed. Remember with Jesus as the conductor life becomes a symphony! God will free you! Jesus really did die for us to live differently. This is why His Word tells us “Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead be filled with the SPIRIT! Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The majority of the work of God’s Church is “Beyond The Walls.” Yes, the work within the walls is important. Many work within the walls. Many live to please those within the walls rather than live to please God. I want to share something with you it is a lot easier to please God. God positions His children in different places. “The earth really is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof the world and them that dwell therein.” It is not necessary to jockey for a position when you know that God has a place in the body for you. We must continue to pray for those who are shackled by sin within and without the walls. Who really do not know that the gates of Hell will not prevail against God’s True Church. This scripture is not talking about the physical structure. There is not one iota of doubt in my mind that I am God’s child. If you really know Him you should feel the same way. It is an inexpressible comfort when you have a real personal encounter with the Lord. God is so great! Praise God for His Word.

Did you know that there is only one true Church? If He came to your home would He be welcomed? If He came to your job or your place of business would you acknowledge Him? Honestly ask yourself if Jesus came to your church service would He really be welcomed? Perhaps, only if He were to tithe? Perhaps if he dressed how you think he should? Are you sure of what kind of heart you have? Perhaps if he would conform to your order of service? Only if He sits where you think He should sit? Would you betray Him like Judas? Remember when he threw the money changers out? Jesus said that His Church should be a house of prayer! Did you know that Jesus can provide and will provide for everything you need without manipulating others to give out of guilt? I believe He did say that “HE WOULD SUPPLY ALL OF OUR NEEDS….” Not some but all!
God welcomes repentance! Repent means to change. To turn your mind, heart, body and soul in the direction God is leading. To abandon the prideful direction of having to do things your way and humbly move towards God. You must be willing to admit it when you are wrong. To embrace Truth pleases God! God really wants us to live victoriously. Remember He is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. God is there for you. God has a plan for the lives of each of His children. So there is really no need to be jealous. Your position in the body is the capacity in which you function. Who you are is God’s child. By the way “He is not a respecter of persons”. God really does know and see what we do. It is much better to just want the things that God wants you to have, to desire to live out HIS WILL in your life!

There is much peace when you really know you are walking in the path of RIGHTEOUSNESS! How will you know when God is leading you? This is why it is so important to pray and obey! This will help you not get sidetracked by what others say or do! Know that God has power over darkness. Again it is during your prayer time you can be refueled and prepared for the fiery darts. God let’s nothing come our way that He is not aware of. It is our responsibility to respond in a manner that pleases Him! This will give you a clear conscious. Remember God’s weapons are not carnal. If you don’t stand for God you will fall for anything! When you are adorned with God’s full spiritual armor the shield of faith with extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one! Just exercise patience and pray. God is the author and finisher of our faith. He has given each of His children a measure of faith. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.

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Tags: communication, consecration, intimacy, Jesus Christ, meditation, pray, Prayer, Prayer and Faith, Somebody Somewhere, thoughts

The Narrow Road

December 28, 2009 by admin  
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The Narrow Road

It is through God’s plan of salvation we are given the gift of eternal life. Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior we embark upon a spiritual journey. His precious Holy Spirit comes to reside within us. The Holy Spirit is there to comfort, protect, lead and guide us. To help us understand what the Word really means. His Word is there to be a “lamp unto our feet and a Light unto our path.” In Galatians 5 you will find the Fruit of His Spirit and the works of the flesh. This will help you to know the difference between, when you are walking in the Spirit or walking carnally in the flesh. This is also another reason why it is so very important to know the scriptures for yourself. God will never lead you to do anything contrary to His Word. His Word tells us every now and then you will find a true believer. The scriptures actually say “Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.”

