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Fire: Keeping the Flame Ablaze

During this summer, I have spent some time clearing out a worship spot at my house in the back of our woods. I must say, I really enjoyed doing it. I wanted a spot that I could go and spend time with God in solitude. I gathered old down trees to use for seating, found various pieces of old furniture to place back there, and Tiki Torches to help keep away bugs. In the middle I built a good-sized fire pit for bonfires. The other evening I went out to that spot to spend some time with God. My brother was with me and we were trying to light the fire. The pit had quite a bit of wood in it so if we ever got it lit, it would be a very big and nice fire. The problem was we couldn’t get the fire lit.  Granted the top pieces were a little wet, but the rest of the pile was dry, so we didn’t think it would be much of a problem. We had pieces of cardboard to help start the fire, but it didn’t work. We lit some of the dry leaves in the midst of the sticks, but it didn’t work either. We even found some straw to light to help with the process, but all it did was burn. It didn’t stay lit and the fire died quickly. So finally after much frustration, we got the gasoline. Now, I realize this is not the smartest choice nor safest, but I wanted a fire! Luckily nothing bad happened! So we light a few more pieces of cardboard and paper just enough to keep it a flame for a few minutes. Then we doused the places we didn’t have lit with some gasoline so with the fire caught it, it would light up. The finally we applied the gasoline on the flames that were going and instantly, the fire went ablaze. We experienced the thrill of getting our fire lit and the fire was glorious…for about ten minutes. But soon, that gasoline had burnt away, the wood had never really caught a flame, and the fire died out again quickly. Now I realize that there are better ways to light a fire, and if I did some other things I could have probably got that fire going. However, I’m glad I tried to light the fire the way I did because God used it to teach me something.

When the fire began to die out again, I was getting kind of irritated. Then I felt God speak to my heart saying, “I need people who will tend and stir the fire, not just light it.” I immediately knew what God was saying to me. In order to keep a fire going, you have to constantly add fire to the pile, you have to stir the fire to keep the fire going, and you have to watch it. Gasoline is a nice help, but it is only a temporary fix. It only lasts for a moment. It looks glorious and the flames are huge, but they don’t have much life. God doesn’t need followers who will be like the gasoline. Who will become very passionate and devoted to God one day, and have a devotion to Him that dies at the end of the week. He wants followers who will fan the flames. Who will keep the fire going, even if that means taking longer steps in doing so. Followers who will spend the extra time in prayer, reading of His Word, and living out the life He calls His people to.

I think you would be very hard pressed to find a church, if you asked them, would not want to see people come to know Christ. I mean, that’s just a ludicrous thought. The Church may have many different denomination and beliefs of theology, but I don’t really think there are many people in the Church who do not want to see souls saved. In fact if there are any, I really think those people need to evaluate their life and see if the are in step with the Spirit. But all too often the Church tries to witness to the world with gasoline. With big and glorious displays of various ministries, emotional appeals, etc. Those of you who serve the Lord know exactly what I’m talking about. But those things don’t last. People who come to the Lord on those terms won’t last unless that fire is cultivated. Unless their flames are stirred and wood is added to the fire. If the Church and Christians want to set this world on fire, we first have to cultivate the fire in our own hearts, then also be willing to take the time to minister properly and effectively to help keep the fire lit the hearts of others as well. Jesus told His followers that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them and they will be His witnesses. The Holy Spirit gives Christians the power to witness to others about Jesus powerfully. God is the source of that fire. I pray that believers everywhere will submit to the Holy Spirit and allow God move in their hearts. I also pray that Christians all over the world will fan into flame the gifts of God and take the steps necessary to keep that flame going. When the fire rises true and proud, the world around us will catch fire too. Don’t use the gasoline. Cultivate that fire.

“Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.” ~2 Timothy 1:6

“Fire must be kept burning on the altar continually; it must not go out.” ~Leviticus 6:13

May God be with you.

-Joey


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Ripple Effects

In our world of individualistic values and selfish decisions, oftentimes we don’t think about how our decisions affect others. Our adage of, “If it feels good, do it” or “If it makes you happy, then go for it” seeks only to justify our selfish desires without thinking of the cost to others.

