Have you ever been walking around you place and noticed a shrub or one of your trees where a branch that seems to have died. I have and the next thing I'll do is see why it has died. Without fail, I will see where the branch has been broken, and the life supply of sap has been cut from the branch. That part of the shrub isn't going to make it because it is no longer connected to the root which supplies life. I will then take and finish cutting it away from the shrub and throw it into the trash to be taken to the dump and burned.
Jesus tells us that if we don't stay connected to him, we will suffer the same fate as that branch. We will wither and be cast away to be burned.
John; 15:6
( If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.)
As a believer, we can do nothing without staying connected to Jesus. We will be as a wild shrub and not worth anything. Jesus tells us that he is the vine and we are the branches.
John; 15:5
(I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; For without Me you can do nothing.)
Jesus is the one who gives us life. We are doomed to eternal separation from God without Him.
If we want to be productive for the Kingdom of God, we must stay connected to Him. It is like trying to light a light bulb without electricity. It won't happen and neither can we be productive without our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
John; 15:4
(Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.)
We are the clay, He is the Potter. Without Him, we are just a clump of dirt ready to be swept away.
When we become born again, God begins a work in us to perfect us. He is molding us to make us more Christ like. When God begins a work of Salvation in someone, He finishes and perfects His work.
Philippians; 1:6
(being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.)
We need to stay connected to Jesus and allow God to do the work in our life. We will be productive only if we surrender our life to Him and do His will. By ourselves we can do nothing, but with the power of the Holy Spirit working through us, we can accomplish much. Let's not become a dried up branch, let's stay connected to the vine "Jesus Christ". If you aren't connected to Jesus, ask Him to graft you into the vine. Give your life to Him today and be born again into God's family.
Romans; 10:9-10
(that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.)
God Bless You!
Friday, February 16, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The Ten Commandments!
The more I read in the news and the more I hear what's going on in our world, the more I realize how we are not in control of this world and God is in control. Everyone seems to have the answer to our woes, but the real answer is that we a are a sinful people living in a sinful world. I don't see things getting any better as long as we keep pushing God aside and allowing evil to take His place. God has told us that things would deteriorate as we got closer to the second coming of Christ. I know that I have talked about this before, but if you open your eyes you will see how things are getting worse.
How can we call ourselves civilized while we stand by and watch the butcher of unborn babies, the molestation of children and adults, the murder of innocent people, the theft of the poor by those in a position of power. Just when we think things might get better, another story breaks. You have those who think that by creating another law we can fix the problems we have, but the only answer is turning back to our God.
God gave us the ten commandments for us to live by. We have those who don't want them anywhere in a public place and are working hard to accomplish their agenda. Why? I think the answer is that the commandments convict them of their sin and they don't like it. I took this from my NIV study Bible.
[THE TEN COMMANDMENTS]
(1)You shall have no other gods before me!
Jesus says;
"Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only"
(2)You shall not make yourself an Idol!
Jesus says;
"No servant can serve two masters"
(3)You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God!
Jesus says;
"Do not swear at all, either by Heaven, for it is God's throne; or by earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King."
(4)Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy!
Jesus says;
"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
(5)Honor your father and your mother!
Jesus says;
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me"
(6)You shall not murder!
Jesus says;
"Anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment"
(7)You shall not commit adultery!
Jesus says;
"Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
(8)You shall not steal!
Jesus says;
"If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well"
(9)You shall not give false testimony!
Jesus says;
"Men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken"
(10)You shall not covet!
Jesus says;
"Be on your guard against all kinds of greed"
All of these are directly from our God. Wouldn't it be a nice world to live in if we all obeyed the Ten Commandments? We need to pray for our leaders and our country because things are continuing to get worse. We as a nation are heading for disaster if we don't turn back to God and ask Him to forgive us. Prayer is our weapon we need to use it.
God Bless You!
How can we call ourselves civilized while we stand by and watch the butcher of unborn babies, the molestation of children and adults, the murder of innocent people, the theft of the poor by those in a position of power. Just when we think things might get better, another story breaks. You have those who think that by creating another law we can fix the problems we have, but the only answer is turning back to our God.
God gave us the ten commandments for us to live by. We have those who don't want them anywhere in a public place and are working hard to accomplish their agenda. Why? I think the answer is that the commandments convict them of their sin and they don't like it. I took this from my NIV study Bible.
