Deuteronomy; 17:1
(You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God a bull or sheep which has any blemish or defect, for this an abomination to the LORD your God.)
When God was instructing the people about sacrificing animals, He specifically told them that the animal had to be perfect. He didn't want their left overs which they didn't want, but He wanted the best they had to offer. If they brought in some animal that wasn't perfect, they were not showing the respect that God deserves and requires. In effect, they were failing to acknowledge God as God the provider of all the best we have.
God desires the first fruits of all we have to give. In the Old Testament, when the people gave the first of the crops to the Lord, they were saying that they had faith that God would supply all their needs through the remaining year. It is the same with us today in our giving to the Lord. God wants our first fruits as an act of faith.
Proverbs; 3:9
(Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;)
God doesn't need our money, but He wants us to give in faith and with a loving heart. By giving in this manner, we are telling Him that we are very thankful for His provisions in our life. Also we are saying that we know He will supply our needs present and future.
When God the Father sent Jesus to earth to die in our place, He sent the perfect sacrifice of all time. God the Son came to die for our sins and He needed to be perfect. Anything less than perfect would not have satisfied the requirements of a Holy God. Jesus had to be perfect and He fulfilled that requirement in that He was fully man and fully God. He was sinless and no man on earth is sinless.
Romans; 3:23
(for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God)
We are told that Jesus was sinless.
1Peter; 2:22-24
("Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed.)
So God gave everything for us and we need to give our best to Him. It cost Jesus His life for us to have eternal life. Without His shedding His blood on the cross, we would not have forgiveness of sins. It was His blood that made atonement for our soul.
Leviticus; 17:11
(For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.')
God Bless You!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
No Sin Is Unknown!
Numbers; 32:23
(But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.)
When David sinned with Bathsheba, she became pregnant with his child. Now if the sin itself wasn't bad enough, David decided to try to cover it up. So David called Joab and told him to put Bathsheba's husband Uriah in the front lines at battle and then back away from him so that he would be killed. The sin of adultery was bad now he was going to commit murder by having Uriah killed in battle. As we know, the cover up didn't work because God saw everything and was displeased with David. David confessed his sin and was forgiven by God but there was still consequences for that sin. David and Bathsheba lost their son who was born to them.
How often we think we can cover up our sin thinking no one will know. We sometimes forget that God see everything we do good or evil.
Hebrews; 4:13
(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.)
In our own mind we may feel we have gotten away with a sin, but God say you haven't. That is a very sobering thought when you think about it. All of us have done things we didn't think anyone knew about but God says He knew.
The Bible talks about sin as being leaven in a lump of dough. Once the leaven is introduced, it will eventually permeate the whole lump. When we allow any form of sin to get foothold in our life, it will continue to spread into more sin. We all sin and have fallen short of the glory of God and are in need of forgiveness. God tells us if we confess our sin He will forgive us, but we need to turn away from sin in the future. All sin is evil in the eyes of God and there is a price that must be paid. Now for all who have come to faith in Jesus Christ, the price has been paid at the cross. But for those who have not come to Jesus for forgiveness, they will have to pay the price themselves.
Romans; 6:23
(For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)
You don't have to pay the price yourself because Jesus has already died in your place when He went to the cross. He died for all the sins ever committed, but you must come to Him to be forgiven for those sins. Come to Jesus today and get right with God. Once you die there is no second chance of forgiveness, you will then pay the price yourself. You will be eternally separated form God in the Lake of Fire.
God Bless You!
(But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.)
When David sinned with Bathsheba, she became pregnant with his child. Now if the sin itself wasn't bad enough, David decided to try to cover it up. So David called Joab and told him to put Bathsheba's husband Uriah in the front lines at battle and then back away from him so that he would be killed. The sin of adultery was bad now he was going to commit murder by having Uriah killed in battle. As we know, the cover up didn't work because God saw everything and was displeased with David. David confessed his sin and was forgiven by God but there was still consequences for that sin. David and Bathsheba lost their son who was born to them.
How often we think we can cover up our sin thinking no one will know. We sometimes forget that God see everything we do good or evil.
Hebrews; 4:13
(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.)
In our own mind we may feel we have gotten away with a sin, but God say you haven't. That is a very sobering thought when you think about it. All of us have done things we didn't think anyone knew about but God says He knew.