I had to think about this recently.

One of our dogs, the one who eats everything, even waste, is not well. This has happened before. She eats things she’s not supposed to eat, even things that people think are okay to give her, like bread or mangoes. Then her body can’t process it all which affects her bile and then we have a sick dog on our hands. This process does not happen instantaneously. It is a process. First, she noses out things she’s not supposed to eat and believe it or not, she knows she’s not supposed to eat them because she does this in complete hiding, and then she eats them. Or, well meaning people think it’s alright for the dogs to have chicken bones or their leftover food and feed them the food which Mayah hides from us while eating it. At first, nothing happens and all is good. But over time, Mayah’s body stops functioning the way it should and physical evidences start to show up. And when she shows a complete disinterest in her food and allows Maddy to eat it from her bowl, we know we have reached a very scary stage. Her sickness affects us, not just in the cost financially, time in having to hand feed her and in watching her to make sure she doesn’t eat more waste, but also emotionally because we love her.

And so often, we don’t know that something’s wrong until we get to this stage  because Mayah hides what she does so well. Just like us when we do what we’re not supposed to do.

A diabetic can go on eating sugar and even hide it from family and friends for a while because the evidence of what he/she is doing can go undetected for a while. Then one day, everything in their body shuts down and they go into insulin shock and that’s when everyone realizes what has happened. The sad thing is, when we make the decision to keep doing what is wrong, we don’t realize how much it affects others around us. We think it’s only about us, that when we have a body that malfunctions, lost all our money to gambling, abandoned our children, are dead because of a drug overdose, it only affects us. We don’t see the ripple effect of what we had chosen to do and the devastation of that.

How many people, no matter their ages, still live with hurt and pain in their hearts from the effects of the decision of others when they were younger? The pain affects their ways of thinking, their decision making and how they relate to others. The ripple effect carries on way into the future.

The wages of sin is death. 

It’s not politically correct to say that today. But it’s a true statement. The payment of sin is death. I used to think it was death just for the person involved. But unfortunately, until there is repentance and redemption, the death will continue for generations.  I learned that this death doesn’t always  show up in a literal sense, oftentimes it shows up under disguise. Like the death of a relationship, whether it be a friendship or amongst family. The hardening of a heart so that it will not be able to love again or to allow others to love it. The replay of what others had done to us as we do it to others because that is what we had learned to be the “only” way to do things. The domino effect affecting generations down the road.

The wages of sin is death.

The tearstained face of a little boy as he watches his dad beat up his mom and then robs her of her last remaining dollars to go out into the night to drink with his buddies hardens as he realizes that he needs to be stronger and bigger than his dad to protect his mom and himself in the future. Violence learned, violence replayed. A death handed down another generation.

The bright, innocent eyes of a little girl watches as her mommy puts on make up and dresses in tight fitting outfits to go out into the night to prostitute herself so that they can eat. She listens as her mom’s words tell her that the only way to be able to earn money is through her looks, body and who she gets into a relationship with. Lies heard, lies acted out. A death handed down another generation.

A lie spoken. More lies needed to cover it up. Confidence betrayed. A relationship or friendship in ruins. Another death. When will we stop with the destruction? When will we realize that our decisions will affect our future generations? When will we realize that what we sow we will reap?

It’s not politically correct to talk about these things anymore. We don’t go back to the root causes and call a spade a spade. We look for bandaid solutions. We live in the world forgetting that we have an amazing, loving God but we also have an enemy who seeks to rob, kill and destroy us with the same fervency and intensity of the love that God has for us.

We need to be more careful with how we make our decisions, how we choose to live our lives because we don’t live in a vacuum. We all affect one another. It is only when we choose repentance from our sins and accept redemption from the Cross that our eyes will be opened to see how our decisions affect us and those around us so that we can change how we do things to affect all for good.