[THE TEN COMMANDMENTS]
(1)You shall have no other gods before me!
Jesus says;
"Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only"
(2)You shall not make yourself an Idol!
Jesus says;
"No servant can serve two masters"
(3)You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God!
Jesus says;
"Do not swear at all, either by Heaven, for it is God's throne; or by earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King."
(4)Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy!
Jesus says;
"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
(5)Honor your father and your mother!
Jesus says;
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me"
(6)You shall not murder!
Jesus says;
"Anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment"
(7)You shall not commit adultery!
Jesus says;
"Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
(8)You shall not steal!
Jesus says;
"If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well"
(9)You shall not give false testimony!
Jesus says;
"Men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken"
(10)You shall not covet!
Jesus says;
"Be on your guard against all kinds of greed"
All of these are directly from our God. Wouldn't it be a nice world to live in if we all obeyed the Ten Commandments? We need to pray for our leaders and our country because things are continuing to get worse. We as a nation are heading for disaster if we don't turn back to God and ask Him to forgive us. Prayer is our weapon we need to use it.
God Bless You!
Sunday, February 11, 2007
One Way, And Only One Way To Heaven!
SOS! A cry for help. I think all of us know that this means someone is in need of help. Now if you were in a position to help them, wouldn't you help? Sure you would and so would I. That is exactly where we are at in our sinful life. We are doomed to eternal separation from God if no one is willing to help us. God seen our situation because of our sin and sent someone to help save us. That someone is God the Son, Jesus Christ. You may not know this but if you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you are going to die in your sins and be separated from God forever. Once you die, there is no second chance of getting saved.
Why would God send His only Son to earth to save us? He loved us and didn't want anyone to perish. He knew that we needed a Savior and sent His Son to save us.
1John; 4:14
(And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.)
God has given us a Savior, but many people won't accept the gift from God. They think that they can do their best to get into Heaven and God will let them in because they were good people. This couldn't be any further from the truth. There is only one way into Heaven and that is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. He shed His blood on the cross to wash you and I clean from sin. There are a lot of different cults out there that reject Jesus as God the Son and are drawing many people into their belief.
[OUR ONLY SAVIOR]
Jesus tells us that He is the only way to the Father, there is no other way no matter what others might say. When someone wants to know how they can be saved and enter Heaven, bring them to this passage.
John; 3:3
(Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.")
Now what is meant by being born again? We need to be born of the Spirit as well as flesh and blood. When you accept Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you and teach you the truth of God's Word. You are given new birth and are a new creation in Christ. You now have the Spirit of God dwelling in you to teach and comfort you as you mature as a new Christian.
Why would the God of the universe, the creator of everything that exist, including you and me and all that we see in nature, care about us? God created us and He loves us.
Why would God send His only Son to earth to save us? He loved us and didn't want anyone to perish. He knew that we needed a Savior and sent His Son to save us.
1John; 4:14
(And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.)
God has given us a Savior, but many people won't accept the gift from God. They think that they can do their best to get into Heaven and God will let them in because they were good people. This couldn't be any further from the truth. There is only one way into Heaven and that is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. He shed His blood on the cross to wash you and I clean from sin. There are a lot of different cults out there that reject Jesus as God the Son and are drawing many people into their belief.
[OUR ONLY SAVIOR]
Jesus tells us that He is the only way to the Father, there is no other way no matter what others might say. When someone wants to know how they can be saved and enter Heaven, bring them to this passage.
John; 3:3
(Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.")
Now what is meant by being born again? We need to be born of the Spirit as well as flesh and blood. When you accept Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you and teach you the truth of God's Word. You are given new birth and are a new creation in Christ. You now have the Spirit of God dwelling in you to teach and comfort you as you mature as a new Christian.
Why would the God of the universe, the creator of everything that exist, including you and me and all that we see in nature, care about us? God created us and He loves us.
John;3:16-17
(For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.)
We had no hope in life and we were going to spend eternity in Hell separated from God. We have all heard the saying "you can lead a horse to the water, but you can't make him drink". It is the same with telling others about Jesus our Savior. You can show them the way to everlasting life, but you can't make them accept the free gift from God. In fact Jesus says that most won't.
Matthew; 7:13-14
(Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.)