The Bible talks about sin as being leaven in a lump of dough. Once the leaven is introduced, it will eventually permeate the whole lump. When we allow any form of sin to get foothold in our life, it will continue to spread into more sin. We all sin and have fallen short of the glory of God and are in need of forgiveness. God tells us if we confess our sin He will forgive us, but we need to turn away from sin in the future. All sin is evil in the eyes of God and there is a price that must be paid. Now for all who have come to faith in Jesus Christ, the price has been paid at the cross. But for those who have not come to Jesus for forgiveness, they will have to pay the price themselves.
Romans; 6:23
(For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)
You don't have to pay the price yourself because Jesus has already died in your place when He went to the cross. He died for all the sins ever committed, but you must come to Him to be forgiven for those sins. Come to Jesus today and get right with God. Once you die there is no second chance of forgiveness, you will then pay the price yourself. You will be eternally separated form God in the Lake of Fire.
God Bless You!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The Resurrection of Life And Of Condemnation!
John; 5:28-29
(Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth-those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.)
The good in this verse refers to those who have put their faith in the Son of God. Their new nature has allowed them to produce good works for the kingdom. We are told in the Bible that apart from Jesus we can do nothing. When you have Jesus in your life and are empowered by the Holy Spirit, the works you do in the Spirit will bring glory to God.
The evil in this verse refers to those who have rejected the Son of God and are unsaved. They chose the love of this world over the love of God. Jesus had died on the cross for their sins and yet they refused this free gift of life. They will receive a resurrected body suitable for spending eternity in Hell. These will not be cast into the lake of fire and annihilated. Scripture tell us that the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever.
The time is coming when Jesus is going to separate those who have done good from those who have done evil.
Matthew; 13:41-42
(The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.)
Like the devil and his angels, they will exist forever in the lake of fire. So if you think that you'll be annihilated, you are wrong.
You don't have to be at the Great White Throne Judgement. This will be a judgement of all the resurrected unsaved since time began. All of those who have died with out Christ are awaiting this judgement. Jesus told those who were listening to Him that if they didn't believe He was who He claimed to be, they would die in their sins. Put your faith in Jesus today. He is the only way to salvation and eternity in Heaven.
God Bless You!
(Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth-those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.)
The good in this verse refers to those who have put their faith in the Son of God. Their new nature has allowed them to produce good works for the kingdom. We are told in the Bible that apart from Jesus we can do nothing. When you have Jesus in your life and are empowered by the Holy Spirit, the works you do in the Spirit will bring glory to God.
The evil in this verse refers to those who have rejected the Son of God and are unsaved. They chose the love of this world over the love of God. Jesus had died on the cross for their sins and yet they refused this free gift of life. They will receive a resurrected body suitable for spending eternity in Hell. These will not be cast into the lake of fire and annihilated. Scripture tell us that the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever.
The time is coming when Jesus is going to separate those who have done good from those who have done evil.
Matthew; 13:41-42
(The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.)
Like the devil and his angels, they will exist forever in the lake of fire. So if you think that you'll be annihilated, you are wrong.
You don't have to be at the Great White Throne Judgement. This will be a judgement of all the resurrected unsaved since time began. All of those who have died with out Christ are awaiting this judgement. Jesus told those who were listening to Him that if they didn't believe He was who He claimed to be, they would die in their sins. Put your faith in Jesus today. He is the only way to salvation and eternity in Heaven.
God Bless You!
Monday, January 19, 2009
That None Should Perish!
2Peter; 3:9
(The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.)
There are some people today who use this time of grace to justify in their mind that there will not be a second coming of Christ. They go around saying that everything continues just as it has and that nothing is going to happen. They could not be further from the truth. God doesn't want anyone to perish and end up in hell and is waiting for all sinners to repent. Of course we know that all will not repent but only those who are called by God. This doesn't mean that we don't have an opportunity to repent and be saved.
Everyone can be saved if they will just repent and turn from their sin. Jesus came to save all sinners but most people would rather enjoy this present life in sin. They don't want to consider the fact that they will one day stand in judgement for their sins. Jesus came to offer forgiveness for sin but you must accept it from Him. You would think that it would be an easy choice, but people love their sinful life more than eternal life with God.