For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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The Blood of Jesus Christ

I started reading a book by Watchman Nee called Normal Christian Life. So far I have only read the first chapter, but within that first chapter something really stuck out to me. He said “a clear conscience is never based upon our attainment; it can only be based on the work of the Lord Jesus in the shedding of His Blood”. The entire first chapter is about the Blood of Jesus Christ and how it applies to the life of a Christian. I thought that the chapter laid out beautifully what the Blood of Christ truly means to us as followers of Christ.

The chapter starts first by pointing out that the Blood of Jesus really isn’t so much for us, as it is for God. Now at first reading you may say, “Hold on a minute, the Blood of Christ is what saves me!” Yes that is very true and Nee is not dismissing that very important truth. What he means is that the only way God pardons our sin is if He sees the Blood of Jesus paying for the debt of our sin. Think about the Israelites when God commanded them to eat the Passover lamb inside the house, but spread the blood of the lamb on the doorposts. Then, when God passed over Egypt on the Passover night, God would see the blood and pardon the household. This is the same with us and the Blood of Christ. When God sees the Blood of Christ applied to our hearts, He can forgive and pardon our sin because of the great sacrifice of Jesus. So consequently, the amount we value Christ’s Blood is directly linked to the value that God values the Blood.

 

After realizing the value of the Blood, it is crucial that we base our life around that. Without the Blood of Christ, we can not go into the Presence of God without fear and shame. On the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament, the high priest alone was to go into the Most Holy Place to offer the sin offering to God. As it is with Christ. He is our High Priest who applies His blood to our sin to make retribution before God. When we allow this to become true in our everyday life, then it shapes our entire relationship with God. Some days I can feel really connected with God. I read my Bible and get a lot out of my reading. I feel like really connect with God in prayer and hear from Him. I am able to reflect the love of Christ well. I feel like I’m serving God well. Other days, it can be just the opposite. I don’t feel the same connection during my Bible reading or prayer time. I don’t reflect Christ’s love well. I may be mean or nasty. But listen to this: our standing before God is not based on our works, our merits, how we feel, or anything we can furnish. It is by the Blood of Jesus that we are able to be seen as forgiven by God!Do not allow the way you feel ditate how you think your relationship with God is based. It is only by the Blood of Jesus that we have relationship with God!

 

It is very easy as Christians to allow ourselves to get beat up when we fall short of the glory of God. We believe the lie that we have to earn our way into God’s love or we have to preform for God to be accepted. But praise be to God that it’s not about what I  can do, it’s about what I can’t do. Only Jesus can bring me back into restored relationship with Jesus. When we try to base our status with God on anything other than the sacrificial Blood of Jesus, we play right into Satan’s schemes.  The Bible calls Satan the Accuser. His tricks aren’t new. He has used the same tricks all through history; lying and accusing. He will try to accuse us of our sin before God and lie to us saying that we are failures and can’t be forgiven. By ourselves, we are failures and we can’t be forgiven. We can’t save ourselves. But by the Blood of Jesus I am redeemed and by His grace I can be pardoned of all my sin!

 

I pray that as you read this blog, you will ponder in your own heart whether or not you are applying the Blood of Jesus to your life. Does it really impact your everyday life, or is it more than a passing thought. I encourage as the Lord to reveal more of Himself to you, and share His value of His Son’s Blood with you. As always, I pray this blog encourages you or helps you! Blessings!

 

Joey

 

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The Virgin Birth of Messiah

Most people have probably heard the story about Jesus’ birth. Here’s Luke’s account:

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

There’s something about the birth of Messiah that’s somewhat controversial, even among some Christians. It shouldn’t be, but it is. Many ask, “Was Mary actually a virgin? Was the birth of Jesus truly a virgin birth?” Well let me take you back a few hundred years before Jesus Christ was born.

Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

Isaiah clearly prophesies a virgin birth here. The original Hebrew word that was used for “virgin” here is “almah.” This Hebrew word means a “young, unmarried woman who has had no sexual relations.”

The angel, Gabriel, appears to Mary in the book of Luke. Luke 1:26-38 says:

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Notice that Mary tells Gabriel that she is a virgin. She wants to know how she will give birth to a child if she has never been with a man.