There are two gate or two ways to follow. Only one will lead to Heaven. The narrow gate is by faith in Jesus Christ for our salvation, and Him only. The wide gate is for those who are trying to enter by works and self righteousness. This wide gate leads to Hell and many are on that road.
[THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO HEAVEN, AND THAT IS JESUS]
No matter what the world is saying and trying to convince you of, Jesus tells us He is the only way.
John; 14:6
(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.)
John; 10:7-9
(Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.)
Acts; 4:12
(Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.)
All of us are sinners and in need of a Savior. Jesus tell us He is the only one who can save us. All we have to do is reach out to Him and accept His gift of life. It is so easy and yet people love sin rather than life eternal. No one can save you except our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Don't listen to those who say there are lots of ways to Heaven. Believe what God tell us in the Bible, and come to Him for salvation.
God Bless You!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Two Judgment Seats!
When ever we do something wrong, there is a price to be paid. It is no different as long as we live here on earth. We are all sinners and in need of a Savior. Jesus left Heaven and came to earth to be that Savior for mankind. He gave His life on the cross to save our life and all we have to do is confess Him as Lord of our life and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead. We are saved by faith in Jesus and not by our works. We could never do enough to warrant salvation.
When we die, and we will die unless we are raptured before then, we will face judgment.
Hebrews; 9:27
(And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,)
God tell us that we will die and then we will face judgment. The bible teaches that there is two Judgment seats and we all will be in front of one of them.
[JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST]
Believers will be at this judgment to receive rewards for what they have done, either good or bad. This is not a judgment for sin because that has been taken care of at the cross where Jesus paid the price for our sin. What we are talking about here is how we lived our life after being born again. Did we do worthwhile activities for the kingdom or not. Your salvation is "NOT" in jeopardy at this judgment.
2Corinthians; 5:10
(For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.)
Jesus is going to evaluate our lives for the purpose of handing out eternal rewards. This is the judgment that all believers will be at. Our works after being saved will determine our rewards and they will be tested by fire to see if they last.
1Corinthians; 3:11-15
(For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.)
Remember, you are not saved by works, but by faith in Jesus Christ.
[THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT]
This is where all of the unsaved will be judged. The books will be open and also the book of life. If your name "IS" in the book of life, you have eternal life in Heaven. If you have not put your faith in Jesus Christ, your name "WILL NOT" be in the book of life.
Revelation; 20:12
(And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.)
There is nothing in these books that will save you. If your name isn't written in the book of life, you will fall short of God's holy standard. You will fall short, because you have died in your sins.
Romans; 3:23
(for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,)
What can you expect if your name is not found written in the book of life?
Revelation; 20:15
(And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.)
I pray that you won't wait to make your decision to give your life to Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can save you. There is salvation in no one else. Ask Jesus to forgive you today and have your name written in the Book of Life.
God Bless You!
When we die, and we will die unless we are raptured before then, we will face judgment.
Hebrews; 9:27
(And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,)
God tell us that we will die and then we will face judgment. The bible teaches that there is two Judgment seats and we all will be in front of one of them.
[JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST]
Believers will be at this judgment to receive rewards for what they have done, either good or bad. This is not a judgment for sin because that has been taken care of at the cross where Jesus paid the price for our sin. What we are talking about here is how we lived our life after being born again. Did we do worthwhile activities for the kingdom or not. Your salvation is "NOT" in jeopardy at this judgment.
2Corinthians; 5:10
(For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.)
Jesus is going to evaluate our lives for the purpose of handing out eternal rewards. This is the judgment that all believers will be at. Our works after being saved will determine our rewards and they will be tested by fire to see if they last.
1Corinthians; 3:11-15
(For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.)
Remember, you are not saved by works, but by faith in Jesus Christ.
[THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT]
This is where all of the unsaved will be judged. The books will be open and also the book of life. If your name "IS" in the book of life, you have eternal life in Heaven. If you have not put your faith in Jesus Christ, your name "WILL NOT" be in the book of life.
Revelation; 20:12
(And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.)
There is nothing in these books that will save you. If your name isn't written in the book of life, you will fall short of God's holy standard. You will fall short, because you have died in your sins.
Romans; 3:23
(for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,)
What can you expect if your name is not found written in the book of life?
Revelation; 20:15
(And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.)