God loves us so much that He allowed His only begotten Son to leave heaven and take upon Himself a body of flesh. Jesus conquered sin in the flesh for us. So we might have the gift of Salvation! He was born, lived a sinless life was crucified dead and buried. Then he arose with all power! We never become the power, yet we are allowed access. Jesus truly demonstrated His love to us by actually showing us what it is to travel on that narrow road. If you study the life of Jesus Christ you will find that He encountered many things. He was persecuted, mistreated, lied upon and maligned. He was called evil. He was betrayed, misunderstood and abandoned by the very ones He came to help. The scriptures are not just some mere stories written to amuse us. They are there to show us the way. To help us grow spiritually mature and encourage us on that narrow road travel.

The Bible is supposed to be the final authority for the child of God. It is supposed to be our road map for life. As His children we are His Church. The Church is His Bride. One must remain watchful and prayerful. Life will allow many thorns and thistles in order to derail the child of God. That narrow road often appears to take the form of a roller coaster? For some taking a detour onto wide road traveling becomes an alternate route. Regardless as to what is going on about us we must strive to sincerely live each day keeping in mind that Jesus is going to return for His Church. This also helps you to be prepared for whatever obstacles are put in your path. One must learn to lay aside the things that attempt to distract or derail your path. So much of the world has been allowed to creep into the Church. For many it is hard to tell the difference. You must know the Word for yourself in order to not be deceived. Remember the Word tells us that the wheat and the tares are growing together. On many occasions evil is called good and good is perceived as evil. In many cases the world and its way has really become the final authority. Learn to trust God!

Lord help us! Don’t be dismayed! Absolutely nothing gets by God! God knows who are His. Rest assured. When you truly know His Word, you would know that nothing or no one can change that! God’s Word is TRUE! Jesus stood on the Truth. God knows what has happened, is happening and what will happen! We can rely on the Truth! People have an amazing ability to twist the truth in order to suit their purpose. To take things out of context in order to make things appear and seem a certain way. Some people will believe anything and anybody. You never have to force yourself or God’s Word upon anyone. Just be patient. Learn to “be still and know.” You do not have to stoop to their level. Just know in the long run it will only backfire. When anyone tries to oppress you, you never have to be afraid especially when you know that Psalms 27 is true! “The Lord is my Light and my salvation, who shall I fear….” Truth erases doubt and will give you a sure footing. It takes the Truth to bring things to the Light and dispel lies. God does not operate in the dark. There is nothing hidden or uncovered to Him! “Wait on the Lord.” Study the life of Jesus. You will find that He was there in the very beginning and will be there through eternity. Many consorted together to derail Him. False witnesses were even hired to justify their case against Him. Simply so things could appear a certain way and cast doubt upon His credibility? To undermine His good intentions, perhaps with man but certainly not with God! Just to prove their case against Him. Jesus never sinned. He remained focused and faithful. We too must learn to keep our focus on God. You can rest assured when you know God knows the intentions of your heart. He knows everything. Romans tell us “Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” You do not have to walk after the flesh. Yes, we have all “sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” But as you grow stronger spiritually we are to sin less. This is why we need a Savior. To help us stay on the right path. It is so important to know the Lord and His Word intimately. The Truth really can set you free! You can rely on the Truth! Not to just read it for the sake of reading. But to consistently study, embrace and digest its contents and seek your path forward. Get off that wide road traveling it leads to destruction. The Truth will untangle a multitude of opinions it will free you from a swamp of uncertainty. It is able to keep you on the right path. God really is able to keep you from falling!

The word scripture comes from the Greek word graphe, which means; what is written. The scriptures are truly the inspired Word of God. They were written to help us navigate through this maze of life. Many times Jesus said nothing. There were times He simply said “It is written.” God does not intend for us to be mislead. Narrow road traveling is possible. Difficult situations and suffering are a part of life. But so is His joy even in the midst of sorrows! He wants us to hide His word in our hearts. It is very important that you remain patient and be prayerful! Jesus wants us to be consistent and stable. Not to let how things appear sway you from what you know is right. In John 17 you will find another one of Jesus’ wonderfully recorded prayers; “I have given them your Word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the TRUTH, your Word is TRUTH.” When you place your trust in Jesus you become sanctified. He will protect and keep you. You can rejoice and praise Him knowingHe has a plan for you as well as each one of His children.