The pleasures of this life are temporal but eternal life is for ever. One day God will destroy this present world with fire and all the ungodly with it. Then will come the Great White Throne Judgement where all the unsaved will be judged. All of us have to make a choice while we are alive here on earth. The choice is, will we turn to Jesus and accept His forgiveness of sins or continue in sin and end up in judgement?
C. S. Lewis once said that in the end there are two groups of people. One group of people says to God, "Thy will be done." These are those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ and will live forever with God in heaven. The second group of people are those to whom God says, "Thy will be done!" These are those who have rejected Jesus Christ and will spend eternity apart from Him. Which group will you be in?
God isn't going to force you to choose Him. He has given us His Son to die in our place for our sins and all we have to do is accept the free gift of forgiveness. The choice is yours to make, no one can make it for you. I choose Jesus and I pray you do too.
John; 3:16
(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.)
God Bless You!
(The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.)
There are some people today who use this time of grace to justify in their mind that there will not be a second coming of Christ. They go around saying that everything continues just as it has and that nothing is going to happen. They could not be further from the truth. God doesn't want anyone to perish and end up in hell and is waiting for all sinners to repent. Of course we know that all will not repent but only those who are called by God. This doesn't mean that we don't have an opportunity to repent and be saved.
Everyone can be saved if they will just repent and turn from their sin. Jesus came to save all sinners but most people would rather enjoy this present life in sin. They don't want to consider the fact that they will one day stand in judgement for their sins. Jesus came to offer forgiveness for sin but you must accept it from Him. You would think that it would be an easy choice, but people love their sinful life more than eternal life with God.
The pleasures of this life are temporal but eternal life is for ever. One day God will destroy this present world with fire and all the ungodly with it. Then will come the Great White Throne Judgement where all the unsaved will be judged. All of us have to make a choice while we are alive here on earth. The choice is, will we turn to Jesus and accept His forgiveness of sins or continue in sin and end up in judgement?
C. S. Lewis once said that in the end there are two groups of people. One group of people says to God, "Thy will be done." These are those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ and will live forever with God in heaven. The second group of people are those to whom God says, "Thy will be done!" These are those who have rejected Jesus Christ and will spend eternity apart from Him. Which group will you be in?
God isn't going to force you to choose Him. He has given us His Son to die in our place for our sins and all we have to do is accept the free gift of forgiveness. The choice is yours to make, no one can make it for you. I choose Jesus and I pray you do too.
John; 3:16
(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.)
God Bless You!
Friday, January 16, 2009
God Has A Purpose!
Romans; 9:11-12
(for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls, it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.")
We don't always understand why God does what He does. All through Scripture we ask "why"? Sometimes God will tell us why and sometimes He doesn't. What we do know is that God doesn't make mistakes. God had a sovereign plan for the children of Israel and His plan included the line of Jacob to bring forth the twelve patriarchs.
Jacob had twelve sons and these became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel. They are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher.
This is one reason for Jacob being chosen. God chooses who he will show mercy and compassion too. All of us who have believed on Him for salvation have had this mercy and compassion granted to us.
Romans; 9:15
(For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I have compassion.")
We can also look to Pharaoh to see God's sovereign plan. This is a quote from the Old Testament which proves that God does sovereignly choose who will serve His purpose and how.
Romans; 9:17
(For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.")
The one thing we don't want to do is have a condemning reply against God. Such as "Why did you do that?" We know that God knows all things and that He knows the past as well as the future.
God tells us that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours. God's grace and mercy are far beyond human comprehension.
Isaiah; 55:7-9
(Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are My ways your ways", say the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.)
As we see, we are going to have to wait until we reach heaven to find out answers to the tough questions. If I had to come up with a short answer to why God does what He does. My answer would be: because HE is GOD and He doesn't make mistakes.
God Bless You!
(for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls, it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.")
We don't always understand why God does what He does. All through Scripture we ask "why"? Sometimes God will tell us why and sometimes He doesn't. What we do know is that God doesn't make mistakes. God had a sovereign plan for the children of Israel and His plan included the line of Jacob to bring forth the twelve patriarchs.
Jacob had twelve sons and these became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel. They are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher.
This is one reason for Jacob being chosen. God chooses who he will show mercy and compassion too. All of us who have believed on Him for salvation have had this mercy and compassion granted to us.
Romans; 9:15
(For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I have compassion.")
We can also look to Pharaoh to see God's sovereign plan. This is a quote from the Old Testament which proves that God does sovereignly choose who will serve His purpose and how.
