1 Corinthians 11:24-27 - And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, "Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me....."
When you think about the sacrifice of The Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, it can become overwhelming, that someone could love you so much, that He was willing to die such a horrible, humiliating, and painful death, so that you and I can live forever in peace and love by His side, in His presence, praising and magnifying His name with all our hearts and souls. It generates feelings of gratitude and awe in my heart, that He could care so much for me, and I am filled with happiness and joy when I think of what He means to me and for what I have to look forward to; He is my best and only hope.
It is easier to think of communion with God when you consider that He paid such a high price to shepherd us into His Kingdom, as His children, His servants, and His friends; a group of many who will inherit the Kingdom of Love and Peace, and who will share in His authority, to reign and rule with Him forever. This invokes a desire to know Him better, to communicate to Him our love and our willingness to follow Him, and to give thanks for the peace and rest He provides. It is amazing what true and deep love can do to your heart and state of mind; when you know you are loved, the hurts of the past dissolve in the loving presence of the Holy Spirit in your heart, and you can believe again, in yourself and in the people around you.
That is why we celebrate His sacrifice for us by taking communion, and the bread and wine represent His body and His blood, shed for us on Calvary. We give Him our hearts and minds, because He gave His heart, mind and soul for us when He died for our sins, and no good deed, nothing that we could ever say and do could ever make up or atone for our mistakes and our sinful nature; we must simply surrender our hearts, minds and souls at the feet of the cross and worship Him, for He is worthy of our praise!
If you would like to be in communion with God forever and ever, please come and repent at the cross; there is room for all who are looking for more than what can be had in this life, and He will never leave you or forsake you if you will just trust and believe in His son, Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Call On His Name Right Now And Be Saved!
Prayer of Salvation
Lord,
I repent for trying to be master of my own life. I change my mind about who I want to be in charge of my life. I turn from my useless and unproductive thoughts that I am the center of my universe and choose to believe in the living God who created everything, including me (Acts 14:15). I have lived without a purpose but now I will live to hear and obey You, God (Jn. 5:19, 20,30).
I confess with my lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead. I believe that God so loved the world He sent His only Son Jesus to shed His blood to wash away the barrier of sin (Jn. 3:16)
I receive You, Jesus as MY Lord and Savior (Jn. 1:11,12).
I welcome You, Holy Spirit, into my life to rescue and empower me and to restore me to intimacy with my heavenly Father (Acts 2:38).
If you just confessed this prayer, you are saved! I welcome you into the family my (brother/sister) I pray for peace, joy, and happiness in your life as you allow the Lord to love you and bless you and give you assurance of everlasting life with Him forever and ever......PRAISE GOD!
May the Lord keep you and Bless you this day....AMEN
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Saturday, April 1, 2017
Does Faith In Christ Plus Something Void Salvation?
by Eugene Lopatynsky
Does faith in Christ PLUS someone/something else mean insufficient faith and therefore void salvation?
Why do powerful religions insist on denying the uniqueness of salvation by Christ alone? Why construct a pantheon of idols, rituals and traditions? Even so, these bloated religions refuse to guaranty any kind of salvation to their members.
Some may still harbor doubts about the uniqueness of Christ Jesus. Yet Christ is uniquely unique – and His salvation is uniquely unique. Salvation is never free. If it is free to you, then somebody has certainly and already paid for it. And I mean, paid for it. There is no other KINSMAN redeemer, apart from Christ Jesus, prophesied during entire millennia, in every detail, who paid or even who could have paid for our salvation.
Others harbor doubts about the unique uniqueness of Christianity itself. They echo current propaganda that all religions are like spokes in a wheel, all merely different routes to God. Surprisingly, this is true. All these religions lead to the god of this world, and his name is Satan. The greatest department which Satan has is the department of religions.
RELIGIONS are said to be “horizontal”, man to MAN, or TO DEMONS. Not to God.
There are only TWO RELATIONSHIPS today, these are said to be vertical, up or down. One is Christianity, man’s direct relationship to the God of the Bible, without a priest and without a temple. The only other relationship is demon possession.
(1)WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT THE UNIQUENESS OF CHRIST JESUS?
John 3: 16
For God so loved the world, that he gave HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whosoever BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God said, believe on the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD. God did not say any more than that. Is there another only begotten son of God, the God of the Bible, anywhere? What does begotten mean?
If you design and build an automobile you have constructed an artifact, a design, not exactly a creation out of nothing, but nevertheless an artifact. If you have BEGOTTEN a son, you have DUPLICATED YOURSELF. What does this say about Christ Jesus, the ONLY BEGOTTEN of God? Is that unique?
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME.
NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY CHRIST JESUS. That’s rather unique! You think there might be exceptions? Jesus never said “By me and Mary” or “By me and somebody else”?
Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for THERE IS NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN given among men, whereby we must be saved.
CHRIST JESUS and some other name? There is NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN, given among men, whereby we must be saved!
That’s pretty unique! If someone teaches salvation by Christ plus MARY, then someone is LYING to you. GOD said, “NO OTHER name for salvation”.
(2)BESIDES THE LACK OF FAITH THERE IS NOW THE ISSUE OF INSUFFICIENT FAITH.
Why did God say “you are fallen from grace “and “Christ shall profit you nothing” in Gal. 5:2-6? What could signify insufficient Faith? Does it void salvation? Look up my article “Faith: Insufficient Faith…” in christianarticles.net (click on my name). If you BELIEVE that you NEED Christ PLUS something else for salvation, it may mean something wrong with your trust in Christ – something lacking in your trust in Christ Jesus alone.
(3)HOW CAN WE UNDERSTAND THE SALVATION OF MAN?
Romans 6: 23
23. For the WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hebrews 9: 22 22. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS NO REMISSION.
We are looking at a spiritual LAW, which we don’t quite understand. It deals somehow with the fabric of universal JUSTICE. A blood sacrifice was required from the time of Abel and Cain, the children of Adam and Eve, all through the “blood on the doorposts” in Egypt, until Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, gave himself, ONCE but for all time, a ransom for you and me.
Before the coming of Christ, every animal offered for blood sacrifice had to be PERFECT, WITHOUT DEFECT and INNOCENT. Each time, this spoke of a SAVIOR, perfect, without defect and innocent, who would come to redeem us, for a future solution. It was a teaching tool, teaching that sin kills and God will accept only a proxy, a perfect, absolutely innocent KINSMAN REDEEMER, willing and capable to pay for your penalty and mine. Look up “Jesus, WHY?” in www.remnantonly.info, for all the references.
Today YOUR sins are on Christ Jesus or they remain on YOU. If they remain on you, you pay yourself for your sins. If your sins are remaining on you, God says, the smoke of your torment shall ascend forever and ever! You think God is only kidding? Look what our sin did to Christ.
Today, true Christianity, is no less than a direct, super-colossal outreach of Almighty God, from the midst of His Chosen People, this time unto All MANKIND.
FOR THIS REASON there is only ONE Savior, THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN BY WHICH YOU MUST BE SAVED. Keep that in mind, before you start contradicting God.
(4) FINDING GOD?
With infinite love God gave us a Savior to pay our penalty and a Bible, a guide and light on our path!
The Bible is a love story; written with blood, upon a wooden cross; the story of God’s love for you.
Men are not lost because they are sinners; they are lost because they have rejected Jesus who died for them. Even if you go into a lost eternity and have not accepted Christ, He died for you, and you simply made His sacrifice for you of no avail. You have trodden underfoot the blood of your Savior.
Christ Jesus, your Creator, washed the feet of His disciples. They asked Him for a seat beside Him in heaven for distinction. What did he say? "On earth your rulers exploit you and oppress you and elevate themselves above you. But in heaven only he who is the SERVANT of all is the greatest"(paraphrased, if you please). Moses asked to see Gods glory. God said "I will let my goodness pass before you" (Exodus 33:18-19). God says HIS GOODNESS IS HIS GLORY. It’s not the creation, which is the TREASURE. IT IS THE CREATOR. It's not the blue sky, the mountains, the white clouds or anything in this world which is the TREASURE, it is finding and loving and serving our Lord.
If you ever loved anyone with your whole being, and were loved in return, you might understand how precious your loved one is. No physical possession could ever come near to this in importance.
No matter what we have done, served sin or the Chief Devil himself, every human being willing to change, wanting a God of love instead of a god of betrayal, will be forgiven, will be given a new heart and an eternity of joy unspeakable and full of glory. This life is nothing compared to eternity. Why trade these few temporary advantages for an eternity of unspeakable, unthinkable horror. You choose.