You can depend on God’s Word. It is here to help us through this maze of life. To nourish, feed, water, protect and cleanse us. It is there to keep us on the path that leads to Him! But there are some things that you need to know and expect, to help you live your life seeking His purpose. It really is not about how things look to others. Know who you are and who you belong to! Always be ready to give and answer for the hope that lies within! What is important is what God knows! Do you really know what it means when you say Jesus is your Savior? It means that you are now a child of God. I must tell you, you should know as well, you also become target practice for a lot of spiritual warfare. It is true the saying that “the moment we admit life is difficult it becomes easier.” II Timothy 3 tells us, “In fact everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But for you to continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know from who you have learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” For the child of God what makes it easier is knowing that the Lord is there 24/7. “He will never leave nor forsake you.” His Word is there to comfort you, help and sustain you, guide you and see you through it all. Whenever you become burdened you must learn to take responsibility and then shift your load to Him. God will never fail you! He promises to “supply all of our needs through Christ Jesus” You must read, know, continuously study, trust and allow His Holy Spirit to illuminate His Word for your path forward. The Word of God is our road map for narrow road travel. Life is a quest. Jesus is the only way to the Father.

Quite often when you find your self in a difficult situation if you are not prayerful your first response will be to respond carnally or in the flesh. To impulsively respond and seek to gratify self or to blame others rather than take your part of the responsibility. This is again when it is important to know; “That the Truth does set us free.” God always has a remedy. One just has to be open and willing to take heed to His way. Remember that narrow path I’ve been talking about? Always remember the Fruit of His Spirit is available. Remember God has a plan for your life. His promises are true! Nothing is too hard for God. Keep your focus! Mediate on the Lord’s Word. The WORD of God tells us to “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians gives us additional insightful words to ponder when going through, “Finally my brothers, whatever is TRUE, whatever is NOBLE, whatever is RIGHT, whatever is PURE, whatever is LOVELY, whatever is ADMIRABLE, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. Whatever you have earned or received or heard of Me, or seen of Me put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” God is awesome!

Tags: Jesus Christ, narrow road, salvation, truth

JESUS = Jesus Enjoys Saving Us

December 28, 2009 by admin  
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JESUS = Jesus Enjoys Saving Us

Did you know that John wrote the book of John so that you would believe that “Jesus is the Christ”? Did you know that the book of Luke starts out expounding on the joyful events that surrounded the birth of Jesus? Luke also tells us how Elizabeth’s unborn baby who was John the Baptist leaped in her womb. This took place at Elizabeth’s home when she was greeted by Mary while she was pregnant with Jesus. The Bible says; “ Elizabeth was immediately filled with the Holy Spirit.” Elizabeth told Mary. “Blessed are you among women and the child that you bear…..” many others shared in her joy. Did you know that Luke ends describing how when Jesus was ascending into Heaven “He lifted up His hands and blessed” His disciples? The Bible says that they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. In spite of what was going on about Jesus the presence of God’s joy was with Him.

God the Father openly expresses how He was well pleased with Jesus! When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, heaven opened and the Spirit of God descended upon Him in the form of a dove. Jesus’ birth, life, crucifixion, death and resurrection was all for us! This is why we can have fellowship with His Holy Spirit. Do you know that Jesus wants to be the joy of your strength? Jesus Enjoyed Saving us! Do you know what joy means? It means to have a sense of well-being and gladness. Jesus endured many unpleasant experiences. Between the time of Jesus’ earthly birth and His crucifixion many events took place. Jesus was raised in Nazareth. Nazareth was thought of as a place where nothing good could come out of. But, the Bible says “the child grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.” It says that Jesus was obedient to His earthly parents. He was also obedient to His Heavenly Father. In spite of all the things that were going on around Jesus the presence of the Lord’s joy surrounded Him. Our Joy in Jesus is not contingent on someone or what’s going on around us. When you truly know Him as your Savior and Lord you too can experience unspeakable joy!