I pray that you won't wait to make your decision to give your life to Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can save you. There is salvation in no one else. Ask Jesus to forgive you today and have your name written in the Book of Life.
God Bless You!
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow What You Can Do Today!!
Some of us are ready for Jesus' return and some of are still trying to decide if we will accept the Gift of Life from God. I find it hard to understand why someone would wait to make that decision. I have had people tell me that they just weren't sure what they wanted to do and so they would think about it for a little while longer. We have no guarantee that we have another day on earth to make that decision. There will be people in Hell who wanted to think about it for a little longer.
How many times have you heard the old saying that my dad used to tell us, "don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today?" When we are young all we want to do is have fun, but as we get older we start to see that life is flying by at a fast pace and we need to get those things done while we have the time. It is no different with our salvation. Why would a person want to put it off until tomorrow? We may never see tomorrow. We don't know what tomorrow will bring, all we know is the present time, not the future.
[TODAY IS THE DAY FOR SALVATION]
2Corinthians; 6:1-2
(We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you."Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
God is talking to us now, don't take his patience with us as slack time. God knows the future and wants you to come to Him as a repentant sinner and ask for forgiveness.
Isaiah; 55:6
(Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while he is near.)
Hebrews; 3:7-8
(Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the day of rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness,)
The more you say "no" to something the easier it gets, and next time someone tries to tell you about Jesus, you will find it easier to say "no". Your heart will become callused the more you keep saying "no" to Jesus. Then one day you won't even listen to His call for repentance leading to salvation. Do not continue to reject the call to repentance, give your life to Jesus today.
Romans; 13:12
(The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.)
Don't keep saying "no" to Jesus, He loves you and doesn't want you to end up in Hell. There is no other way to receive salvation, salvation is in the Lord and Him only. The Scriptures tell us that there are two paths we can take. One path is our way which leads to death, the other path is God's way through Jesus Christ which leads to life eternal. There is no other way to be saved.
Acts; 4:12
(Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.")
If you are still waiting for the right time to accept Jesus as your Savior, now is the right time for you. Do it while you still have a chance. You might not ever get another chance, and you don't want to pass up your chance to repent and accept Jesus Christ as Lord of your life. Put your faith in Jesus!
Romans; 10:9-10
(that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.)
God Bless you!
How many times have you heard the old saying that my dad used to tell us, "don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today?" When we are young all we want to do is have fun, but as we get older we start to see that life is flying by at a fast pace and we need to get those things done while we have the time. It is no different with our salvation. Why would a person want to put it off until tomorrow? We may never see tomorrow. We don't know what tomorrow will bring, all we know is the present time, not the future.
[TODAY IS THE DAY FOR SALVATION]
2Corinthians; 6:1-2
(We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you."Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
God is talking to us now, don't take his patience with us as slack time. God knows the future and wants you to come to Him as a repentant sinner and ask for forgiveness.
Isaiah; 55:6
(Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while he is near.)
Hebrews; 3:7-8
(Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the day of rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness,)
The more you say "no" to something the easier it gets, and next time someone tries to tell you about Jesus, you will find it easier to say "no". Your heart will become callused the more you keep saying "no" to Jesus. Then one day you won't even listen to His call for repentance leading to salvation. Do not continue to reject the call to repentance, give your life to Jesus today.
Romans; 13:12
(The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.)
Don't keep saying "no" to Jesus, He loves you and doesn't want you to end up in Hell. There is no other way to receive salvation, salvation is in the Lord and Him only. The Scriptures tell us that there are two paths we can take. One path is our way which leads to death, the other path is God's way through Jesus Christ which leads to life eternal. There is no other way to be saved.
Acts; 4:12
(Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.")
If you are still waiting for the right time to accept Jesus as your Savior, now is the right time for you. Do it while you still have a chance. You might not ever get another chance, and you don't want to pass up your chance to repent and accept Jesus Christ as Lord of your life. Put your faith in Jesus!
Romans; 10:9-10
(that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.)
God Bless you!
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Is It True Or A Lie?
When someone tells you something that is hard to believe, do you just accept what they tell you or do you find out if it is the truth. I'm sure that you don't just accept what they say as truth without doing some research. It is no different with the Word of God. When someone tells you that something is in the Bible that doesn't sound true, do you accept it as fact or do you read and find what God says. God warns us that false teachers will come and we must be able to discern the Spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. How can you tell if it is the Spirit of God or the spirit of the Antichrist?