Any CONCEIVABLE sacrifice in this world is worthwhile just to find Jesus and to belong to Him! If you want Him, pray now with me, "DEAREST LORD JESUS, FORGIVE ME MY SINS. COME INTO MY LIFE AND BE THE RULER OF MY LIFE. HELP ME TO LOVE YOU MORE EVERY DAY; I PLEAD TO OBEY YOU WITH ALL MY STRENGTH AND TO READ YOUR BIBLE DAILY, EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE."
If you do this, and mean it, with an open heart, this prayer will never fail. It will become the greatest thing you will ever have, and it will last forever. Even in this life it will be the greatest happiness you’ll know, and a light upon your path. Conversely, to FAIL in this, will be the GREATEST DISASTER you will ever have, both here and hereafter.
After this, clean up your life with the Bible. Check out the guide in “How to read the Bible and clean up your life” in www.remnantonly.info. It’s made for you.
“Our eyes have never seen, nor could ears have heard, NOR COULD ANYONE EVEN HAVE IMAGINED THE HAPPINESS, which God prepared for those who love Him….” (Paraphrased, if you please).
God’s Word, Sir. Look it up.
Not the messenger, only the message is important. Please visit www.remnantonly.info for a surprise.
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
Does faith in Christ PLUS someone/something else mean insufficient faith and therefore void salvation?
Why do powerful religions insist on denying the uniqueness of salvation by Christ alone? Why construct a pantheon of idols, rituals and traditions? Even so, these bloated religions refuse to guaranty any kind of salvation to their members.
Some may still harbor doubts about the uniqueness of Christ Jesus. Yet Christ is uniquely unique – and His salvation is uniquely unique. Salvation is never free. If it is free to you, then somebody has certainly and already paid for it. And I mean, paid for it. There is no other KINSMAN redeemer, apart from Christ Jesus, prophesied during entire millennia, in every detail, who paid or even who could have paid for our salvation.
Others harbor doubts about the unique uniqueness of Christianity itself. They echo current propaganda that all religions are like spokes in a wheel, all merely different routes to God. Surprisingly, this is true. All these religions lead to the god of this world, and his name is Satan. The greatest department which Satan has is the department of religions.
RELIGIONS are said to be “horizontal”, man to MAN, or TO DEMONS. Not to God.
There are only TWO RELATIONSHIPS today, these are said to be vertical, up or down. One is Christianity, man’s direct relationship to the God of the Bible, without a priest and without a temple. The only other relationship is demon possession.
(1)WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT THE UNIQUENESS OF CHRIST JESUS?
John 3: 16
For God so loved the world, that he gave HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whosoever BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God said, believe on the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD. God did not say any more than that. Is there another only begotten son of God, the God of the Bible, anywhere? What does begotten mean?
If you design and build an automobile you have constructed an artifact, a design, not exactly a creation out of nothing, but nevertheless an artifact. If you have BEGOTTEN a son, you have DUPLICATED YOURSELF. What does this say about Christ Jesus, the ONLY BEGOTTEN of God? Is that unique?
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME.
NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY CHRIST JESUS. That’s rather unique! You think there might be exceptions? Jesus never said “By me and Mary” or “By me and somebody else”?
Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for THERE IS NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN given among men, whereby we must be saved.
CHRIST JESUS and some other name? There is NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN, given among men, whereby we must be saved!
That’s pretty unique! If someone teaches salvation by Christ plus MARY, then someone is LYING to you. GOD said, “NO OTHER name for salvation”.
(2)BESIDES THE LACK OF FAITH THERE IS NOW THE ISSUE OF INSUFFICIENT FAITH.
Why did God say “you are fallen from grace “and “Christ shall profit you nothing” in Gal. 5:2-6? What could signify insufficient Faith? Does it void salvation? Look up my article “Faith: Insufficient Faith…” in christianarticles.net (click on my name). If you BELIEVE that you NEED Christ PLUS something else for salvation, it may mean something wrong with your trust in Christ – something lacking in your trust in Christ Jesus alone.
(3)HOW CAN WE UNDERSTAND THE SALVATION OF MAN?
Romans 6: 23
23. For the WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hebrews 9: 22 22. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS NO REMISSION.
We are looking at a spiritual LAW, which we don’t quite understand. It deals somehow with the fabric of universal JUSTICE. A blood sacrifice was required from the time of Abel and Cain, the children of Adam and Eve, all through the “blood on the doorposts” in Egypt, until Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, gave himself, ONCE but for all time, a ransom for you and me.
Before the coming of Christ, every animal offered for blood sacrifice had to be PERFECT, WITHOUT DEFECT and INNOCENT. Each time, this spoke of a SAVIOR, perfect, without defect and innocent, who would come to redeem us, for a future solution. It was a teaching tool, teaching that sin kills and God will accept only a proxy, a perfect, absolutely innocent KINSMAN REDEEMER, willing and capable to pay for your penalty and mine. Look up “Jesus, WHY?” in www.remnantonly.info, for all the references.
Today YOUR sins are on Christ Jesus or they remain on YOU. If they remain on you, you pay yourself for your sins. If your sins are remaining on you, God says, the smoke of your torment shall ascend forever and ever! You think God is only kidding? Look what our sin did to Christ.
Today, true Christianity, is no less than a direct, super-colossal outreach of Almighty God, from the midst of His Chosen People, this time unto All MANKIND.
FOR THIS REASON there is only ONE Savior, THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN BY WHICH YOU MUST BE SAVED. Keep that in mind, before you start contradicting God.
(4) FINDING GOD?
With infinite love God gave us a Savior to pay our penalty and a Bible, a guide and light on our path!
The Bible is a love story; written with blood, upon a wooden cross; the story of God’s love for you.
Men are not lost because they are sinners; they are lost because they have rejected Jesus who died for them. Even if you go into a lost eternity and have not accepted Christ, He died for you, and you simply made His sacrifice for you of no avail. You have trodden underfoot the blood of your Savior.
Christ Jesus, your Creator, washed the feet of His disciples. They asked Him for a seat beside Him in heaven for distinction. What did he say? "On earth your rulers exploit you and oppress you and elevate themselves above you. But in heaven only he who is the SERVANT of all is the greatest"(paraphrased, if you please). Moses asked to see Gods glory. God said "I will let my goodness pass before you" (Exodus 33:18-19). God says HIS GOODNESS IS HIS GLORY. It’s not the creation, which is the TREASURE. IT IS THE CREATOR. It's not the blue sky, the mountains, the white clouds or anything in this world which is the TREASURE, it is finding and loving and serving our Lord.
If you ever loved anyone with your whole being, and were loved in return, you might understand how precious your loved one is. No physical possession could ever come near to this in importance.
No matter what we have done, served sin or the Chief Devil himself, every human being willing to change, wanting a God of love instead of a god of betrayal, will be forgiven, will be given a new heart and an eternity of joy unspeakable and full of glory. This life is nothing compared to eternity. Why trade these few temporary advantages for an eternity of unspeakable, unthinkable horror. You choose.
Any CONCEIVABLE sacrifice in this world is worthwhile just to find Jesus and to belong to Him! If you want Him, pray now with me, "DEAREST LORD JESUS, FORGIVE ME MY SINS. COME INTO MY LIFE AND BE THE RULER OF MY LIFE. HELP ME TO LOVE YOU MORE EVERY DAY; I PLEAD TO OBEY YOU WITH ALL MY STRENGTH AND TO READ YOUR BIBLE DAILY, EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE."
If you do this, and mean it, with an open heart, this prayer will never fail. It will become the greatest thing you will ever have, and it will last forever. Even in this life it will be the greatest happiness you’ll know, and a light upon your path. Conversely, to FAIL in this, will be the GREATEST DISASTER you will ever have, both here and hereafter.
After this, clean up your life with the Bible. Check out the guide in “How to read the Bible and clean up your life” in www.remnantonly.info. It’s made for you.
“Our eyes have never seen, nor could ears have heard, NOR COULD ANYONE EVEN HAVE IMAGINED THE HAPPINESS, which God prepared for those who love Him….” (Paraphrased, if you please).
God’s Word, Sir. Look it up.
Not the messenger, only the message is important. Please visit www.remnantonly.info for a surprise.