Romans; 9:17
(For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.")
The one thing we don't want to do is have a condemning reply against God. Such as "Why did you do that?" We know that God knows all things and that He knows the past as well as the future.
God tells us that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours. God's grace and mercy are far beyond human comprehension.
Isaiah; 55:7-9
(Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are My ways your ways", say the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.)
As we see, we are going to have to wait until we reach heaven to find out answers to the tough questions. If I had to come up with a short answer to why God does what He does. My answer would be: because HE is GOD and He doesn't make mistakes.
God Bless You!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
God Breathed!
1Thessalonians; 2:13
(For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard form us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.)
There are many people who try to explain away the truths of the Word of God by saying it is fallible. They will try to point out how the different writers of Scripture described the same events in different words. This is because God didn't dictate the Gospels to them but used their unique writing skills to present it to us in Scripture. If all four Gospels were written exactly identical, then there would have been no reason for more than one.
God doesn't make mistakes and His Word is infallible. All the writers of the Bible were inspired by God. The Holy Spirit worked through each writer using their individual styles to communicate His message to mankind
Peter; 1:20-21
(knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.)
So while some try to explain away the the truths of the Word, their excuse for willful unbelief doesn't hold any value.
Most people will not enter into the kingdom of God because of their unbelief. They love this present world more than they love belief in God. Through unbelief, they are destined to end up in Hell. Belief in God is a crucial element for Salvation. You must believe in Jesus in order to be saved. Even though God has revealed Himself through creation, men still refuse to believe in Him.
Romans; 1:19-20
(because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,)
God holds all men responsible for their refusal to believe in Him even though He has revealed Himself to them through what He has made in creation.
You can read the Bible and believe it because it truly is, The Word Of God. God doesn't make mistakes and God doesn't lie. Your eternal life depends on you believing God. He has given us a way to have eternal life and that way is through His Son Jesus Christ. Start studying the Bible and believe because it is the truth from God.
God Bless You!
(For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard form us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.)
There are many people who try to explain away the truths of the Word of God by saying it is fallible. They will try to point out how the different writers of Scripture described the same events in different words. This is because God didn't dictate the Gospels to them but used their unique writing skills to present it to us in Scripture. If all four Gospels were written exactly identical, then there would have been no reason for more than one.
God doesn't make mistakes and His Word is infallible. All the writers of the Bible were inspired by God. The Holy Spirit worked through each writer using their individual styles to communicate His message to mankind
Peter; 1:20-21
(knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.)
So while some try to explain away the the truths of the Word, their excuse for willful unbelief doesn't hold any value.
Most people will not enter into the kingdom of God because of their unbelief. They love this present world more than they love belief in God. Through unbelief, they are destined to end up in Hell. Belief in God is a crucial element for Salvation. You must believe in Jesus in order to be saved. Even though God has revealed Himself through creation, men still refuse to believe in Him.
Romans; 1:19-20
(because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,)
God holds all men responsible for their refusal to believe in Him even though He has revealed Himself to them through what He has made in creation.
You can read the Bible and believe it because it truly is, The Word Of God. God doesn't make mistakes and God doesn't lie. Your eternal life depends on you believing God. He has given us a way to have eternal life and that way is through His Son Jesus Christ. Start studying the Bible and believe because it is the truth from God.
God Bless You!
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Real Thing!
1Timothy; 1:15
(This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.)
This portion of Scripture states clearly that we can put our faith in Jesus for forgiveness of sins. It is by faith and a sure thing and worthy of our acceptance. Jesus Himself also has told us the same thing. Jesus would not have had to suffer and die in our place if there had been another way.
Satan who is the ultimate counterfeiter has brought into the world many different beliefs. He tells people that they don't have to put their faith in Jesus to inherit eternal life. Many people have believed the lie and gone to the grave in their sins. God tells us that we must have our sins forgiven to inherit the kingdom of God. We are also told that we cannot do it on our own. Jesus came and died in our place and payed the price for our sins. To obtain that forgiveness though, you must come to Him and repent and ask for it. He's not going to force anyone acceptance forgiveness from Him, but if they don't ask, there will be no forgiveness of sin.
Acts; 4:12
(Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.")