God's gives us the way in 1John, where He tells us that every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, it is from God. They acknowledge that Jesus is God incarnate in human flesh.
1John; 4:2
(By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God )
In the same manner you can tell the spirit of error because they deny that Jesus Christ is God the Son.
1John; 4:3
(and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.)
When you become born again you are given the Holy Spirit to teach you all truth. The Holy Spirit is your built-in check to show you the truth of God's Word and the lie of the false teachers.
John; 14:26
(But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.)
Now, when we study the Word of God, we are learning the truth from God, and when we are tested by false doctrine, the Holy Spirit will bring to your remembrance the truth of what Jesus taught. You may not be able to remember where you read it in the Scriptures, but you still should have red flags telling you that it is a false doctrine.
Spend time in the Word of God. It is the only way you will be able to know the truth from the lie. Satan is the father of lies and he is good at it. His demonic helpers are also good at deceiving people, so stay close to God and be in the Word.
God Bless you!
God's gives us the way in 1John, where He tells us that every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, it is from God. They acknowledge that Jesus is God incarnate in human flesh.
1John; 4:2
(By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God )
In the same manner you can tell the spirit of error because they deny that Jesus Christ is God the Son.
1John; 4:3
(and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.)
When you become born again you are given the Holy Spirit to teach you all truth. The Holy Spirit is your built-in check to show you the truth of God's Word and the lie of the false teachers.
John; 14:26
(But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.)
Now, when we study the Word of God, we are learning the truth from God, and when we are tested by false doctrine, the Holy Spirit will bring to your remembrance the truth of what Jesus taught. You may not be able to remember where you read it in the Scriptures, but you still should have red flags telling you that it is a false doctrine.
Spend time in the Word of God. It is the only way you will be able to know the truth from the lie. Satan is the father of lies and he is good at it. His demonic helpers are also good at deceiving people, so stay close to God and be in the Word.
God Bless you!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
We Are All Going Home One Day! Where Is Your New Home?
If you have ever been away from home for a long time then you know the excitement of returning home to see loved ones. I remember when I went into the Marine Corp. It was during the Viet Nam War and I knew that I would be in Viet Nam shortly after Boot Camp. I was not disappointed by the Marines. I went to Viet Nam about 15 months after I joined the Corp. I also remember when I was able to come back home how excited I was to see my family. They also were very glad to see me because I had been gone for 14 months.
It will be the same when we reach Heaven. First we will see our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then we will have eternity with our Heavenly Father and His family, never to be separated from them again. Have you ever thought about how large our family will be? We will see Abraham, David, Jacob, Noah, Adam, Eve, Paul, Peter,Ruth, and the list goes on.
Now we live on earth, then we will live in our new home in Heaven. All of us have lost a family member at sometime in our life and we were devastated. Grieved beyond compare with anything else that we experience here on earth. The loss is so hard to handle, but God helps us to get through the grieving process. I know that we are never really prepared for the death of a loved one, even if we know that it is close. Only with God's grace and mercy are we able to move on with our life knowing that one day we will see them again.
God tells us that when we are born again, we are born into His family. He has prepared a home in heaven for us so that when we leave our earthly home, we will be present with Him.
2Corinthians; 5:1
(For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.)
The house that God has for us will never be destroyed. It will be our eternal home in heaven. When we are born again, our family in Heaven is all of the saints who have gone before us and will come after us.
Ephesians 2:19
(Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.)
We all will receive a new body prepared for eternity. This new body will be made by God and will be perfectly equipped for eternity. No pain, no suffering, no crying, just eternal joy. God can and will create a body for us that is suited for eternal existence.
1Corinthians; 15:39
(All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another flesh of fish, and another of birds.)
1Corinthians; 15:42-45
(So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.)
Right now we are earthy, but when we die and go to heaven, we will be given a spiritual body equipped for Heaven. We who are born again into God's family have hope, but for those who have not accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, they have no hope. Their destiny is as sure for them as our destiny is for us who have Jesus. Our destiny is Heaven, their destiny is the Lake of Fire "HELL". If you are not sure where you are heading, pray now and ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins. Ask Him to be Lord of your Life.
Romans; 10:13
("For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.")
Jesus wants you to come to Him for forgiveness. That is why He came.