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
Friday, March 31, 2017
God's Breakthrough For You
"..And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.." Matthew ch 11:12
I was watching a christian show last evening, and there were two prophets on the show prophesying good things for the people of God, and they said something that helped me to understand all of the chaos going on the world. God is pouring out His Spirit, to stir up the people in the world in their hearts, He is preparing us for the last Great Revival, and we should be prepared to see mighty and awesome miracles, signs and wonders. At the same time, we will see more chaos, upheavals, violence, wars and rumors of wars, political strife, fearful happenings and weird weather patterns on the earth, hate, evil, and demonic influences upon the hearts of the unbelievers, because the devil and his demons know that their time is short, and they want to cause as much damage and destruction as they can and take as many unbelievers and unrepentant rebels with them into hell as possible.
I was reminded that when Jesus came into the world and started His ministry with His disciples, there was also a breakout of miracles and healings, people's hearts were changed and demons were cast out of hopeless and hapless people, many were encouraged and restored by the power of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, there was also, jealousy, strife, violence and rejection of the Holy Spirit and Jesus's ministry by the religious right, who saw His ministry as a threat to their political power, and who were used by God for His glory when they crucified Jesus Christ on the cross. God can use anyone, whether believers or unbelievers for His purposes in the world.
Now I understand better what I am seeing the world - whenever there is a strong move of God and the Holy Spirit, the enemy always has to respond, he has no choice because if we win, he knows he will be destroyed. It was always God's plan to take him out and to put him and his demons permanently into the pit of hell, but the Lord also wanted to save as many of His children as possible. Because of His love for us and His mercy, He has allowed this time, this period of the dispensation of grace to occur, so that He could gather His Children, His little ones, from the 4 corners of the world. He knew about us, He saw us a long time ago, even before the foundation of the world, He knew exactly what to do to touch our hearts and to convince us to side with Him, against the temptations of the devil; He knows who are His and He has the power and the wisdom to keep them as His own.
That is why there is so much chaos and strife in the world, because the devil is fighting God's breakthrough; His breakthrough is for you and me and for everyone who will believe in Him - there is healing for your heart, mind, body and soul, there is victory for the hopeless and the hapless, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. For those who know Him, this is our time to be blessed and healed, for His providence and protection to guard against the attacks of the devil. We win and He loses, badly! So, be encouraged, my brothers and sisters in Christ, for His Holy Spirit will guide you and protect you, so allow yourself to be led by him. When you are faced with a serious problem, He will be there, He will stand in the gap and make a way out of no way.
The Lord says, "Be At Peace, My Little Ones Because I See You, I See Where You Are, I Know About The Pain In Your Heart, I Am There With You Right Now, I Feel Your Pain, And I Have Redeemed You For My Own, And Now I Will Save You From Your Circumstances, You Are Healed - Shout Right Now For The Victory And Praise My Holy Name, FOR YOU ARE HEALED!"
HALLELUJAH! PRAISE GOD, FOR HIS EVERLASTING MERCY AND GRACE, BECAUSE HE SEES ME, HE SEES ME IN MY DISTRESS AND HE HAS ANSWERED MY PRAYERS AND HE HAS BLESSED HIS PEOPLE, HIS LITTLE ONES FOREVER AND EVER - GLORY BE TO GOD!
I was watching a christian show last evening, and there were two prophets on the show prophesying good things for the people of God, and they said something that helped me to understand all of the chaos going on the world. God is pouring out His Spirit, to stir up the people in the world in their hearts, He is preparing us for the last Great Revival, and we should be prepared to see mighty and awesome miracles, signs and wonders. At the same time, we will see more chaos, upheavals, violence, wars and rumors of wars, political strife, fearful happenings and weird weather patterns on the earth, hate, evil, and demonic influences upon the hearts of the unbelievers, because the devil and his demons know that their time is short, and they want to cause as much damage and destruction as they can and take as many unbelievers and unrepentant rebels with them into hell as possible.
I was reminded that when Jesus came into the world and started His ministry with His disciples, there was also a breakout of miracles and healings, people's hearts were changed and demons were cast out of hopeless and hapless people, many were encouraged and restored by the power of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, there was also, jealousy, strife, violence and rejection of the Holy Spirit and Jesus's ministry by the religious right, who saw His ministry as a threat to their political power, and who were used by God for His glory when they crucified Jesus Christ on the cross. God can use anyone, whether believers or unbelievers for His purposes in the world.
Now I understand better what I am seeing the world - whenever there is a strong move of God and the Holy Spirit, the enemy always has to respond, he has no choice because if we win, he knows he will be destroyed. It was always God's plan to take him out and to put him and his demons permanently into the pit of hell, but the Lord also wanted to save as many of His children as possible. Because of His love for us and His mercy, He has allowed this time, this period of the dispensation of grace to occur, so that He could gather His Children, His little ones, from the 4 corners of the world. He knew about us, He saw us a long time ago, even before the foundation of the world, He knew exactly what to do to touch our hearts and to convince us to side with Him, against the temptations of the devil; He knows who are His and He has the power and the wisdom to keep them as His own.
That is why there is so much chaos and strife in the world, because the devil is fighting God's breakthrough; His breakthrough is for you and me and for everyone who will believe in Him - there is healing for your heart, mind, body and soul, there is victory for the hopeless and the hapless, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. For those who know Him, this is our time to be blessed and healed, for His providence and protection to guard against the attacks of the devil. We win and He loses, badly! So, be encouraged, my brothers and sisters in Christ, for His Holy Spirit will guide you and protect you, so allow yourself to be led by him. When you are faced with a serious problem, He will be there, He will stand in the gap and make a way out of no way.
The Lord says, "Be At Peace, My Little Ones Because I See You, I See Where You Are, I Know About The Pain In Your Heart, I Am There With You Right Now, I Feel Your Pain, And I Have Redeemed You For My Own, And Now I Will Save You From Your Circumstances, You Are Healed - Shout Right Now For The Victory And Praise My Holy Name, FOR YOU ARE HEALED!"
HALLELUJAH! PRAISE GOD, FOR HIS EVERLASTING MERCY AND GRACE, BECAUSE HE SEES ME, HE SEES ME IN MY DISTRESS AND HE HAS ANSWERED MY PRAYERS AND HE HAS BLESSED HIS PEOPLE, HIS LITTLE ONES FOREVER AND EVER - GLORY BE TO GOD!
Thursday, March 30, 2017
You Can Be Bold When God Loves You
"How long, O Lord, will we have to deal with people in the world who refuse to love, how long will your world have to bear their pride, disregard, and hate?"
Why is it so hard for people, countries, and governments to cooperate with each other? Why are some people blind to the real suffering in the world, even the suffering going on in their own houses? The lies we tell ourselves to keep on going in life will eventually destroy us. It is one thing to be oblivious to what is going on in the world as a whole, but when you allow suffering in your own house and in your own heart, that is a clear sign that something is very wrong with the life you have chosen to live, and that it may be time to stop the lies and to start seeking the truth.
Search For The Truth So That You May Live - How many times have you told yourself you have to make a change in your life; you are noticing that you are making the same mistakes over and over, and you don't know why you can't do something different. You think that the hurts of the past can't hurt you anymore because you decided not to think about them and to ignore the pain that comes up in your heart when you think about it, but the truth is that you will not become a healthier person by ignoring your issues.
You have to decide to face your problems, be honest with yourself and embrace the changes that will be necessary to give you peace and hope. No amount of self medication (drugs, drinking, food, sex, etc...) is going to solve the problem or make it go away. You will know in that moment when you have gone too far, and I urge you to listen to what your heart, mind, and your body is trying to tell you at that time; you have people that love you, and they see what you are doing to yourself, but you have to believe in yourself as well, you have a responsibility to yourself, so don't disregard the signs in your life that tell you that you are falling apart.
Where Is The Answer For All Of Your Troubles? The answer is in Jesus Christ - He loves you............He Loves You.........HE LOVES YOU.........He created this world and He created mankind. We are the greatest of His creations in all the earth because He created us in the image of God; He gave us a mind, body, and a spirit, it was His spirit that He blew into the nostrils of adam to give him life, and it is that same life that is like God, eternal and true. When we die, that is the part of ourselves that still exists, and goes back to God or it begins to suffer in hell; we are given a choice in life to consider once and for all, do we live for God and choose eternal life, peace, and happiness, or do we live for ourselves, which ends in darkness, despair, and defeat?