There are going to be a lot of people who will try to get to heaven their way only to end up in the lake of fire. All through the Bible we are told that there is only one way to heaven and Jesus is the only way. Don't be foolish as to think you can do it on your own because you can't. Eternal life is a gift from God and like any gift, you must receive it.
Ephesians; 2:8-9
(For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.)
God Bless You!
(This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.)
This portion of Scripture states clearly that we can put our faith in Jesus for forgiveness of sins. It is by faith and a sure thing and worthy of our acceptance. Jesus Himself also has told us the same thing. Jesus would not have had to suffer and die in our place if there had been another way.
Satan who is the ultimate counterfeiter has brought into the world many different beliefs. He tells people that they don't have to put their faith in Jesus to inherit eternal life. Many people have believed the lie and gone to the grave in their sins. God tells us that we must have our sins forgiven to inherit the kingdom of God. We are also told that we cannot do it on our own. Jesus came and died in our place and payed the price for our sins. To obtain that forgiveness though, you must come to Him and repent and ask for it. He's not going to force anyone acceptance forgiveness from Him, but if they don't ask, there will be no forgiveness of sin.
Acts; 4:12
(Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.")
There are going to be a lot of people who will try to get to heaven their way only to end up in the lake of fire. All through the Bible we are told that there is only one way to heaven and Jesus is the only way. Don't be foolish as to think you can do it on your own because you can't. Eternal life is a gift from God and like any gift, you must receive it.
Ephesians; 2:8-9
(For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.)
God Bless You!
Friday, January 09, 2009
Why Study The Word Of God?
Would you go into battle without your weapon knowing that your life depended on you having your weapon? No! Of course you wouldn't go to battle without a weapon. Well I have news for you. You are in a battle as we speak. You may not be able to see your enemy but believe me he is out there and he is prepared.
Ephesians; 6:12
(For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places.)
How are you going to battle a enemy you can't see? The first thing is to give your life to Jesus. Put your faith into His hands and follow Him. The second thing is to educate yourself in the Word of God. Your being versed in the Word is what will allow you to recognize enemy ambushes. If you are walking without Jesus, you are grave danger of destruction. Yes! Your life is in danger. Not only your physical life but your eternal life. Studying God's Word allows you to arm yourself with knowledge which is from God and can only be understood with the Holy Spirits help.
Ephesians; 6:1-2
(Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.)
Wiles or schemes is the devil's way to trap you and destroy you. These schemes include every sin, immoral practice, false theology, false religion, and worldly enticement. By being prepared with knowledge from God, you are less likely to fall into one of the devil's traps. That is why we are instructed to walk in the light not darkness. If you are walking in darkness, you are unable to see where you are going. Don't put your eternal life in jeopardy, make a decision to walk with Jesus today. Ask Jesus to come into your your life and be your Lord and Savior. He tells us that if we will just call on Him we will be saved. There is no other way but through Jesus.
It is vital that we understand the spiritual nature of our conflict and the only place to learn this knowledge is in the Bible. It's a matter of 'ETERNAL LIFE' or 'ETERNAL DAMNATION'. Make the right decision.
God Bless You!
Ephesians; 6:12
(For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places.)
How are you going to battle a enemy you can't see? The first thing is to give your life to Jesus. Put your faith into His hands and follow Him. The second thing is to educate yourself in the Word of God. Your being versed in the Word is what will allow you to recognize enemy ambushes. If you are walking without Jesus, you are grave danger of destruction. Yes! Your life is in danger. Not only your physical life but your eternal life. Studying God's Word allows you to arm yourself with knowledge which is from God and can only be understood with the Holy Spirits help.
Ephesians; 6:1-2
(Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.)
Wiles or schemes is the devil's way to trap you and destroy you. These schemes include every sin, immoral practice, false theology, false religion, and worldly enticement. By being prepared with knowledge from God, you are less likely to fall into one of the devil's traps. That is why we are instructed to walk in the light not darkness. If you are walking in darkness, you are unable to see where you are going. Don't put your eternal life in jeopardy, make a decision to walk with Jesus today. Ask Jesus to come into your your life and be your Lord and Savior. He tells us that if we will just call on Him we will be saved. There is no other way but through Jesus.
It is vital that we understand the spiritual nature of our conflict and the only place to learn this knowledge is in the Bible. It's a matter of 'ETERNAL LIFE' or 'ETERNAL DAMNATION'. Make the right decision.