Luke; 5:32
(I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.")
That's you and me! We are all sinners and in need of a Savior, and our Savior is Jesus Christ.
God Bless You!
It will be the same when we reach Heaven. First we will see our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then we will have eternity with our Heavenly Father and His family, never to be separated from them again. Have you ever thought about how large our family will be? We will see Abraham, David, Jacob, Noah, Adam, Eve, Paul, Peter,Ruth, and the list goes on.
Now we live on earth, then we will live in our new home in Heaven. All of us have lost a family member at sometime in our life and we were devastated. Grieved beyond compare with anything else that we experience here on earth. The loss is so hard to handle, but God helps us to get through the grieving process. I know that we are never really prepared for the death of a loved one, even if we know that it is close. Only with God's grace and mercy are we able to move on with our life knowing that one day we will see them again.
God tells us that when we are born again, we are born into His family. He has prepared a home in heaven for us so that when we leave our earthly home, we will be present with Him.
2Corinthians; 5:1
(For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.)
The house that God has for us will never be destroyed. It will be our eternal home in heaven. When we are born again, our family in Heaven is all of the saints who have gone before us and will come after us.
Ephesians 2:19
(Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.)
We all will receive a new body prepared for eternity. This new body will be made by God and will be perfectly equipped for eternity. No pain, no suffering, no crying, just eternal joy. God can and will create a body for us that is suited for eternal existence.
1Corinthians; 15:39
(All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another flesh of fish, and another of birds.)
1Corinthians; 15:42-45
(So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.)
Right now we are earthy, but when we die and go to heaven, we will be given a spiritual body equipped for Heaven. We who are born again into God's family have hope, but for those who have not accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, they have no hope. Their destiny is as sure for them as our destiny is for us who have Jesus. Our destiny is Heaven, their destiny is the Lake of Fire "HELL". If you are not sure where you are heading, pray now and ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins. Ask Him to be Lord of your Life.
Romans; 10:13
("For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.")
Jesus wants you to come to Him for forgiveness. That is why He came.
Luke; 5:32
(I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.")
That's you and me! We are all sinners and in need of a Savior, and our Savior is Jesus Christ.
God Bless You!
Sunday, February 04, 2007
It's Not Too Late!
How close are you to your family? Would you let them get Hurt or even Killed if you could stop it from happening? I'm sure that most of us would stop them from harm if we could. But do you realize that if you are a born again Christian and you are not trying to talk to your family about God, you are letting them continue on a path toward eternal hell! Now, I know that you don't want your loved ones to end up in hell for eternity. If they are saved and you are not, they feel the same way about you and your eternal destiny. What about all your friends and the people you know? Have you ever asked them if they are saved or not?
If we as Christians are not willing to spread the Word of God, then we are not doing what Jesus said. Jesus told the disciples to go into all of the world and teach them about Him. We are commissioned to spread the good news about Jesus and eternal life in Him. We can not count on someone else to do this job for us.
Matthew; 28:19-20
(Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen)
When God tells us that He will be with us, He means always. Not just for a little while, but He is there to strengthen us when we are weak and burdened down with the troubles of life.
We can sit back and just know that our destiny is secure in Jesus, or we can go to others and tell them about Jesus and what He has done for them. They can live forever if they give their life to Him now. Once we die down here there is no second chance to ask for forgiveness. We will have lost our only chance to be saved. We will have died without Jesus and eternal life in Heaven. Don't let someone tell you that you can still be saved because the Scriptures say you will have died in your sins and the wages of sin is death.
Romans; 6 :23
(For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)
We deserve death, but God says that we can have eternal life. How do we get this eternal life? Only through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross in our place can we have eternal life. We will never be worthy and when we get to Heaven, if we haven't given our life to Jesus, we will be cast into the lake of fire. God will tell you that He never knew you. Your works without your faith in Jesus will mean nothing.
We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus. You cannot work your way into Heaven.
Ephesians; 2:8-9
(For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.)
Without the shedding of Jesus' blood on the cross, we would not have forgiveness of sins. We are brought near to God by Jesus' blood.
Ephesians; 2:13
(But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.)
We were separated from our God by our sins, but now we can have fellowship with Him because of the blood shed for our sins.
Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins today and ask Him to come into your life and save you. It's not to late for you, but don't wait until it is too late.