It is your choice, and a merciful God is willing to bear rejection, cursing, and abuse from His ungrateful children if He knows that giving us the choice to live for Him or for ourselves means that He will be able to save some of us, His precious little ones that He adores. Even if no one else on this earth cares enough to love you, it is okay, because He will always love you, and He will never leave you or forsake you when you choose to live for Him, and if you choose to live for Him, His love will make you bold, bold enough to love others even when they will never love you back!
You can give of your heart and mind when He loves you; you can resist temptations when you lean into Him and meditate on His precious Word; keep the Lord in your heart and read the Word of God, and you will know true happiness, and your life will never be the same again. You can be bold in Jesus Christ, because you won't be solving your problems on your own, you will give all of your problems to Him, and He will solve them for you. He will change your heart and your mind, so that you can see the world through God's eyes, and you will give praise and honor to Him forever and ever, as you worship in His presence and bask in His love. No other 'god' will do, once you have a taste of His love and His presence in your life. Choose right now life, real life, and be made whole, don't wait for tommorow - why suffer another day of 'just getting by' when you can receive your healing today, and tommorow is not promised to any of us. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today!
Why is it so hard for people, countries, and governments to cooperate with each other? Why are some people blind to the real suffering in the world, even the suffering going on in their own houses? The lies we tell ourselves to keep on going in life will eventually destroy us. It is one thing to be oblivious to what is going on in the world as a whole, but when you allow suffering in your own house and in your own heart, that is a clear sign that something is very wrong with the life you have chosen to live, and that it may be time to stop the lies and to start seeking the truth.
Search For The Truth So That You May Live - How many times have you told yourself you have to make a change in your life; you are noticing that you are making the same mistakes over and over, and you don't know why you can't do something different. You think that the hurts of the past can't hurt you anymore because you decided not to think about them and to ignore the pain that comes up in your heart when you think about it, but the truth is that you will not become a healthier person by ignoring your issues.
You have to decide to face your problems, be honest with yourself and embrace the changes that will be necessary to give you peace and hope. No amount of self medication (drugs, drinking, food, sex, etc...) is going to solve the problem or make it go away. You will know in that moment when you have gone too far, and I urge you to listen to what your heart, mind, and your body is trying to tell you at that time; you have people that love you, and they see what you are doing to yourself, but you have to believe in yourself as well, you have a responsibility to yourself, so don't disregard the signs in your life that tell you that you are falling apart.
Where Is The Answer For All Of Your Troubles? The answer is in Jesus Christ - He loves you............He Loves You.........HE LOVES YOU.........He created this world and He created mankind. We are the greatest of His creations in all the earth because He created us in the image of God; He gave us a mind, body, and a spirit, it was His spirit that He blew into the nostrils of adam to give him life, and it is that same life that is like God, eternal and true. When we die, that is the part of ourselves that still exists, and goes back to God or it begins to suffer in hell; we are given a choice in life to consider once and for all, do we live for God and choose eternal life, peace, and happiness, or do we live for ourselves, which ends in darkness, despair, and defeat?
It is your choice, and a merciful God is willing to bear rejection, cursing, and abuse from His ungrateful children if He knows that giving us the choice to live for Him or for ourselves means that He will be able to save some of us, His precious little ones that He adores. Even if no one else on this earth cares enough to love you, it is okay, because He will always love you, and He will never leave you or forsake you when you choose to live for Him, and if you choose to live for Him, His love will make you bold, bold enough to love others even when they will never love you back!
You can give of your heart and mind when He loves you; you can resist temptations when you lean into Him and meditate on His precious Word; keep the Lord in your heart and read the Word of God, and you will know true happiness, and your life will never be the same again. You can be bold in Jesus Christ, because you won't be solving your problems on your own, you will give all of your problems to Him, and He will solve them for you. He will change your heart and your mind, so that you can see the world through God's eyes, and you will give praise and honor to Him forever and ever, as you worship in His presence and bask in His love. No other 'god' will do, once you have a taste of His love and His presence in your life. Choose right now life, real life, and be made whole, don't wait for tommorow - why suffer another day of 'just getting by' when you can receive your healing today, and tommorow is not promised to any of us. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today!
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Writing For Love
I woke up this morning and realized it would be a sunny day,
I heard the birds singing, and I heard the cars driving by,
I just had another dream about adventure, and I saw
what looked like a rock monument; it had stairs winding around
it, but there were no openings for caves, no entrances, and I
pondered how I would renovate it for a dwelling place.
I did not know that it was already a dwelling place; I looked
up from where I was on the ground, and the Lord showed me
that some animals lived there, and at a distance, they looked liked
small birds congregating with each other, moving almost like a single
organism, but as I walked closer to see them, I realized that
they were not birds, but small bats, and I even saw a larger one,
a big one, and I felt some fear and moved away from the place.
But the Lord spoke to me again, and said, "Do not worry, I am here
for you, I will protect you, no one will hurt you", and as I stood
there at the bottom of this rock monument, two people passed by me,
one didn't seem to notice me while He walked passed me, but one of
the guys looked straight at me as he passed by he smiled at me, a
really nice smile, and as I was waking up, I felt the Lord confirm
to me that he was an angel. Glory To God, He has me, He protects me,
He has my back!
True love can only be expressed by understanding how much a person cares
about you by what they do for you. Have you truly loved someone, and can you
say that someone has truly loved you? When you think about that someone,
does your heart start to sing? Do you anticipate their presence in your
life? When you ask them for a favor, do you feel comfortable doing so,
because you know that they will do it because they love you, because they care?
It is a wonderful feeling to place your heart in their hands, because
you know you are not bothering them and that you are not a burden to them.
Can anyone truly understand the depth, breadth, and width of God,s love for us?
Here is someone that loves me just as I am, knows and understands all of my
thoughts, deeds, and weaknesses, yet He still wants to be with me and live
in my heart. He is willing to share everything with me, even all of His kingdom
with me, and He encourages my heart every day. I am amazed by the stories in
the bible, about the saints, the people of God who have come before me, and
their trials and tribulations, their weaknesses and their mistakes, and how the Lord
saved them out of all of their troubles, just because they dared to love and
believe in the God of Heaven. They saw mighty miracles and the great feats of
the Lord - What A Mighty God That I Serve!
That is why I started this blog last year when He asked me to write it, because
what I wouldn't do for a God who loves me so well! I am writing from my heart, for my
love of a God who loves me with all of His heart and soul, for a God who will never
leave me or forsake me. I hope that everyone who reads this knows what I am talking about,
but if you do not, it is not too late to know Him; seek Him out with all of your heart,
give Him the praise, the honor and respect that He deserves, because He loves you, and
He will come to live inside of you if you ask Him to - Go On, Say Lord, Show Yourself
To Me, I Want To Know What True Love Is, I Want To Know Your Love and Your Presence In
My Life; Live In Me And I Will Let Myself Be Led By You - I LOVE YOU LORD JESUS, COME
LIVE WITH ME INSIDE MY HEART!
I love to write for Him and with Him, because He has given me a chance to show how much I love
Him, to express my gratitude for what He is doing for me, and to be apart of His plan to save
you and to transform you into a citizen of the Kingdom of God - what a privileged to know Him
and to be guided my His gentle Spirit, and now, you will know Him as well - Hallelujah!!
I heard the birds singing, and I heard the cars driving by,
I just had another dream about adventure, and I saw
what looked like a rock monument; it had stairs winding around
it, but there were no openings for caves, no entrances, and I
pondered how I would renovate it for a dwelling place.
I did not know that it was already a dwelling place; I looked
up from where I was on the ground, and the Lord showed me
that some animals lived there, and at a distance, they looked liked
small birds congregating with each other, moving almost like a single
organism, but as I walked closer to see them, I realized that
they were not birds, but small bats, and I even saw a larger one,
a big one, and I felt some fear and moved away from the place.
But the Lord spoke to me again, and said, "Do not worry, I am here
for you, I will protect you, no one will hurt you", and as I stood
there at the bottom of this rock monument, two people passed by me,
one didn't seem to notice me while He walked passed me, but one of
the guys looked straight at me as he passed by he smiled at me, a
really nice smile, and as I was waking up, I felt the Lord confirm
to me that he was an angel. Glory To God, He has me, He protects me,
He has my back!
True love can only be expressed by understanding how much a person cares
about you by what they do for you. Have you truly loved someone, and can you
say that someone has truly loved you? When you think about that someone,
does your heart start to sing? Do you anticipate their presence in your
life? When you ask them for a favor, do you feel comfortable doing so,
because you know that they will do it because they love you, because they care?