My point is this: The Messiah MUST be born of a virgin. It was prophesied by Isaiah hundreds of years before Jesus was born. Hundreds of years before the book of Luke was written. It was something that had to be fulfilled. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. If Mary had not been a virgin, Jesus would not have been Messiah. Without the virgin birth, there is no Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah), no Savior, and we are completely lost. But Jesus fulfilled ALL of the prophesied requirements for the Messiah. Jesus born of a virgin. That fact is essential to the Christian faith.

“Jesus was born that you might be born again. He lived that you might live. He died that you might die to sin.” ~Spurgeon
God bless you and Merry Christmas!
-Austin

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Christmas: The Day Hope Was Born into the World

For may people, Christmas means a lot of things. For some, it means lots of shopping, traveling, and scrambling all over town to get those special gifts for special people. For others, it may mean getting together with family that they are unable to see throughout the year. These are great things. There is nothing wrong with wanting to get special people gifts. It is greatly important as well to spend time with family. However, Christmas marks a day much more important than gifts or family. It celebrates the day that God sent Hope back into the world.

Picture this. From the time the prophet Malachi, which is the last recorded Old Testament book, to the time of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) there was 400 years of silence. God’s chose Israel as His chosen people. Starting with Abraham, God promised a linage that would never perish and would bless all people. Abraham descendants were enslaved by Egypt for over 400 years, when God sent a leader, Moses, to bring them out of Egypt. After leaving the bondage of Egypt, Israel remained faithful to God for a time. Unfortunately, the longer Israel lived around the pagan nations, the more they grew into to practices of those nations. They eventually started worshipping and serving dead idols rather than the one, true living God. God began sending prophets to various parts of Israel. Those prophets began speaking the words of God and pleading for people to turn back to the Lord. Eventually Israel, was broke into two nations (Israel and Judah). Israel was wiped out by the Assyrians and Judah was taken into captivity by Babylon for 70 years. The prophets began giving snapshots of a Messiah that was to come and lead God’s people and save them. After the people of Judah were liberated from Babylon, the people turned back to God. But their worship to God became nothing more than dead religion. So with the last of the prophets, Malachi, God did not speak to Israel for almost 400 years.

The people of Israel, however, still held on to the hope of the coming Messiah. Although the Pharisees of that time taught hypocrisy, there were still those in Israel who were looking forward to the coming Messiah. Then one day, prophecy started being fulfilled. The forerunner of Messiah spoken about in Isaiah, “A voice is calling, ‘Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God” (Isaiah 40:3), John the Baptist, was born. Not too much later, Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit, was born in Bethlehem by the virgin Mary, in a manager because there was no place in the town inn. This fulfilled the Scripture that said, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,and the government will be on his shoulders.And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God,Everlasting Father,Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Hope came back into the world when Jesus was born. Jesus came and ministered to all of Israel, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again three days later from the grave, overcoming death. He not only paid the ransom for Israel, but opened up the door of salvation to all who believe in His name an turn from their sin. He now seated at the right hand of God and He will return for His Church.

Jesus came in the most humble of ways. He came as a baby. He didn’t come in with an army. He didn’t come in as a conquering king. He came as a baby, in human form, to relate to us and give us hope that once seemed lost. So this Christmas season, really reflect on the fact that Jesus chose to step out of divinity, and live as a human only to be hung on a cross for the sin of the world. I encourage you to read the Birth of Christ in the book of Matthew and Luke. When you are unwrapping your gifts, spending time with family, and eating hearty meals, remember Jesus this year. Jesus is the reason for the season. Truly.

Joey

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Live Free

The book of Acts is a tremendously important book in the life of a Christian believer. It contains some of the earliest history of the early church and provides great information about the church’s growth. Such rich information about the history of the Christian faith should be treasured! Acts serves as a connector or bridge between the Gospels and the Epistles of the New Testament, providing great historical and introduction information to the Pauline Epistles. Without the book of Acts, Christians would be left with many unanswered questions about the New Testament such as who were the authors, what happened after Jesus returned to the rather, and how did the church start? Clearly, Acts has an irreplaceable spot in the Biblical canon.