God Bless You!
If we as Christians are not willing to spread the Word of God, then we are not doing what Jesus said. Jesus told the disciples to go into all of the world and teach them about Him. We are commissioned to spread the good news about Jesus and eternal life in Him. We can not count on someone else to do this job for us.
Matthew; 28:19-20
(Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen)
When God tells us that He will be with us, He means always. Not just for a little while, but He is there to strengthen us when we are weak and burdened down with the troubles of life.
We can sit back and just know that our destiny is secure in Jesus, or we can go to others and tell them about Jesus and what He has done for them. They can live forever if they give their life to Him now. Once we die down here there is no second chance to ask for forgiveness. We will have lost our only chance to be saved. We will have died without Jesus and eternal life in Heaven. Don't let someone tell you that you can still be saved because the Scriptures say you will have died in your sins and the wages of sin is death.
Romans; 6 :23
(For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)
We deserve death, but God says that we can have eternal life. How do we get this eternal life? Only through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross in our place can we have eternal life. We will never be worthy and when we get to Heaven, if we haven't given our life to Jesus, we will be cast into the lake of fire. God will tell you that He never knew you. Your works without your faith in Jesus will mean nothing.
We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus. You cannot work your way into Heaven.
Ephesians; 2:8-9
(For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.)
Without the shedding of Jesus' blood on the cross, we would not have forgiveness of sins. We are brought near to God by Jesus' blood.
Ephesians; 2:13
(But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.)
We were separated from our God by our sins, but now we can have fellowship with Him because of the blood shed for our sins.
Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins today and ask Him to come into your life and save you. It's not to late for you, but don't wait until it is too late.
God Bless You!
Saturday, February 03, 2007
You Will Suffer Persecution!
Sometimes it seems like all we hear is that we need to get right with God before it is too late. Every time I’m reading in my Bible, that is the message that comes through clearly. You might say “Let’s hear something else”. But what is more important than your eternal destiny?
I could talk about feel good stuff and everyone would go away saying that everything is alright. But the truth of the matter is that if you are not saved, everything isn’t alright. I wish that all of us were saved and going to go to Heaven, but the Scriptures say that isn't the case. We are told that there are two roads we travel in our life. One of them will land us in Hell, and the other will lead us to eternal life in Heaven. The choice of which road you travel is up to you.
Matthew; 7:13-14
(Enter by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.)
Jesus tells us that in order to follow Him we must be prepared to suffer persecution.
Matthew; 15:20
(Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.)
2Timothy; 3:12
(Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.)
When you look around the world, you see this persecution going on in many countries. The world is not tolerant of the Word of God because it convicts people of sin by teaching the truth. Jesus wants us to be prepared, because they will hate us who teach the truth from the Word.
Hebrews; 4:12-13
(For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.)
Now if you don’t think that you will have to give account, then here is a little proof.
Matthew; 12:36-37
(But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.)
By what comes out of your mouth, the heart is revealed. Jesus told us that what goes into the mouth does not defile a man, but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles him.
James; 3:6
(And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and is set on fire by hell.)
Everyone of us says things we wish we hadn’t said, but once it is out of our mouth, there is no taking it back. We need to have our life under the control of the Holy Spirit who is in us if we have been born again. He is able to control our tongue even when we are not able too. When we do slip up and say something wrong, we are forgiven because our sins have been forgiven. Let’s choose to follow Jesus and endure what suffering comes along, knowing that we have a home in Heaven with Jesus when our time down here is complete.
God Bless You
I could talk about feel good stuff and everyone would go away saying that everything is alright. But the truth of the matter is that if you are not saved, everything isn’t alright. I wish that all of us were saved and going to go to Heaven, but the Scriptures say that isn't the case. We are told that there are two roads we travel in our life. One of them will land us in Hell, and the other will lead us to eternal life in Heaven. The choice of which road you travel is up to you.
Matthew; 7:13-14
(Enter by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.)
Jesus tells us that in order to follow Him we must be prepared to suffer persecution.
Matthew; 15:20
(Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.)
2Timothy; 3:12
(Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.)
When you look around the world, you see this persecution going on in many countries. The world is not tolerant of the Word of God because it convicts people of sin by teaching the truth. Jesus wants us to be prepared, because they will hate us who teach the truth from the Word.