It is a wonderful feeling to place your heart in their hands, because
you know you are not bothering them and that you are not a burden to them.
Can anyone truly understand the depth, breadth, and width of God,s love for us?
Here is someone that loves me just as I am, knows and understands all of my
thoughts, deeds, and weaknesses, yet He still wants to be with me and live
in my heart. He is willing to share everything with me, even all of His kingdom
with me, and He encourages my heart every day. I am amazed by the stories in
the bible, about the saints, the people of God who have come before me, and
their trials and tribulations, their weaknesses and their mistakes, and how the Lord
saved them out of all of their troubles, just because they dared to love and
believe in the God of Heaven. They saw mighty miracles and the great feats of
the Lord - What A Mighty God That I Serve!
That is why I started this blog last year when He asked me to write it, because
what I wouldn't do for a God who loves me so well! I am writing from my heart, for my
love of a God who loves me with all of His heart and soul, for a God who will never
leave me or forsake me. I hope that everyone who reads this knows what I am talking about,
but if you do not, it is not too late to know Him; seek Him out with all of your heart,
give Him the praise, the honor and respect that He deserves, because He loves you, and
He will come to live inside of you if you ask Him to - Go On, Say Lord, Show Yourself
To Me, I Want To Know What True Love Is, I Want To Know Your Love and Your Presence In
My Life; Live In Me And I Will Let Myself Be Led By You - I LOVE YOU LORD JESUS, COME
LIVE WITH ME INSIDE MY HEART!
I love to write for Him and with Him, because He has given me a chance to show how much I love
Him, to express my gratitude for what He is doing for me, and to be apart of His plan to save
you and to transform you into a citizen of the Kingdom of God - what a privileged to know Him
and to be guided my His gentle Spirit, and now, you will know Him as well - Hallelujah!!
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
A Faithful Saying
by Jerry Smith
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15, KJV).
Can it be any clearer than this?
What was the reason Jesus Christ came?
To save sinners...
If you are a sinner, then Christ died for you and me - it is that simple (1 Corinthians 11:3).
However, because it is so simple, people don't see it (1 Corinthians 1:22). People seem to want formulas and steps to salvation, and procedures. As modern people, we want the information, the Greek, the details, the hidden meanings, etc.
If we could save ourselves through our own efforts then why did Christ even come (Galatians 2:21)?
BUT, the message of salvation is clear and it is simple:
I know that I am an unredeemable sinner, lost, if by my own efforts I try to make myself good enough. I am a sinner of myself, and the only way I can be saved is by faith trusting that Jesus Christ came to save sinners - HE came to save ME!
That is the simple message Paul gave us. The apostle (messenger) who was entrusted with the Gospel to the Gentiles.
Jerry is a bi-vocational, helping pastor-teacher, Christian life coach, TESOL trainer & manager, author, and freelance writer, with degrees in Christian education, teaching-English, business, theology, and divinity, currently residing in the Philippines. His interests include practical theology.
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15, KJV).
Can it be any clearer than this?
What was the reason Jesus Christ came?
To save sinners...
If you are a sinner, then Christ died for you and me - it is that simple (1 Corinthians 11:3).
However, because it is so simple, people don't see it (1 Corinthians 1:22). People seem to want formulas and steps to salvation, and procedures. As modern people, we want the information, the Greek, the details, the hidden meanings, etc.
If we could save ourselves through our own efforts then why did Christ even come (Galatians 2:21)?
BUT, the message of salvation is clear and it is simple:
I know that I am an unredeemable sinner, lost, if by my own efforts I try to make myself good enough. I am a sinner of myself, and the only way I can be saved is by faith trusting that Jesus Christ came to save sinners - HE came to save ME!
That is the simple message Paul gave us. The apostle (messenger) who was entrusted with the Gospel to the Gentiles.
Jerry is a bi-vocational, helping pastor-teacher, Christian life coach, TESOL trainer & manager, author, and freelance writer, with degrees in Christian education, teaching-English, business, theology, and divinity, currently residing in the Philippines. His interests include practical theology.
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
Monday, March 27, 2017
How To Become Whole In Jesus Christ
When you are a teenager, everything is very simple; you go to school, you come home, you do your homework, you eat supper, you do some chores and/or watch tv, play games etc.. you go to sleep and you repeat the process the next day. On the weekends, you hope to go out with your friends, shop at the mall, and have fun, and if you were brought up in a christian family, you would go to church on sunday. You may not have known it at the time, but life was good and measured. You were protected by your parents, they went out and worked out in the world, they earned the money to keep you in that lifestyle, so it is not surprizing that you were somemewhat oblivious to how the world really worked, and what everyone eventually has to do to survive in it.
As a child in that family, you had certain rights and priviledges, but you were limited in certain situations because you were still a child. These restrictios are often a little tough for teenagers to bear, because even though they are still growing and maturing, they are aware enough about the world to feel independent, and they often resent restrictions on their freedoms. They believe that they dont need parental supervision anymore, and they could not wait until they could leave home and do what they wanted to do. Eventually, your parents gave you more freedom, and you were trusted to do for yourself. It wasn't until you were truly on your own and working for a living and dealing with all types of people and handling life's problems that you realized what your parents did for you. At sixteen, you thought you knew everything you needed to know about life; what you knew then helped you to live your life as a teenager, sheltered by the loving providence of your parents.
Now, just imagine what living life is like without God in it, in fact I am sure that you do know what that is like. You try so hard to be a 'good' person, because that is what you were taught you should be. You were told to follow the rules, don't cheat or steal, don't lie, be respectful of your elders, get a job and pay your bills on time, and if you had really thoughtful parents, you learned that you need to give to the poor. You may have been brought up in a 'christian' family, so you probably went to church on sunday, put in your tithe or your offering in the offering plate, did some activities at the church; this was your definition of being a 'good' person, or what it means to be a christian.
It is good to have moral principles, but they have no value if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Without Jesus in your heart, you will die a 'good' person or a 'functional' christian, on your way to darkness, despair, and separation. We all need that loving and powerful presence in our hearts to live an abudant life. We function as a society because everyone mutally agrees to abide by our laws, but without God, our motivation to continue doing so is the fear of the consequences of breaking the law, and without the careful teaching and nurturing of our parents, even the fear of going to jail would not be enough for some. How many times have you heard it said that a proper upbringing produces good results, while a child with no real supervision or nurturing will probably make all the wrong mistakes in their life?
We are God's children, His creation, and He knows what we need to live a good abundant life, and also what we need to be whole,the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. You could go through your whole life being a 'good' person and never know Him, and it would be a life lived in vain. You could attend every church service, give all of the money you have to charity, do all the good deeds that you can think of, but if you never really believed in Jesus Christ in your heart, and never surrendered your life to Him, you will be counted as a fraud, and a sinner in God's eyes, and sinners do not go to heaven.
We dont always know what is best for ourselves and our lives, but if we choose to listen to Jesus, and be led by Him, after all is said and done, we will realize just how much we needed Him in our lives, and what a pleasure and a priviledge it is to be His child and a citizen of the Kingdom of God. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so right now, while he may yet be found. He is the source for every solution that you are seeking for in your life, so trust Him, give your life to Him, and then your real life will begin!
As a child in that family, you had certain rights and priviledges, but you were limited in certain situations because you were still a child. These restrictios are often a little tough for teenagers to bear, because even though they are still growing and maturing, they are aware enough about the world to feel independent, and they often resent restrictions on their freedoms. They believe that they dont need parental supervision anymore, and they could not wait until they could leave home and do what they wanted to do. Eventually, your parents gave you more freedom, and you were trusted to do for yourself. It wasn't until you were truly on your own and working for a living and dealing with all types of people and handling life's problems that you realized what your parents did for you. At sixteen, you thought you knew everything you needed to know about life; what you knew then helped you to live your life as a teenager, sheltered by the loving providence of your parents.
Now, just imagine what living life is like without God in it, in fact I am sure that you do know what that is like. You try so hard to be a 'good' person, because that is what you were taught you should be. You were told to follow the rules, don't cheat or steal, don't lie, be respectful of your elders, get a job and pay your bills on time, and if you had really thoughtful parents, you learned that you need to give to the poor. You may have been brought up in a 'christian' family, so you probably went to church on sunday, put in your tithe or your offering in the offering plate, did some activities at the church; this was your definition of being a 'good' person, or what it means to be a christian.