God Bless You!
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Why Don't They Get it?
For the longest time in my Christian life, I couldn't understand why people who I witnessed to would look at me with a blank stare. I thought to myself, why would you refuse eternal life in Jesus Christ. The more I studied the Word of God, I realized that it was because they were blinded by Satan the ruler of darkness.
2Corinthians; 4:3-4
(But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.)
Satan blinds men to God's truths and they continue in their unbelief which in turn deepens their moral darkness. The longer a person continues in unbelief, the harder their heart becomes.
Someone may say, "I don't say there is a God, but I don't say there isn't a God." Choosing not to believe there is a God is called unbelief. We all know that you must believe in Jesus Christ to be saved and not believing will cause you to die in your sins. If you have chosen to believe and put your faith in Jesus for salvation, then you have the Spirit of God dwelling in you. Without the Holy Spirit, you will not be able to discern spiritual truths. By the Holy Spirit, God reveals His saving truths. The Holy Spirit alone is qualified because He knows all that God knows, Himself being God.
1Corinthians; 2:14
(But the natural man does not received the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.)
Now we know why some people just don't get it when we are witnessing to them. They don't always understand all we tell them because they don't have the Spirit of God teaching them. It's not that they don't want to understand, it's just they can't. The veil of blindness is still in place. The only one who can remove the veil is God. So when we are witnessing to someone, we also need to pray that God will remove the veil of blindness. If someone comes to faith and repentance to God, it is because they have been taught and hence drawn by God.
John; 6:44-45
(No one comes to me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.)
Our job is to spread the gospel, God is the one who gives them saving faith.
God Bless You!
2Corinthians; 4:3-4
(But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.)
Satan blinds men to God's truths and they continue in their unbelief which in turn deepens their moral darkness. The longer a person continues in unbelief, the harder their heart becomes.
Someone may say, "I don't say there is a God, but I don't say there isn't a God." Choosing not to believe there is a God is called unbelief. We all know that you must believe in Jesus Christ to be saved and not believing will cause you to die in your sins. If you have chosen to believe and put your faith in Jesus for salvation, then you have the Spirit of God dwelling in you. Without the Holy Spirit, you will not be able to discern spiritual truths. By the Holy Spirit, God reveals His saving truths. The Holy Spirit alone is qualified because He knows all that God knows, Himself being God.
1Corinthians; 2:14
(But the natural man does not received the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.)
Now we know why some people just don't get it when we are witnessing to them. They don't always understand all we tell them because they don't have the Spirit of God teaching them. It's not that they don't want to understand, it's just they can't. The veil of blindness is still in place. The only one who can remove the veil is God. So when we are witnessing to someone, we also need to pray that God will remove the veil of blindness. If someone comes to faith and repentance to God, it is because they have been taught and hence drawn by God.
John; 6:44-45
(No one comes to me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.)
Our job is to spread the gospel, God is the one who gives them saving faith.
God Bless You!
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Don't Be Anxious For Things!
Philippians; 4:6
(Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God;)
We are living in a time where it seems everyone is in a hurry. They rush here and there but never seem to catch up. I'm sure that most of us have been doing this at some time in our lives. You get home after a day of being anxious and say to yourself, "I never seem to get everything done I have to do". This is just life as we know it.
God tells us to be anxious for nothing. He has told this because He knows we have a tendency to worry and fret about things. We are told many times not to worry because God is in control and He has our best interest in mind. If we are walking in God's will for our lives, everything will work out according to His plan. Maybe things didn't happen as you wanted them to but God might of had a different plan. That's why we are to put our faith and trust in Him. It makes living so much easier when we have God leading the way.
Romans; 8:28
(And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.)
So how do all things work out to good. God is the one who causes things to work out to the good. It isn't you or I but His sovereign will and power that is in control. Now if we choose to do it our way, it may not end up very pretty. God is the one who orchestrates every event in life, even suffering, temptation, and sin. Wait a minute. Why would God allow suffering, temptation and sin in a persons life? He does this to accomplish both temporal and eternal benefits. We don't always understand why things happen but there is a reason for them.
Deuteronomy; 8:15-16
(who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water, who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did nor know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end)
God always has a purpose for us in what ever trials we go through. They may not be pleasant at the time, but the end result is what counts. We don't want to second guess God. That is one battle we will always lose.