Joy and Music are two wonderful gifts from God. We are able to express our inner feelings through them. Jesus did not die for us to live life unhappy, discontented and in bondage to sin. My Mother always told me “do not let people stop you from being who you are; because of who they are.” God really does have a better way for us to live. Jesus does not want you to have a yoyo existence. He wants you to have a consistent life. His joy will give you the melodic ability to soar like an eagle above suffering, covetousness, jealousy, false accusations and mistreatment. Did you know that eagles are committed to their mate for life? Have you ever noticed how they can sit contently on a rock? While seemingly idle they are being internally refreshed and strengthened. Did you know that Jesus is a solid Rock? Nehemiah tells us, Jesus wants to be the joy of your strength. He wants His true believers to live out their faith and daily life in the presence of God. Joy in Jesus will give you the ability to “Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Jesus yoke is easy and His burdens are light. He even tells us if you are even insulted because of His name, that you are blessed! That the Spirit of God will rest upon you! God is so awesome! He is truly worthy of our praise!

Do you know what happens when Jesus is really not the center of your Joy? Do you know what happens when you do not really worship Him in Spirit and in Truth? You cannot manipulate or orchestrate the Spirit of the Lord! Have you ever wondered why things turn out the way they do sometimes? Revelations 3 says; “What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.” He says, “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my Word and have not denied my name…” Did you know that when you are obedient to God He will take care of those who oppose you? You can not curse what God has blessed! Hallelujah! It is very important to know that absolutely nothing gets by God. It is a reality that in life you will always be faced with some type of trouble. Just know God will use it to strengthen your character, faith and trust in Him! By remaining focused you can still experience His Joy. “God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him!” You can have joy knowing the Lord in His time will reward you and reward everyone for what they do whether it is good or evil. Isaiah 61 even says that God will give you “The oil of joy for mourning. The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. That they may be called trees of righteousness ….. Everlasting Joy shall be theirs!” Do you really know who Jesus is? Do you really want to be made whole? Do you really want to experience His Joy? Begin seriously getting to know Jesus for yourself! Ask Him to give you today and every day, daily bread from heaven. Begin to put your trust and hope in God and not man.

Romans says, “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! John 3 tells us that, “there is no greater Joy than to know that His children are walking in truth!” Begin to really walk in Truth! The truth really does set you free! When Jesus returned to the Father He left His disciples with these words; “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete………” God really does have a better way for us to live. Here is a little something I discovered while praising the Lord. Did you know that JESUS name has an acronym meaning?

J= Jesus

E= enjoys

S= saving

US =Us!

Has JESUS enjoyed saving you? If He hasn’t know, He is just a prayer away. Do you want to experience His unspeakable joy? Do you know Jesus really is coming back? Sincerely ask Him into your heart today. Jesus wants to walk with you each and every day. Jesus is able to “keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy!” Praise God!

Tags: Jesus Christ, salvation

His Word In Your Life

December 28, 2009 by admin  
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His Word In Your Life

Making a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior is the most important thing that you can do in life. This is the first step in your ongoing process of spiritual growth and development. One must commence to study and embrace the Truth of God’s Word. This is a crucial path in order to foster an internal environment within oneself where the fruit of His Spirit can flourish. There is much security in Salvation. Salvation is not based on works. But it is important to know that whenever you decide to really live your life for the Lord you also become an open target for spiritual warfare. This will come not only from the world and or non believers but from those who say they believe as well. If you closely study the life of Jesus you will see that a majority of His struggles was with the established religious leaders as well as the local and civil authorities. They totally misconstrued His earnest intentions. They rejected Him because they felt that He was a threat to their positions and way of life. Little did they know that He came to enrich their lives. Jesus came that we might have “life and have it more abundantly.” Not just in a superficial material way. He wanted them as well as us to really know that “He was the way the Truth and the life”. That when you truly have Him you have everything you need or will need! If you are serious about enhancing your walk with the Lord I strongly recommend the Book of Romans. It thoroughly explains the major doctrines of the Christian faith and the benefits of having an intimate relationship with the Lord.