It is good to have moral principles, but they have no value if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Without Jesus in your heart, you will die a 'good' person or a 'functional' christian, on your way to darkness, despair, and separation. We all need that loving and powerful presence in our hearts to live an abudant life. We function as a society because everyone mutally agrees to abide by our laws, but without God, our motivation to continue doing so is the fear of the consequences of breaking the law, and without the careful teaching and nurturing of our parents, even the fear of going to jail would not be enough for some. How many times have you heard it said that a proper upbringing produces good results, while a child with no real supervision or nurturing will probably make all the wrong mistakes in their life?
We are God's children, His creation, and He knows what we need to live a good abundant life, and also what we need to be whole,the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. You could go through your whole life being a 'good' person and never know Him, and it would be a life lived in vain. You could attend every church service, give all of the money you have to charity, do all the good deeds that you can think of, but if you never really believed in Jesus Christ in your heart, and never surrendered your life to Him, you will be counted as a fraud, and a sinner in God's eyes, and sinners do not go to heaven.
We dont always know what is best for ourselves and our lives, but if we choose to listen to Jesus, and be led by Him, after all is said and done, we will realize just how much we needed Him in our lives, and what a pleasure and a priviledge it is to be His child and a citizen of the Kingdom of God. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so right now, while he may yet be found. He is the source for every solution that you are seeking for in your life, so trust Him, give your life to Him, and then your real life will begin!
Sunday, March 26, 2017
My Happiest Times Have Also Been My Saddest Times
by Sue Darling
Some people will say it is impossible to have the happiest times in your life admist crisis, but it has happened to me and I believe it is common among Christians. Many times during our trials God will step in and peform the most amazing and beautiful miracles. Many times that is when we will have major breakthroughs and life changing conversions.
We grow because God is truly with us. We need trials because it can purify us and bring us much closer to God. It matures us if we keep relying on God for our strength.
Prayer is so powerful and we need to pray for everybody not just our family.
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
Some people will say it is impossible to have the happiest times in your life admist crisis, but it has happened to me and I believe it is common among Christians. Many times during our trials God will step in and peform the most amazing and beautiful miracles. Many times that is when we will have major breakthroughs and life changing conversions.
We grow because God is truly with us. We need trials because it can purify us and bring us much closer to God. It matures us if we keep relying on God for our strength.
Prayer is so powerful and we need to pray for everybody not just our family.
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
Saturday, March 25, 2017
Grace For The Despised
by Jeffrey Hagan
Scripture: Luke 19:1-6
Introduction:
I'm sure most of you are familiar with the biblical account of a tiny little guy by the name of Zacchaeus. Well, far from just an entertaining story popular among Sunday School children, the incident with Zacchaeus gives us an incredible example of God's grace and love. We see in this story not only a glimpse of the love Christ has for sinners, but also the results that can come from such love. We see from the example of Zacchaeus the fruit it can produce in a life, and also the resistance it finds among those who witness it.
Some Background:
To provide some context it must be mentioned that Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector. Because of this, the Jewish community would have hated him as it meant he collected taxes for Rome. Collecting taxes for the Romans caused Zacchaeus to be viewed not only as a traitor but as a wicked sinner as well. And because he was a Jew, his employer (the Romans) would have also had a great disdain for him. Most likely his co-workers would have despised him too because as chief tax collector he would have been ripping them off; he would have been skimming off the top of their ill-gotten gains. I imagine he may have got into this work to feel a sense of power. Being just a little guy, I imagine he had a Napoleon complex and this “power” probably gave him somewhat of a bolstering of his ego. So, virtually what we have in this little man is nothing short of a despised thief, a kind of loan shark, who used his authority to extort his own people in order to gain wealth for himself and for the government at odds with his people. His horrible reputation would have actually been accurate, which makes what Jesus did even more notable and shocking.
A Seemingly Simple Act:
“[Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.' So he hurried down and came down and received him joyfully” (Luke 19:1-6, ESV).
Jesus singled out Zacchaeus regardless of the fact that he did absolutely nothing to deserve or attract His attention. All Zacchaeus was doing was trying to get a better look at the guy causing all of the commotion. He simply climbed a tree to see what was happening. There was no prayers, no crying, no acts of repentance, not even any words. Just as is always the case, the initiative belonged to Jesus. It's interesting to take note of what Jesus did NOT say. He didn't say, “I WANT to stay at your house,” or “WOULD YOU be a sport and have me over for some coffee?” What He said was, “I MUST stay at your house” (emphasis added). The request, if you will, was more of a command than an actual request.
Reaction:
I don't think it's a stretch to say that Zacchaeus must have been absolutely shocked by the fact that Jesus actually wanted to spend time with him. But even so, how did he react? What was Zacchaeus response to this unmerited act of grace? He came down from his perch and received Jesus, and he was very happy to do so. He didn't hesitate to respond to Jesus. In fact, the passage says he “hurried” to Him. Not only did he “hurry” to Jesus, he also did something remarkable which I'm sure astonished those who knew him or knew of him. We read in Luke 19:8, “And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, 'Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”
In this particular case we see the fruit of grace produced instantly. It was so immediate it almost appears as a knee-jerk reaction bordering on generosity most would identify today as bad financial stewardship. Jesus came to Zacchaeus before he had a chance to display any kind of receptive attitude, not to mention remorse or desire. The charity displayed by Zacchaeus was not some kind of condition for grace – it was the result of grace.
We don't see Jesus requiring anything of Zacchaeus. The passage does not give us any sort of sermon Jesus gave to inspire such an act; we don't even see any suggestions from Jesus, no urging; and we don't see Jesus attempting to guilt Zacchaeus into returning what he had stolen. All we see is a response to grace that is more sacrificial than anything Jesus may have suggested. What Zacchaeus did surpasses mere obedience as nowhere in the Law is there a demand for a person to give half of what they own to the poor. In like fashion, paying back someone you have defrauded four times the amount is going far “above and beyond.” Zacchaeus really proves himself here. Saying he did the right thing sounds too weak because he did that and more. And, he did it immediately, joyfully, and generously.
“A grateful heart is a generous heart, and a generous heart is a liberated heart. It is no coincidence that the very thing to which Zacchaeus was most enslaved – money – is the very thing that he was inspired to give away so freely” (Tchividjian, Tullian. “One Way Love,” p.128).
Sadly, far too often Christians talk about grace using countless conditions or qualifiers. They add all kinds of “ifs,” “ands,” “buts,” clauses and pauses. Just pay attention for yourself. When the topic of grace is brought up keep your eyes and ears open and you'll see, or hear, them. In fact, if people take the time to read this, depending on which forum they come across it in, look at the comments that will follow. If history is any indication, many comments will carry the theme of “Yes, of course grace, but...,” most likely accompanied by much harsher comments adhering to the same line of reasoning. It seems their greatest concern is that people will take advantage of grace and use it as an excuse to live a life full of sin. They seem to think people will take grace and use it as a ticket to live life any way they see fit.
I disagree. Where disobedience runs rampant, it is not the result of too much grace but instead it is a result of a failure to grasp how deep God's love for us flows even in the midst of our sin and selfishness. Grace and obedience aren't enemies, they are not at odds with each other as those quick to shout “Antinomians!” claim. In fact, they are allies, just look at Zacchaeus for an example.
It's not just nowadays that we often see a negative reaction to grace. The very incident we are discussing records the reactions of the people who witnessed it. We see in Luke 19:7 that “when they saw it, they all grumbled, 'He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.'” If tabloids would have been invented back then, this incident would have made for a great story. The crowd was all bent out of shape because Jesus chose to associate with not only a sinner, but perhaps the most despised man in the region at the time. Their focus turned to Jesus, but not in a positive way. This is what is commonly called “guilt by association” and it runs rampant in the Church today. It's a sad thing, very unfortunate. So much inaccurate, judgmental assumption exists in this realm of “guilt by association.”
Conclusion:
At any rate, Jesus left no room for guessing when it came to what his mission was. Our example of Zacchaeus ends with these words from Jesus, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:9-10). This is a pretty clear proclamation. This is Jesus relating with the sinner and showing His love to those who deserve it the least. Shortly before Jesus spoke the above words he said, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:25). Then what does He go and do? He brings a rich person into the kingdom.
Like it or not God pours His grace out on the foolish, weak, despised, and “nobody's” so that only He gets the glory that is due Him. What would our impression of grace be if God only pursued those with perfect Sunday School attendance? An endorsement like that would only reinforce our all too natural instinct for law-propelled conditions. But, what He does do instead is go after those who have no question in their mind that they are in need. This is incredible news! For those of us that realize our lives have been lived in such a way that there's more evidence of failures than successes it's GREAT news!