The book of Acts also provides information about a crucial event in Christian history, Pentecost. This book is unrivaled in its information about the work of the Holy Spirit, the baptism of the Spirit, and the functions of the Spirit’s gifts operated in the life of a Christian. “Pentecostal theology appears elsewhere in the New Testament; however, any Pentecostal theology founded without the full benefit of the book of Acts would be severely impoverished”. It is often stated the book should be named “Acts of the Holy Spirit” because of the many circumstances that the Holy Spirit guided the early church and made a way for the advancement of the church.

It is true that the actions of a person stems out of what they believe. Some want to separate faith and practice, but this is not consistent with the Bible. The Bible uses positive and negative examples all throughout the Scriptures to illustrate lifestyles affected by beliefs. Historical information is meant to guide future generations into right living, and the book of Acts is no different. The material found in Acts is meant to guide Christians in their walk with the Lord and help them understand what they believe.

There are many theological and hermeneutical emphases found in the book of Acts. One main theological theme found in Acts is the continuity of the Holy Spirit’s activity. From the very beginning of the book, the Holy Spirit shows up and shakes up the life of believers. After the day of Pentecost, the Spirit inspired such boldness and passion in the hearts of Peter and John that they went out to preach in the synagogues of the city. The people were amazed at their teachings (much like they were at the teachings of Jesus) and recognized the authority in their words because it came with power from the Holy Spirit (Acts 3). The Spirit continued to guide the church and grow the church all throughout the book of Acts.

Another emphasis is that of the redemptive-historical perspective. This attempts to understand each verse, passage, and book of the Bible in the scope of God’s overall sovereign plan. This theology seeks to focus on the unity of the entire Biblical message and necessarily individual stories. The focus is events in history unfolding in God’s perfect timing. A great example from Acts can be found when Jesus tells his disciples, “wait for the gift my Father promised…you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5). The disciples had not yet received the Spirit nor had they went out preaching the name of Jesus because it was not time for them to do so. The time would be right when God was ready to carry out His plan, which can be seen in Acts 2.

A third emphasis, but certainly not the last, in the book of Acts is the primary role of the Holy Spirit. Over the years many viewpoints have been presented about what the role of the Spirit really is. The Holy Spirit has been said to be an agent of holiness, empowering the believer for service, and increasing the intimacy of relationship between Jesus and the believer. All of these things are true and the Holy Spirit certainly works in sanctifying a believer and creating a deeper relationship with Christ, the book of Acts is undeniable in defining the primary role of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…” (Acts 1:8). The primary role of the Spirit according to the book of Acts is to empower the believer for service and to make greater witnesses.

Luke, the author of Acts, included theology and practice in historical-narrative that can be seen all throughout the book’s entirety. One of the most obvious methods that should be observed is that Luke wrote Acts much like the format of the Old Testament book of history. In the Old Testament, there are statements made by monumental figures that were intended to affect the practice and beliefs of those who read the books. “A look at Acts and the Old Testament accounts for many features of Acts. There is evidence that in writing Acts, Luke used Biblical language and models.”

By looking at the writings of Luke, it is clear that Luke intends to be more than just an observer or historian. Although he makes sure to record the events of history accurately, even if it means illustrating bad qualities in the early church, he also adds editorials to his work. He gives clues in his writings that reveal whether he approves or disapproves with the characters that he is narrating. Luke wants not only for his readers to learn accurate history, but also come to conclusions about the actions depicted in his writings and whether or not they are just. Pentecostals draw much theology and practice from the book of Acts and would be at a terrible loss if it were not appropriate to do so.

As valuable as drawing theology and practice from the book of Acts is to the Christian believer, it is important to exercise correct methods of doing so. It is quite possible to draw things from the book that the author never intended. When reading Acts, extra attention must be given in the clues that Luke left to illuminate what he intended for the reader to learn. An example is his tendency to report things repeatedly or report things that are similar several times. It is most likely that Luke wanted to reader to find extreme importance in those instances and repeated those things for emphasis. Again, one must not read deeper into the narrative than Luke intended. It may be tempting to add things or draw conclusions about certain topics with vague description, but such practice can potentially harm interpretation and must be avoided.