God will never direct you to do anything that goes against His principles. But how would you really know this if you do not study His Word? Someone else could have told you this; but it’s not the same. It is vital to know the Lord and His Word firsthand. When I say study I do not mean in a mechanical rote fashion. You can read and or expound upon the Word of God all the time and its contents will remain simply as mere lifeless words. You must be sincerely motivated by your desire to know Him! God’s Word is alive! It encompasses a plethora of spiritual nutrients that are absolutely necessary to sustain us. This opportunity is not only designated expressly for a select few. But it is necessary to posture yourself in a position where you are willing to relinquish whatever hinders your spiritual connection to Him. You must take the necessary time to invoke His presence. When you approach God’s Word you must approach it like no other. God knows right where you are. He knows every single one of your wants, needs and desires. His Holy Spirit is the necessary credible teacher. His Holy Spirit will open your understanding and illuminate your path as you journey together through His marvelous Word. In His written Word you will find the true essence of life! You can stand firmly on all the promises of the Lord.

Once you claim to be a believer you must really become rooted and grounded in His Word. If you are not, life will just tow you right along. You will also have a tendency to adapt and conform to the world and embrace its liberality as far as immorality or anything goes mentality. God tells us just the opposite. God is love. So if God is love how can you really love without him? To really know what love is you need to know how God defines love. Love goes far beyond “intoxicating affections”. God tells us to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.” It is by the Word of God your mind in renewed. You can become enlightened to what life is really all about. It is not just about your problems or what is going on with you. It is about our relationship to Him as Creator. The Lord is constant. Remember it is in His Word you will find life. There is nothing that is new under the sun. There is nothing that God is not aware of past, present or future. That in itself should give you all the motivation you need to live your life for Him. Life can and will present many challenges. But when you know that your life is in the hands of the Lord you can rise to the occasion. Knowing that we have been created in the Lord’s image to worship Him gives life meaning. Each day becomes a quest. Good, bad or indifferent each experience is an opportunity to grow and spiritually mature. It is easy to become sidetracked by whatever is going on about you. But you must always keep in mind that nothing happens in life that gets by God!

The Old Testament is rich and saturated with a wealth of rich History. There are numerous invaluable accounts of situations and scenarios that took place. It tells you of what happened; when they obeyed or disobeyed and the results. It even tells you how when they even walked uprightly spiritual warfare abounded. Yet God was there for them. They knew as we can know now that you can stand firmly on all the promises of God. This is why it is so important when anything is going on to know that “God always has everything under His control.” His Word says “He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” It did not say that evil would not try to disrupt, divide, discredit, or entrap you. It does say that you do not have to fear because you know that God will comfort you and see you through! As a matter of fact the Word says to “overcome evil with good.” You can have peace knowing that Truth is on your side. God is a Spirit of Truth! God is so awesome! God always has a remnant of His people that truly desire to live His way. When spiritual warfare is about you it is important to readily allow the Lord to take the reigns in your life. It is really better to not wait until you are presented with a challenge to put your trust in Him. God wants you to seek Him daily. “If you trust in Him with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding He will direct your path.” God knows any seen and unforeseen danger. The Lord does not want you tossed to and fro. He has a plan for your life. Always keep in mind that time belongs to God. In His time He will bring to pass whatever He has created us for and whatever He wants us to do. Always remember the victory is in the praise.

Life brings about many lessons. When things get off track God has a remedy. But most of the time pride prohibits one from admitting that something is wrong or they were wrong or something needs to be different. The Bible is full of wisdom. Solomon was one of the wisest men to ever live. When He built the temple after much prayer he earnestly and sincerely prayed to the Lord. David his father who was a man after God’s own heart wanted to build the Temple for the Lord. He was very intelligent and insightful. David even composed many of the Psalms. But since he was a man of war the Lord had him only just provide many of the provisions to build the Temple. He told David that it would be his son Solomon that would actually build the temple. Although David was undefeated in war and the affairs of the land he had much chaos at home. This is another example why it is so important to instill godly principles in your children. The greatest gift you can give them is to have reverence for the Lord. Solomon humbled himself before the Lord and asked the Lord to give him wisdom and a discerning heart. He had a stalwart desire to distinguish between right and wrong. God wants us too to be discerning. Discernment is a fruit of His Spirit. Spending time with God will truly enhance your spiritual discernment. The Bible tells us that there will never be another like Solomon. (read I Kings). God does not want us to be like any one else. But He does want us to continue to grow and walk in His ways.