1 Corinthians 1:27-29, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
One last thing - when you start being honest about who you are, when you realize there is no good in you apart from God's grace and there never will be, when you understand the freedom found in the Gospel is the freedom to stop striving and to stop pretending that you are anything more than a sinner in constant need of a Savior, that's when you are finally starting to get an idea of what true grace really is.*
*Article inspired by, and adapted from, the source cited within.
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
Scripture: Luke 19:1-6
Introduction:
I'm sure most of you are familiar with the biblical account of a tiny little guy by the name of Zacchaeus. Well, far from just an entertaining story popular among Sunday School children, the incident with Zacchaeus gives us an incredible example of God's grace and love. We see in this story not only a glimpse of the love Christ has for sinners, but also the results that can come from such love. We see from the example of Zacchaeus the fruit it can produce in a life, and also the resistance it finds among those who witness it.
Some Background:
To provide some context it must be mentioned that Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector. Because of this, the Jewish community would have hated him as it meant he collected taxes for Rome. Collecting taxes for the Romans caused Zacchaeus to be viewed not only as a traitor but as a wicked sinner as well. And because he was a Jew, his employer (the Romans) would have also had a great disdain for him. Most likely his co-workers would have despised him too because as chief tax collector he would have been ripping them off; he would have been skimming off the top of their ill-gotten gains. I imagine he may have got into this work to feel a sense of power. Being just a little guy, I imagine he had a Napoleon complex and this “power” probably gave him somewhat of a bolstering of his ego. So, virtually what we have in this little man is nothing short of a despised thief, a kind of loan shark, who used his authority to extort his own people in order to gain wealth for himself and for the government at odds with his people. His horrible reputation would have actually been accurate, which makes what Jesus did even more notable and shocking.
A Seemingly Simple Act:
“[Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.' So he hurried down and came down and received him joyfully” (Luke 19:1-6, ESV).
Jesus singled out Zacchaeus regardless of the fact that he did absolutely nothing to deserve or attract His attention. All Zacchaeus was doing was trying to get a better look at the guy causing all of the commotion. He simply climbed a tree to see what was happening. There was no prayers, no crying, no acts of repentance, not even any words. Just as is always the case, the initiative belonged to Jesus. It's interesting to take note of what Jesus did NOT say. He didn't say, “I WANT to stay at your house,” or “WOULD YOU be a sport and have me over for some coffee?” What He said was, “I MUST stay at your house” (emphasis added). The request, if you will, was more of a command than an actual request.
Reaction:
I don't think it's a stretch to say that Zacchaeus must have been absolutely shocked by the fact that Jesus actually wanted to spend time with him. But even so, how did he react? What was Zacchaeus response to this unmerited act of grace? He came down from his perch and received Jesus, and he was very happy to do so. He didn't hesitate to respond to Jesus. In fact, the passage says he “hurried” to Him. Not only did he “hurry” to Jesus, he also did something remarkable which I'm sure astonished those who knew him or knew of him. We read in Luke 19:8, “And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, 'Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”
In this particular case we see the fruit of grace produced instantly. It was so immediate it almost appears as a knee-jerk reaction bordering on generosity most would identify today as bad financial stewardship. Jesus came to Zacchaeus before he had a chance to display any kind of receptive attitude, not to mention remorse or desire. The charity displayed by Zacchaeus was not some kind of condition for grace – it was the result of grace.
We don't see Jesus requiring anything of Zacchaeus. The passage does not give us any sort of sermon Jesus gave to inspire such an act; we don't even see any suggestions from Jesus, no urging; and we don't see Jesus attempting to guilt Zacchaeus into returning what he had stolen. All we see is a response to grace that is more sacrificial than anything Jesus may have suggested. What Zacchaeus did surpasses mere obedience as nowhere in the Law is there a demand for a person to give half of what they own to the poor. In like fashion, paying back someone you have defrauded four times the amount is going far “above and beyond.” Zacchaeus really proves himself here. Saying he did the right thing sounds too weak because he did that and more. And, he did it immediately, joyfully, and generously.
“A grateful heart is a generous heart, and a generous heart is a liberated heart. It is no coincidence that the very thing to which Zacchaeus was most enslaved – money – is the very thing that he was inspired to give away so freely” (Tchividjian, Tullian. “One Way Love,” p.128).
Sadly, far too often Christians talk about grace using countless conditions or qualifiers. They add all kinds of “ifs,” “ands,” “buts,” clauses and pauses. Just pay attention for yourself. When the topic of grace is brought up keep your eyes and ears open and you'll see, or hear, them. In fact, if people take the time to read this, depending on which forum they come across it in, look at the comments that will follow. If history is any indication, many comments will carry the theme of “Yes, of course grace, but...,” most likely accompanied by much harsher comments adhering to the same line of reasoning. It seems their greatest concern is that people will take advantage of grace and use it as an excuse to live a life full of sin. They seem to think people will take grace and use it as a ticket to live life any way they see fit.
I disagree. Where disobedience runs rampant, it is not the result of too much grace but instead it is a result of a failure to grasp how deep God's love for us flows even in the midst of our sin and selfishness. Grace and obedience aren't enemies, they are not at odds with each other as those quick to shout “Antinomians!” claim. In fact, they are allies, just look at Zacchaeus for an example.
It's not just nowadays that we often see a negative reaction to grace. The very incident we are discussing records the reactions of the people who witnessed it. We see in Luke 19:7 that “when they saw it, they all grumbled, 'He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.'” If tabloids would have been invented back then, this incident would have made for a great story. The crowd was all bent out of shape because Jesus chose to associate with not only a sinner, but perhaps the most despised man in the region at the time. Their focus turned to Jesus, but not in a positive way. This is what is commonly called “guilt by association” and it runs rampant in the Church today. It's a sad thing, very unfortunate. So much inaccurate, judgmental assumption exists in this realm of “guilt by association.”
Conclusion:
At any rate, Jesus left no room for guessing when it came to what his mission was. Our example of Zacchaeus ends with these words from Jesus, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:9-10). This is a pretty clear proclamation. This is Jesus relating with the sinner and showing His love to those who deserve it the least. Shortly before Jesus spoke the above words he said, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:25). Then what does He go and do? He brings a rich person into the kingdom.
Like it or not God pours His grace out on the foolish, weak, despised, and “nobody's” so that only He gets the glory that is due Him. What would our impression of grace be if God only pursued those with perfect Sunday School attendance? An endorsement like that would only reinforce our all too natural instinct for law-propelled conditions. But, what He does do instead is go after those who have no question in their mind that they are in need. This is incredible news! For those of us that realize our lives have been lived in such a way that there's more evidence of failures than successes it's GREAT news!
1 Corinthians 1:27-29, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
One last thing - when you start being honest about who you are, when you realize there is no good in you apart from God's grace and there never will be, when you understand the freedom found in the Gospel is the freedom to stop striving and to stop pretending that you are anything more than a sinner in constant need of a Savior, that's when you are finally starting to get an idea of what true grace really is.*
*Article inspired by, and adapted from, the source cited within.
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
Friday, March 24, 2017
Dangers Of Purposeless Living
by Katopeka Nkhoma
Welcome back to our journey on purpose. Last time we came to the realisation that purpose is the meaning of life. Conversely, a life without purpose is a meaningless life. Give your life a meaning, discover your purpose,
Many people struggle in life because they are living a wrong life. Strange I know, but its true! As long As you are not living in your purpose, you are living a wrong life, and this has severe consequences. This is what I want to share with you today, the consequences of living out of your purpose. Let me share a short story I got from Shanna Shuttte. I think it helps put things in perspective.
There once was a man who netted three trout from a mountain stream and carefully placed them side-by-side on a thick patch of grass. Before he removed them from the water, they were like a liquid ballet in motion. Fluid. Graceful. Vibrant. Alive. After he netted them, it was another story.
As the trout lay on the grass, they were motionless. Their eyes were fixed. They gasped for air, and they looked — and acted — stupid.
The man noticed they seemed unhappy, so he talked to them, hoping that his encouragement would change them.
“Little fish, don’t be sad. You’ll like the grass. Just try it out for a while.”
No movement. No response. No change.
A few more seconds passed. The man’s neighbor walked by. “Hey, Bob! Come and check out these fish!”