Isaiah; 55:9
("For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.)
We just need to bring everything to God in prayer with thanksgiving. Thanking Him for everything we have need of and for the life He has given us. Remember, eternal life is through Jesus and only Him. If you have put your faith in Jesus, then don't worry about the little stuff in life. Why? Because He cares for you.
God Bless You!
(Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God;)
We are living in a time where it seems everyone is in a hurry. They rush here and there but never seem to catch up. I'm sure that most of us have been doing this at some time in our lives. You get home after a day of being anxious and say to yourself, "I never seem to get everything done I have to do". This is just life as we know it.
God tells us to be anxious for nothing. He has told this because He knows we have a tendency to worry and fret about things. We are told many times not to worry because God is in control and He has our best interest in mind. If we are walking in God's will for our lives, everything will work out according to His plan. Maybe things didn't happen as you wanted them to but God might of had a different plan. That's why we are to put our faith and trust in Him. It makes living so much easier when we have God leading the way.
Romans; 8:28
(And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.)
So how do all things work out to good. God is the one who causes things to work out to the good. It isn't you or I but His sovereign will and power that is in control. Now if we choose to do it our way, it may not end up very pretty. God is the one who orchestrates every event in life, even suffering, temptation, and sin. Wait a minute. Why would God allow suffering, temptation and sin in a persons life? He does this to accomplish both temporal and eternal benefits. We don't always understand why things happen but there is a reason for them.
Deuteronomy; 8:15-16
(who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water, who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did nor know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end)
God always has a purpose for us in what ever trials we go through. They may not be pleasant at the time, but the end result is what counts. We don't want to second guess God. That is one battle we will always lose.
Isaiah; 55:9
("For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.)
We just need to bring everything to God in prayer with thanksgiving. Thanking Him for everything we have need of and for the life He has given us. Remember, eternal life is through Jesus and only Him. If you have put your faith in Jesus, then don't worry about the little stuff in life. Why? Because He cares for you.
God Bless You!
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Obey And Honor Your Parents!
Ephesians; 6:1-3
(Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: "that it may go well with you and you may live long on the earth.")
We certainly don't see much of this in today's culture. Children are not only disrespectful to their parents, but they have no respect for the law or anything else. Much of this problem is the fault of the parents because they have refused to discipline their children as God has directed us to. As a result, we have reaped what we have sown. It's always interesting to me when I hear the news media ask "what's wrong with our children these days?" The answer is simple. We haven't obeyed God.
How can we expect our children to be respectful to others when we haven't shown them through example? We have a generation who have grown up without discipline raising children without discipline. Some of these parents shoplift, have a vulgar mouth, show no respect to others, drive drunk and the list goes on. I'm not saying that all parents are this way, but there are many who are and they are teaching their children by example. Then when their children get into trouble, they blame it on society.
Proverbs; 22:6
(Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.)
Children need to be trained because they can't raise themselves. They have a natural bent on evil and need discipline. That is why God has told us to raise them in His ways not the worlds ways. Each child is different and needs to be dealt with differently. What might work for one doesn't mean it works for the other. The best advice I can give is to be in prayer and ask God to help you raise your child. The Holy Spirit is their to help us and we need to listen. When we raise our children in the ways of the Lord, this will plant it into their heart for future reference or recall. At the point they start making decisions for themselves, we will know that we have given them a Scriptural base to help them in their decision making.
God's ways are good and beneficial to us if we walk them. If we refuse to walk in them, it will lead to destruction.
Proverbs; 10:29
(The way of the LORD is strength for the upright, But destruction will come to workers of iniquity.)
God has given us the Bible to teach us His ways and we need to teach our children His ways. If we truly love our children, then we will teach them the ways of God and pray that they teach their children the ways of God. It's the only way to reverse the cycle of unruly children.
Hosea: 14:9
(Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them.)
God Bless You!
(Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: "that it may go well with you and you may live long on the earth.")
We certainly don't see much of this in today's culture. Children are not only disrespectful to their parents, but they have no respect for the law or anything else. Much of this problem is the fault of the parents because they have refused to discipline their children as God has directed us to. As a result, we have reaped what we have sown. It's always interesting to me when I hear the news media ask "what's wrong with our children these days?" The answer is simple. We haven't obeyed God.