Hebrews; 4:12-13
(For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.)
Now if you don’t think that you will have to give account, then here is a little proof.
Matthew; 12:36-37
(But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.)
By what comes out of your mouth, the heart is revealed. Jesus told us that what goes into the mouth does not defile a man, but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles him.
James; 3:6
(And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and is set on fire by hell.)
Everyone of us says things we wish we hadn’t said, but once it is out of our mouth, there is no taking it back. We need to have our life under the control of the Holy Spirit who is in us if we have been born again. He is able to control our tongue even when we are not able too. When we do slip up and say something wrong, we are forgiven because our sins have been forgiven. Let’s choose to follow Jesus and endure what suffering comes along, knowing that we have a home in Heaven with Jesus when our time down here is complete.
God Bless You
Thursday, February 01, 2007
WHAT IF?
It seems like there is always something going on that we have to deal with in life. What ever happened to the simple life when people cared about other people? I know that it must be a sign of the times that we live in, but it doesn't help when you feel like your raming your head against the wall. There was an issue where a child in grade school is telling other children that he is going to blow up their house. Now the boy is only 10 years old, but when do you start to deal with this kind of behavior?
The parent of one of these children took this to the principle, and she said "I know this child and his parents and this isn't seriously a problem. I haven't had this boy in my office for a long time." Is it me or is this principle taking this issue way too lightly? Maybe what we see in the daily news doesn't count when a child is putting out threats. Maybe if the authorities would have dealt with these kids early on, we wouldn't have had Columbine or any of the other school tragedies.
When our society decided to take away discipline from the parents and the school, we set ourselves up for big time problems. Not only have we changed the order of things, but we have gone against the plan that God instituted for raising our children. We are told in the Bible that we are to discipline our children if we love them.
Proverbs; 19:18
(Chasten your son while there is still hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction).
Early childhood teaching requires both parental discipline, including corporal punishment and balanced kindness and love.
Proverbs; 13:24
(He who spares his rod hates his child, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.)
Proverbs: 22:6
(Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.)
We need to understand that a child has to learn what is acceptable behavior. If they are not taught, they will decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong.
If the parents or the school had known what was on the mind of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, I’m sure that they would have taken appropriate action. But when we sit back and think that things will take care of themselves, this sort of occurrence may happen. I’m not blaming the parents or the school, but as parents we need to talk with our children and see what is going on in their minds.
Don't wait, get involved in your childs life and talk with them. They want to talk and they need someone to talk too. I'm sure as a parent you are trying to do the best you can, but the best thing we can do is spend time with our child. Take your child to church and read the Bible to them. Let them learn what God expects from them and that He loves them and cares for them. Pray for your child, ask fro Gods help and guidance in raising them.
God Bless You!
The parent of one of these children took this to the principle, and she said "I know this child and his parents and this isn't seriously a problem. I haven't had this boy in my office for a long time." Is it me or is this principle taking this issue way too lightly? Maybe what we see in the daily news doesn't count when a child is putting out threats. Maybe if the authorities would have dealt with these kids early on, we wouldn't have had Columbine or any of the other school tragedies.
When our society decided to take away discipline from the parents and the school, we set ourselves up for big time problems. Not only have we changed the order of things, but we have gone against the plan that God instituted for raising our children. We are told in the Bible that we are to discipline our children if we love them.
Proverbs; 19:18
(Chasten your son while there is still hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction).
Early childhood teaching requires both parental discipline, including corporal punishment and balanced kindness and love.
Proverbs; 13:24
(He who spares his rod hates his child, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.)
Proverbs: 22:6
(Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.)
We need to understand that a child has to learn what is acceptable behavior. If they are not taught, they will decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong.
If the parents or the school had known what was on the mind of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, I’m sure that they would have taken appropriate action. But when we sit back and think that things will take care of themselves, this sort of occurrence may happen. I’m not blaming the parents or the school, but as parents we need to talk with our children and see what is going on in their minds.
Don't wait, get involved in your childs life and talk with them. They want to talk and they need someone to talk too. I'm sure as a parent you are trying to do the best you can, but the best thing we can do is spend time with our child. Take your child to church and read the Bible to them. Let them learn what God expects from them and that He loves them and cares for them. Pray for your child, ask fro Gods help and guidance in raising them.
God Bless You!
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