Bob sauntered over and the man explained that he was certain the fish could adjust. “I’m sure they could prosper here on the grass. Don't you agree?”
“Why not?” Bob replied. So he also tried to tell the fish it would be good if they learned to like the grass. After all, he liked the grass. Why shouldn’t they?
Still, the fish didn’t blink. They just lay there looking dumber by the second.
Finally, a little boy approached exclaimed, “What are you doing? Put them back! They can’t be all they’ve been created to be when they are out of the water.”
Finally convinced, the man carefully placed each fish back in the stream. After splashing for a split second, all three swam away effortlessly. Again, it was like a liquid ballet. What ease! What grace! What beauty! In that moment, the man realized that no matter how long the fish lay there they would never adjust to the grass, and would never be satisfied — no matter how much he (or anyone else) told them otherwise. Even if the fish tried to convince themselves they could learn to like the grass, they never would, and they would never prosper. In fact, they would eventually die.”
Do you feel like a fish out of water? Your prolonged dissatisfaction, God-given gifts, passions and the voices of others could be telling you that you were created for another purpose. And like these fish, if you feel like you are dying inside, listen up. It could be just what you need to push you into another, more satisfying ocean.
So what are the consequences of living out of your purpose?
1. EVERYTHING IN LIFE BECOMES A STRUGGLE
Like the fish that were struggling to survive out of water, so is a person living outside their purpose. Your purpose is actually the environment you thrive in. It is the environment for your success.
When you are out of your purpose life becomes a daily struggle. Do you feel like lifeisjust one big never ending battle? It could be you are a fish out of water. It could be you are not in your purpose. When in water, fish move with ease and elegance. Out of the water movement becomes near impossible, a struggle. Are you struggling to make progress in life? It could be you are not in your purpose.
2. DISSATISFACTION
This is another result of living out of your purpose. No matter how much you try, you just can’t find satisfaction in life. No matter how much “success” you seem to be achieving, there will still be an emptiness within you. Success does not lie in material things. Success lies in fulfilling your purpose.
We are often amazed when we hear of a “successful” person confesses to being dissatisfied with life. “What’s wrong with him/her?” Purpose! As long as you are not living in your purpose, you can never find satisfaction in life. There will always be something missing.
3. PRODIGAL LIVING
The word prodigal actually means wasteful. Lack of purpose breeds waste, which in turn breeds poverty.
We are all familiar with the story of the prodigal son so I won’t go into great detail. But I would like to believe that the reason that young man wasted his inheritance was his lack of purpose in life. The late great Myles Munroe used to like saying, “Where purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable”. We tend to abuse resources when we have no idea of our purpose. Worse still, we end up abusing ourselves. The prodigal son abused himself by joining himself to pigs. He lowered himself to the level of a pig! Many people are abusing resources, relationships, talents and even themselves because they don’t know their purpose. Check your life! Are you abusing yourself?
4. YOU DON’T EXPERIENCE THE BEST YOU
You are your best when you live in your purpose. It is within your purpose that all that locked up potential in you is unleashed! Many people, sadly, go to their graves without ever experiencing the greatness within them. There is a superman hidden within you! There is a hero inside you and he can only come out when you are living in your purpose.
Samson's supernatural strength always came when he was in a moment of purpose. I believe there are gifts, talents and wisdom in you that will only be unleashed when you step out into your purpose. There is a better you that you and the world are waiting for. Discover your purpose and become a better you, an upgraded version.
Kato Nkhoma is a seasoned Pastor with circa 15 years under his belt. He is also a prolific teacher of the word, author and freelance writer. A husband to 1wife and father of 2 amazing children makes him a happy family man.
http://katonkhoma@wordpress.com
ktpknkhoma@yahoo.co.uk
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
Welcome back to our journey on purpose. Last time we came to the realisation that purpose is the meaning of life. Conversely, a life without purpose is a meaningless life. Give your life a meaning, discover your purpose,
Many people struggle in life because they are living a wrong life. Strange I know, but its true! As long As you are not living in your purpose, you are living a wrong life, and this has severe consequences. This is what I want to share with you today, the consequences of living out of your purpose. Let me share a short story I got from Shanna Shuttte. I think it helps put things in perspective.
There once was a man who netted three trout from a mountain stream and carefully placed them side-by-side on a thick patch of grass. Before he removed them from the water, they were like a liquid ballet in motion. Fluid. Graceful. Vibrant. Alive. After he netted them, it was another story.
As the trout lay on the grass, they were motionless. Their eyes were fixed. They gasped for air, and they looked — and acted — stupid.
The man noticed they seemed unhappy, so he talked to them, hoping that his encouragement would change them.
“Little fish, don’t be sad. You’ll like the grass. Just try it out for a while.”
No movement. No response. No change.
A few more seconds passed. The man’s neighbor walked by. “Hey, Bob! Come and check out these fish!”
Bob sauntered over and the man explained that he was certain the fish could adjust. “I’m sure they could prosper here on the grass. Don't you agree?”
“Why not?” Bob replied. So he also tried to tell the fish it would be good if they learned to like the grass. After all, he liked the grass. Why shouldn’t they?
Still, the fish didn’t blink. They just lay there looking dumber by the second.
Finally, a little boy approached exclaimed, “What are you doing? Put them back! They can’t be all they’ve been created to be when they are out of the water.”
Finally convinced, the man carefully placed each fish back in the stream. After splashing for a split second, all three swam away effortlessly. Again, it was like a liquid ballet. What ease! What grace! What beauty! In that moment, the man realized that no matter how long the fish lay there they would never adjust to the grass, and would never be satisfied — no matter how much he (or anyone else) told them otherwise. Even if the fish tried to convince themselves they could learn to like the grass, they never would, and they would never prosper. In fact, they would eventually die.”
Do you feel like a fish out of water? Your prolonged dissatisfaction, God-given gifts, passions and the voices of others could be telling you that you were created for another purpose. And like these fish, if you feel like you are dying inside, listen up. It could be just what you need to push you into another, more satisfying ocean.
So what are the consequences of living out of your purpose?
1. EVERYTHING IN LIFE BECOMES A STRUGGLE
Like the fish that were struggling to survive out of water, so is a person living outside their purpose. Your purpose is actually the environment you thrive in. It is the environment for your success.
When you are out of your purpose life becomes a daily struggle. Do you feel like lifeisjust one big never ending battle? It could be you are a fish out of water. It could be you are not in your purpose. When in water, fish move with ease and elegance. Out of the water movement becomes near impossible, a struggle. Are you struggling to make progress in life? It could be you are not in your purpose.
2. DISSATISFACTION
This is another result of living out of your purpose. No matter how much you try, you just can’t find satisfaction in life. No matter how much “success” you seem to be achieving, there will still be an emptiness within you. Success does not lie in material things. Success lies in fulfilling your purpose.
We are often amazed when we hear of a “successful” person confesses to being dissatisfied with life. “What’s wrong with him/her?” Purpose! As long as you are not living in your purpose, you can never find satisfaction in life. There will always be something missing.
3. PRODIGAL LIVING
The word prodigal actually means wasteful. Lack of purpose breeds waste, which in turn breeds poverty.
We are all familiar with the story of the prodigal son so I won’t go into great detail. But I would like to believe that the reason that young man wasted his inheritance was his lack of purpose in life. The late great Myles Munroe used to like saying, “Where purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable”. We tend to abuse resources when we have no idea of our purpose. Worse still, we end up abusing ourselves. The prodigal son abused himself by joining himself to pigs. He lowered himself to the level of a pig! Many people are abusing resources, relationships, talents and even themselves because they don’t know their purpose. Check your life! Are you abusing yourself?
4. YOU DON’T EXPERIENCE THE BEST YOU
You are your best when you live in your purpose. It is within your purpose that all that locked up potential in you is unleashed! Many people, sadly, go to their graves without ever experiencing the greatness within them. There is a superman hidden within you! There is a hero inside you and he can only come out when you are living in your purpose.
Samson's supernatural strength always came when he was in a moment of purpose. I believe there are gifts, talents and wisdom in you that will only be unleashed when you step out into your purpose. There is a better you that you and the world are waiting for. Discover your purpose and become a better you, an upgraded version.
Kato Nkhoma is a seasoned Pastor with circa 15 years under his belt. He is also a prolific teacher of the word, author and freelance writer. A husband to 1wife and father of 2 amazing children makes him a happy family man.
http://katonkhoma@wordpress.com
ktpknkhoma@yahoo.co.uk
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
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