-Joey

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THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD

Savior of the World

Dear Reader,

Ponder this thought.  The concepts of CONTRAST and PARADOX are still meandering around in my brain, so I guess the Lord has more to share about this subject.

As a newborn baby, Jesus was the Savior of the world.  The minute He was born salvation and the promise of eternal life was ours to receive and claim.  Complete innocence from a sinless babe extended a gift to sinful man, eternal life and the forgiveness of sins.

The Lord is not a respecter of man.  Position means nothing to Him.  King and lowly shepherd stood on equal ground when they stood before Jesus. Gifts of gold and gifts of song were equal in the sight of our Lord. 

The infant held the power of heaven in His tiny fist.  Life and death were written into His mission and purpose on earth, ending with a risen and resurrected Lord.

There are so many contrasts to meditate upon:  Heaven vs. hell, angels vs. demons, God vs. satan, good triumphs over evil, a place of tears and sorrows vs. a heavenly home where there are no more tears or sorrows, truth vs. lies, humility vs. pride, grace and mercy vs. unkindness and cruelty, and so the list goes on and on.

When we see evil in our world and in our lives, we need to remember that Jesus is the good and satan is the evil.  God’s plan of opposites should help the believer recognize the truth in situations.  The key is to remember that God cannot lie and is pure goodness and love. If a situation looks evil then remember satan is to blame.

God is a mystery.  His children only see part of the true picture.  Only in heaven will we see with new eyes and full understanding.

(FYI    I always use a cap for God and Him or He and a lower case for satan.  My personal dig for the evil one)

 

1 CORINTHIANS   3:9-12

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

ISAIAH 9:6

For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, 
and the government will be on His shoulders. 
And He will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

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The Devil Is Still A Liar

…He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.—John 8:44 (New Living Translation)

I am writing this with a heavy heart but with a bit of indignation as well. There are many Christians that are experiencing a tremendous amount of pressure in their lives. Some are experiencing grief, for others it may be financial concerns or even marital and family issues. There are others that are experiencing any combination of these—if not all of them and more! But I am here to tell them and you that the Devil is a LIAR!!!!!

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ—2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (KJV)

Do not believe him for one moment! It is not all over, nor are you down for the count! God has not forgotten nor forsaken you! The voices you are hearing in your head that’s saying: this is the worse it has ever been, it is not going to get better, God has forsaken you, and it is better if you were dead—is all LIES! We serve a God that delivers, just TRUST HIM!

Answer those voices with the all-powerful Word of God! Put that Word in your heart and on your tongue; stand on that Word until it becomes real in you…it will not fail! Jesus said: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”—Matthew 24:35

“Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread”—Psalm 37:25 (NLT)

Neither you nor I have ever been “abandoned” by God…nor will we ever be! The devil is a liar! God is the Father of every one that has accepted His gift of grace…called Salvation. He is a Father that cares for His children…

  • TRUST HIM, for all of your needs—He will supply them; (Philippians 4:19)
  • TRUST HIM, to deliver you from every trial you face—He knows how to do it; (2 Peter 2:9)
  • TRUST HIM, to give you peace that makes no sense—He WILL DO IT! (Philippians 4:7)
  • TRUST HIM, to heal your body from all sickness and disease—He has provided it! (Psalm 103:3)

My friend, do not fall prey to the deceit of the enemy of your soul, for he is a liar and the source of all lies! But our God is TRUTH!

  • He saves;
  • He heals;
  • He delivers;
  • He comforts;
  • He guides;
  • He strengthens and,
  • He gives peace;

Make this your confession: I am a believer and not a doubter. I am not moved by what I see, hear, or feel; I am moved by what I believe from the Word; and that’s enough for me!

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God has pressed the ‘delete’ button – you can too!!

What an amazing verse is Hebrews 8:12 “For I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more”
That is a pretty awesome statement.To think that God is willing and able to forgive our sins – no matter where we have been or what we have done!