Prayer is essential in order to communicate with God. Prayer can be uttered orally, or unspoken. God’s Word tells us to pray unceasingly. This form of prayer is a state of being that God has said is possible. While you are going about your accustomed duties you continue to commune with the Lord; yet you remain focused on what is at hand. Although difficult to achieve; to the degree you implement this principle it increasingly becomes feasible. No, this is not some incoherent state. In actuality you are learning to be mindful of your thoughts. You practice intentionally shifting your focus to Him. Whenever you are inspired to pray one should approach God with a respectful, gracious reverence. Although we can go boldly before His presence God is not to be commanded of anything. Prayer is also a time to commune and give thanks to Him. A repentant and contrite heart is of great significance in the eyes of the Lord. Prayer is a special time to earnestly pour out our heart and supplications for ourselves as well as others. A time to ask and seek His direction for your path forward. It is not so much in the tone or cadence which we speak; but the posture of our heart. God cannot be manipulated. It is always most beneficial to keep in mind that God is all wise and all knowing. He knows before we approach Him who we are, what are our requests and desires as well as our motives. We can now pray graciously and thankfully knowing because of Jesus and His love for us that we now have direct access to our Father. Therefore one should ask daily for His abiding infilling presence.

We must be willing to relinquish anything that hinders our communication with the Lord. God really does know what is best for us. He wants us to discipline ourselves by walking in the Light of His Word. This is why it is important to know His Word for your self. It is never too late to start and develop your very own personal study and prayer time. Remember you don’t even have to utter a word. God instilled within Solomon much wisdom. It was after over four hundred years the children of Israel came out of Egypt that Solomon actually begun to build the Temple. Please just take some time and read about the discipline, all the work and dedication that took place in building the Temple and its furnishings. The Lord kept and still does keep His promises. We have so much to learn from God’s Word about life and living. When Solomon dedicated the Temple there was so much sincerity in His prayer that the priests could not enter to minister. The glory of the Lord filled the temple in a cloud. They worshipped and praised the Lord saying; He is good; His love endures forever.” The love of God does last forever! God wants us to walk in His ways so much that He allowed His Son to come in a body of flesh. To live a sinless life and overcome sin in the flesh for us. To even be crucified on that shameful cross. But we must remember He rose with all power! We now have the privilege of having His Holy Spirit reside within us.

We need to organize our lives with the Lord at the center. In the midst of a standardless society having Jesus as Lord and Savior will give you joy and peace. By faith we know that God has promised to “never leave or forsake us”. When the Lord appeared to Solomon long ago he told him what we need to do when things are not going right. The world today in many ways has begun to entangle its principles and ways with the people of God. Look around and see the signs of time, all the phenomenon and various types of storms, earthquakes, pestilence, varied diseases, famines and………….. The Lord really is going to return someday. Solomon knew the benefits of discernment. The Lord told Solomon; “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.” Our sacrifice today is supposed to be our sincere praise! God is the same yesterday, today and forever more. God does not live in a temple made by hands. His Word tells us now our body is the temple where His Holy Spirit resides. God is awesome! When we come together in the Sanctuary that is dedicated to Him should it not be the most important reason to worship and give Him praise? No, it’s to take an offering or raise money.….. Do we not trust Him to supply all of our needs? Making the decision to accept Jesus as your personal Savior is one of the most important things that you can do. It is at this point you invite Him into your heart. Whatever comes your way in life He will be there for you! Begin to genuinely, diligently study, embrace and implement the Lord’s Word in your life. When you really learn to “Trust in the Lord and lean not to your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him.” He will surely direct your path! To God Be the Glory!