How can we expect our children to be respectful to others when we haven't shown them through example? We have a generation who have grown up without discipline raising children without discipline. Some of these parents shoplift, have a vulgar mouth, show no respect to others, drive drunk and the list goes on. I'm not saying that all parents are this way, but there are many who are and they are teaching their children by example. Then when their children get into trouble, they blame it on society.
Proverbs; 22:6
(Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.)
Children need to be trained because they can't raise themselves. They have a natural bent on evil and need discipline. That is why God has told us to raise them in His ways not the worlds ways. Each child is different and needs to be dealt with differently. What might work for one doesn't mean it works for the other. The best advice I can give is to be in prayer and ask God to help you raise your child. The Holy Spirit is their to help us and we need to listen. When we raise our children in the ways of the Lord, this will plant it into their heart for future reference or recall. At the point they start making decisions for themselves, we will know that we have given them a Scriptural base to help them in their decision making.
God's ways are good and beneficial to us if we walk them. If we refuse to walk in them, it will lead to destruction.
Proverbs; 10:29
(The way of the LORD is strength for the upright, But destruction will come to workers of iniquity.)
God has given us the Bible to teach us His ways and we need to teach our children His ways. If we truly love our children, then we will teach them the ways of God and pray that they teach their children the ways of God. It's the only way to reverse the cycle of unruly children.
Hosea: 14:9
(Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them.)
God Bless You!
Friday, January 02, 2009
A Prudent Wife!
Proverbs; 19:14
(Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD.)
For all men who have a prudent wife, we are blessed from the LORD. They are a perfect compliment to us men. After God had created man, He seen that it wasn't good for man to be alone. So He created woman from man to be his helper and also to procreate. God tells us that a prudent wife is a gift from Him.
What is meant by prudent? (foresighted, wise, shrewd in the management of practical affairs, discreet, frugal)
Our wife is a gift from God and we need to cherish her and care for her as God has directed us.
Colossians; 3:19
(Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.)
Ephesians; 5:25
(Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her)
God didn't say that we only love them when they are doing what we want, but our love is suppose to be unconditional. It isn't hard to see that in our country many women are not loved as God has directed us. Many are abused physically as well as verbally. Most men have seen this as well as heard this in their lifetime. Then we wonder why marriage as God had planned it has broken down.
Our willful disobedience to God's command has caused the divorce rate to rise out of control. The family structure is breaking down and we are reaping the consequences. Children are growing up without the influence of a father figure. Crime is out of control and we wonder why this is happening. Men, if we loved our wives as God has told us to, we wouldn't have the troubles we have today. I understand that it isn't always the man's fault, but we have to take blame when we don't obey God.
1Peter; 3:7
(Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.)
Not always an easy task? God has told us what He expects from us and we had better obey. If we obey, the trend of broken marriages will substantially decrease. God knows what is best for us and that is why He has given us rules to live by. Let's start today by being obedient to God and loving our wives as He has commanded us.
God Bless You!
(Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD.)
For all men who have a prudent wife, we are blessed from the LORD. They are a perfect compliment to us men. After God had created man, He seen that it wasn't good for man to be alone. So He created woman from man to be his helper and also to procreate. God tells us that a prudent wife is a gift from Him.
What is meant by prudent? (foresighted, wise, shrewd in the management of practical affairs, discreet, frugal)
Our wife is a gift from God and we need to cherish her and care for her as God has directed us.
Colossians; 3:19
(Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.)
Ephesians; 5:25
(Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her)
God didn't say that we only love them when they are doing what we want, but our love is suppose to be unconditional. It isn't hard to see that in our country many women are not loved as God has directed us. Many are abused physically as well as verbally. Most men have seen this as well as heard this in their lifetime. Then we wonder why marriage as God had planned it has broken down.
Our willful disobedience to God's command has caused the divorce rate to rise out of control. The family structure is breaking down and we are reaping the consequences. Children are growing up without the influence of a father figure. Crime is out of control and we wonder why this is happening. Men, if we loved our wives as God has told us to, we wouldn't have the troubles we have today. I understand that it isn't always the man's fault, but we have to take blame when we don't obey God.
1Peter; 3:7
(Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.)
Not always an easy task? God has told us what He expects from us and we had better obey. If we obey, the trend of broken marriages will substantially decrease. God knows what is best for us and that is why He has given us rules to live by. Let's start today by being obedient to God and loving our wives as He has commanded us.
God Bless You!
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