Of course we have to come to the place in our lives where we are willing to ask God’s forgiveness, claim the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross as a full pardon for our sins and ask Him to take over the control of our lives.

An amazing sense of freedom will come into our lives at that moment as the Holy Spirit of God works the age old miracle of transformation and justification in our lives and we are forever changed!

There can be a problem through!

Sometimes we feel we have lived such a rotten and unholy life that we can’t possibly ask God or anyone else for that matter to even think of forgiving let alone forgiving and then forgetting.

God promised that He will “remember our sins no more”. That simply means  forgiven and FORGOTTEN – Forgotten – that’s right – no memory of them at all.

Are you in a situation where you can’t possibly think that God can forgive you? – or maybe handing your already-forgiven sins over to God again and again? Maybe you just simply can’t forgive yourself.

Gods love, grace, faithfulness and promises are boundless and free – God has smashed your past sins – don’t cart them around your neck like some putrid old carcase.

Claim God’s promises that He remembers your sins no more! They may kick, squeal, bite and struggle but ultimately they are doomed – they have no real hold over you any more.

He has pressed the delete button – you can too!!

So yes! claim those promises that your sins are forgiven – don’t keep dredging them up all the time.

Every brand new day is a special gift and a blessing from God. We are forgiven. The chains of sin are broken. Don’t continue to go stumbling around lost in the darkness of guilt.

Dry your tears, don’t continue to be embarrassed by your weaknesses, feeling abandoned in this on-going fight against already forgotten sins.

Boldly come to the Father, He is also a friend who is eager to hear and willing to help you.

Every time you cry, every time you hide your face, every time you run away, every time you turn your back on God, He is saying “I’m still here – I’ve always been here – I love you – I remember your sins no more.”

Accept His offer of forgiveness – keep breathing – keep believing – hang on tight to His promises that the chains of your sins are broken.

Listen to what Jesus says – Listen to His promises – don’t rush around praying over and over for forgiveness that has already been given – It’s like saying to God “Please Lord, don’t interrupt me now I’m praying.”

You know gazing into the face of Jesus is gazing into wondrous love and grace – what He says He will do – He will certainly do – you can bank on it – rest in Him.

Satan is the one who says can’t while God says can – Satan says won’t while God says will – Satan says GUILTY while God says INNOCENT.

Don’t listen to Satan – the king of liars.

Listen to the one who can set you free – free from the on-going guilt of dragging around already forgotten sins.

We will all keep on sinning while we live in this world – unfortunately that is the price we pay – It is the on-going work of the Holy Spirit to convict us of these sins so that we can bring them to God. BUT…

Forget the past sins – Jesus died so that we can live  - He nailed them to His cross. Claim God’s promise and start to really trust Him

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Forgiving Your Past

 

By Neil Anderson
 
Ephesians 4:32 
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you
The second step in resolving past conflicts is to forgive those who have offended you. After encouraging Cindy, a rape victim, to deal with the emotional trauma of her rape, I said, “Cindy, you also need to forgive the man who raped you.” Cindy’s response was typical of many believers who have suffered physical, sexual or emotional pain at the hands of others: “Why should I forgive him? You don’t know how badly he hurt me!”
“He’s still hurting you, Cindy,” I responded. “Forgiveness is how you stop the pain. You don’t forgive him for his sake; you do it for your sake.”
Why should you forgive those who have hurt you in the past?
First, forgiveness is required by God. As soon as Jesus spoke the amen to His model prayer–which included a petition for God’s forgiveness–He commented: “If you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:14, 15). We must base our relationships with others on the same criteria on which God bases His relationship with us: love, acceptance and forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-35).
Second, forgiveness is necessary to avoid entrapment by Satan. I have discovered from my counseling that unforgiveness is the number one avenue Satan uses to gain entrance to believers’ lives. Paul encouraged mutual forgiveness “in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Unforgiveness is an open invitation to Satan’s bondage in our lives.
Third, we are to forgive like Christ forgave in order to keep our hearts from bitterness. Paul wrote: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31, 32).
Your act of forgiveness will set the captive free, then you will realize that the captive was you!