Tags: Jesus Christ, word

Good News !

December 28, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Holidays, Jesus Christ

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Good News! Good News! Did you know that before you were knitted together in your Mother’s womb that God knew who you were? Did you know that there is absolutely nothing that God does not know? When you know who you are in Christ you will experience much joy! When your faith and trust are in the Lord He will give you an inexpressible inner peace. The joy and peace God provides is not contingent on your circumstance. God does not want you to live your life as a yoyo experience. You cannot change anything that has already happened in your life. But you can start by reaching out to Him right now, anywhere and anytime! God is, can be, and wants to be your constant companion. Don’t wait until something unpleasant happens. Begin today to really get to know God. God wants you to walk with Him. He has left us His Comforter, His precious Holy Spirit to teach, lead, guide and direct us. Begin if you don’t already to take time each day to thank and praise God for who He is. He is worthy of our praise! We really do have a reason to be thankful!

When ever life presents a test or a trial, it is an excellent opportunity for you to strengthen your relationship with the Lord. To be still and know! God wants to be a part of all of your life. God is able to keep you from falling! I Peter says the trials that we experience in life are to test our faith? God wants to refine you. Your faith will be tested in the fire. Fire purifies gold. Gold is refined under fire. A prospector who discovers a rock that bears gold will send it to an assayer for evaluation. The fire will melt the impurities away and eventually yield pure gold. Our faith in God is far more precious than gold. I Peter even tells us that our faith will bring us honor on the day of Jesus Christ return. Trusting in God will bring Salvation to your soul. The power of Jesus’ Christ resurrection is Good News! It has been preached to us by the power of His heaven sent Holy Spirit. We can even look forward soberly and patiently to more of God’s kindness when Jesus returns.

Good News! Good News! Many people all over the world are still waiting for the Messiah to come. We as Christians know that He has already come. We know through faith that Jesus comes in and sets up residence in our hearts when you truly accept Him as your personal Savior. Matthew traces Jesus roots all the way back to Abraham. Abraham was the first to receive the promise. Matthew goes on to record the story of Jesus life on earth. He tells how His Mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. Many unexplainable things took place surrounding Jesus’ birth. There was a lot of spiritual warfare on the horizon. Before they were even able to come together as husband and wife Mary was found to be with child through the power of the Holy Spirit. God allowed an angel to appear to Joseph who assured Him that he was not to be afraid. He was told that she would give birth to a Son and to name Him Jesus and that this child Jesus would save the world from their sins. Imagine the faith and trust this took. Please take time to read this entire historical event again. Mary and Joseph were obedient to God. We now all benefit from their obedience.

As a child of God He wants us to obey Him as well. He does not want you to slip back and forth into your old ways. God has called us to Holiness. Jesus paved the way back to Him! Holiness is not wearing no makeup, dresses to your ankles, running all over the place and falling out, wearing white or……… Now do not go there. There is nothing wrong with wearing white. I happen to really like white. Yes, and certainly there is nothing wrong with shouting and praising God. We certainly have many reasons to praise Him! The point is spiritual purity goes much deeper than the surface. Yes, white is symbolic of purity. But remember the KKK wore white too. They also ran around and shouted. (A bit of humor is always good) They just wore white to cover up who they really were. God knows who His children really are. He knows everything. The story of Jesus birth is an excellent example that displays just that! God’s Word is so powerful!

Did you know that your body is the temple of God? It was designed as a place for His Holy Spirit to reside. It is as my granddaughter says; an earth suit. Jesus actually lived in His Mother Mary’s body. He came from heaven and humbled Himself to our existence and bore a body of flesh. He lived a sinless life. He conquered sin in the flesh for us! The scriptures tells us that His earthly body did not decay. Jesus restored to us what Adam and Eve relinquished because of their disobedience. God has created a marvelous wonderful thing when He created mankind. We are His workmanship. But we are responsible for what we do with our lives and our bodies. This is why we need a Savior. God wants us to walk in the light of His Word. His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. The Apostle John wrote to people who were already Christians. He wanted to remind them of how one’s faith affects a person’s life. God wants us to walk in the Light not in darkness. Notice how he says if we claim to be……. Well, there should be a difference in your life when you claim to walk with the Lord. Have you ever thought about some of the things you say and do? Have you ever heard the song “Walk in the Light? God knows when and if you are walking with Him!

Although John was thought to be somewhere between 80 and 90 when He wrote the epistles bearing His name, he was still vigorously urging the Church to walk in the light of God’s Word. To have true fellowship with Him. You can have banquets and shake hands all day long. But in order to have true fellowship with Him you must walk in the light! I enjoy taking a relaxing bubble bath each day. But, looking at a tub of bubbles will not clean you. God’s true Church is supposed to be a pillar of Truth. Guess what? When everything but the Truth is allowed to prevail God knows. Living for God is serious business. You must really get into God’s Word. So His Word can really get in you. Getting into His Word will cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Guess what your faith will also be strengthened. The Word of God can and will convict you of any wrongdoing. It will bring any impurities to the surface and allow you to truly repent. Let’s not get repeating confused with repentance. Remember that purifying process I talked about?

The Good News is God is the reason for not only the season. But for life! Jesus Christ is the only atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only our sins but the sins of the world. Jesus is the Light of the world. God has given us so much. “Our lives are a gift from Him. What we do with our lives is our gift to Him.” Are you happy with your life? Do you need to give more of your life to Him? Let’s make it personal. Are you really obedient to Him? True fellowship is having a relationship with God. God is the ultimate Father. He gave His only Begotten Son to redeem us! The Good News is there is power in the name Jesus. He has given us the precious gift of eternal life. God is not only there for you; He is everywhere! There is freedom in Christ. Please, remember as I said earlier that your trials come to purify you and make you strong. God is not a surface God. God is really and truly deep. He wants to take us to deeper depths and higher heights. Jesus paid a ransom to save us from the broad road that leads to destruction. This narrow road leads to heaven. The Good News is He paid for our lives and sins with the precious life and blood of His sinless life. It is because of this our trust can be in God who raised Christ from the dead! Now our faith, trust and hope can rest in Him alone.

The Word of God tells us that, “All honor belongs to God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: for it is His boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again, so that we are now members of God’s own family. The good News is we live in eternal hope because we know without a doubt that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. And God Himself has reserved for His children the priceless gift of eternal life. Hallelujah! It is kept in heaven for us, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. Now do you see how very important it is to know who Jesus is! How very important to know what God has done for us! God is powerful. He will and can make sure that whenever that time comes that we will safely get to heaven to receive and continue on in His precious gift of eternal life.

It is very important that you get to know God for who He is and not for just who people say He is. Get to know Him for yourself! Then you will not be tossed to and fro by every different kind of doctrine. Remember that inexpressible joy and peace I talked about? Always remember even when the going gets tuff down here for a while or season; God is always there. All you need to do is keep your focus on the Lord! After all He is the author and finisher of your faith. When you make it a goal in your life to please God you will not have to have a yoyo experience. God can keep you in perfect peace if your mind is stayed on Him! Delight yourself in God’s Word! He will not only give you the desires of your heart but, He will also give you a sound mind! You can be like that tree in Psalms that is planted by the rivers of water. This type of tree roots goes deep! Far beyond what the human eye can see. When your faith is in God He will see to it that any fruit is brought forth in His time. All the Glory belongs to Him. Remember God. is always just a prayer away. Remember that without faith it is impossible to please God.

Good News! Good News! This is the time of the year we set aside to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Joy to the world the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room and heaven and nature sing! We give gifts to our love ones, friends and neighbors. Let’s remember that every good and perfect Gift comes from God! Let’s remember each and everyday that God gave us the Greatest Gift of all! Let’s remember now and throughout the year to praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above thee heavenly hosts. Praise, Father Son and Holy Ghost!

We’ve Come To Bow Down And Worship HIM!

Tags: Christmas, faith, good news, gospel, holiday season, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, joy, news, peace, savior, Word of God

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