"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death." 1 John 3:14 (NIV)
The Apostle John, who referred to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved, here in this verse provided the answer to the question, "How do we know that we are saved?" Under Divine inspiration his answer was, we know that we are saved because we love our brothers. Those who do not love their fellowman are still lost in sin.
God is love, and he who does not love is not of God. (1 John 4:8 and 1 John 4:20) If we love one another, then we are in God and God is in us. (1 John 4:12 and 1 John 4:16) Jesus, The Christ, taught us that we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. (Mark 12:31) If The Holy Spirit of God is within us, then we will exhibit evidence of the fruit of The Spirit, part of which is love. (Galatians 5:22-23) When we display the love of God in our behavior, then we know that we are saved. Death is the separation from God. Those who live in the darkness of spiritual death, live a life which is dominated by hate, and not by love, because they have not accepted Christ. (John 3:36) Therefore, they have not been born into the light of life with Christ. Salvation is only available to those who believe. (John 3:16 and Romans 10:9)
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Be Encouraged
"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love." 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NIV)
These words of encouragement were spoken by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in The Church at Corinth. He wanted to come to them, but he had work to finish in Ephesus so he was encouraging them to be on their guard against evil teaching, to keep the faith, to stand firm in their belief, and to do all that they do in a loving Christ-like manner.
Things will not always go the way that we want them to go. However, regardless of the position or situation that we find ourselves in, we are still to behave in a Christ-like manner. Nothing that happens to us, or around us, should cause us to lose our faith in God. We are to put on the whole armor of God so that we can guard against the attacks of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11) We must stand firm, unyielding and unshaken, in our faith and in our beliefs. (Romans 5:2 and 1 Corinthians 2:5) We must be courageous as we face the storms of life and our trials, tribulations, and temptations, for God did not give us the spirit of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7) We must be strong and make use of His strength. (1 Chronicles 16:11 and Psalms 105:4) With His strength all things are possible. (Philippians 4:13) Whatever comes our way will be for our benefit. (Romans 8:28) He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) With Him we have the victory because through Him we are more than conquerors. (Romans 8:37) So, no matter what, stand firm, keep the faith, and be of good courage, The Lord God is with us.
These words of encouragement were spoken by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in The Church at Corinth. He wanted to come to them, but he had work to finish in Ephesus so he was encouraging them to be on their guard against evil teaching, to keep the faith, to stand firm in their belief, and to do all that they do in a loving Christ-like manner.
Things will not always go the way that we want them to go. However, regardless of the position or situation that we find ourselves in, we are still to behave in a Christ-like manner. Nothing that happens to us, or around us, should cause us to lose our faith in God. We are to put on the whole armor of God so that we can guard against the attacks of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11) We must stand firm, unyielding and unshaken, in our faith and in our beliefs. (Romans 5:2 and 1 Corinthians 2:5) We must be courageous as we face the storms of life and our trials, tribulations, and temptations, for God did not give us the spirit of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7) We must be strong and make use of His strength. (1 Chronicles 16:11 and Psalms 105:4) With His strength all things are possible. (Philippians 4:13) Whatever comes our way will be for our benefit. (Romans 8:28) He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) With Him we have the victory because through Him we are more than conquerors. (Romans 8:37) So, no matter what, stand firm, keep the faith, and be of good courage, The Lord God is with us.
Monday, July 29, 2013
All Sin Is Against God
"For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge." Psalms 51:3 (NIV)
This psalm was written by King David after the prophet Nathan had confronted him regarding his committing adultery with Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, and then had him killed. (2 Samuel 11:1-17) David admitted that he had sinned and he knew that his sin was a sin against The Lord God.
We know when we sin, and usually we have made a conscious effort to do so. We never really forget that we have sinned. In fact, we frequently remember our sins, sometimes we relive them vicariously, and we even recount them to others. However, more often we are embarrassed and guilt ridden when we remember our sins because we knew that we were wrong and we did it anyway. As believers, we need to understand that when we sin, we may do wrong to others, but the sin that we commit while we are doing wrong is a sin against The Lord God Almighty. All sin is a sin against God, and it is all done in His sight. Even though He already knows the sins that we thought, said, and did, we must still confess our sins and ask Him to forgive us. (1 John 1:9) We need to be cleansed of our unrighteousness and only He can do that. Let us not let our past sins ruin our present, or our future. Once we are forgiven, He will remember our sins no more. (Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:12, and Hebrews 10:17)
This psalm was written by King David after the prophet Nathan had confronted him regarding his committing adultery with Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, and then had him killed. (2 Samuel 11:1-17) David admitted that he had sinned and he knew that his sin was a sin against The Lord God.
We know when we sin, and usually we have made a conscious effort to do so. We never really forget that we have sinned. In fact, we frequently remember our sins, sometimes we relive them vicariously, and we even recount them to others. However, more often we are embarrassed and guilt ridden when we remember our sins because we knew that we were wrong and we did it anyway. As believers, we need to understand that when we sin, we may do wrong to others, but the sin that we commit while we are doing wrong is a sin against The Lord God Almighty. All sin is a sin against God, and it is all done in His sight. Even though He already knows the sins that we thought, said, and did, we must still confess our sins and ask Him to forgive us. (1 John 1:9) We need to be cleansed of our unrighteousness and only He can do that. Let us not let our past sins ruin our present, or our future. Once we are forgiven, He will remember our sins no more. (Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:12, and Hebrews 10:17)
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Feeling Overwhelmed Try Jesus
"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
The Apostle Matthew recorded these words of Jesus as He spoke to His disciples and the people in the cities which they had recently visited and advised them not to worry about anything. Jesus extended an open invitation to all those who were tired, overworked, weary, burdened, and overwhelmed due to the pressures of their life. He told them to come to Him and He would give them rest. He was offering them rest from their physical struggles and rest for their souls from their spiritual struggles. He told them to learn from Him, His way was easy.
Worrying is counter-productive, it does not help the present situation, in fact it makes things worse. Worrying robs us of the joy of the moment, and it damages our mental, physical, and spiritual being. Jesus, The Christ, said do not worry anything today, God knows what we need, and do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring a new set of challenges to us. (Matthew 6:25-34) Worry will not make us taller or smarter, but it will increase our stress level. Following Christ would be easy for us if we would let go of the world's value system. Unfortunately, we try to serve two masters, and that cannot be done. (Matthew 6:24) If we would stop trying to please man and begin to do the things which please God, we would be better off. If we would learn from Christ, by reading and studying The Word of God, we would find that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Following Him is easy if we believe and have faith in Him.
The Apostle Matthew recorded these words of Jesus as He spoke to His disciples and the people in the cities which they had recently visited and advised them not to worry about anything. Jesus extended an open invitation to all those who were tired, overworked, weary, burdened, and overwhelmed due to the pressures of their life. He told them to come to Him and He would give them rest. He was offering them rest from their physical struggles and rest for their souls from their spiritual struggles. He told them to learn from Him, His way was easy.
Worrying is counter-productive, it does not help the present situation, in fact it makes things worse. Worrying robs us of the joy of the moment, and it damages our mental, physical, and spiritual being. Jesus, The Christ, said do not worry anything today, God knows what we need, and do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring a new set of challenges to us. (Matthew 6:25-34) Worry will not make us taller or smarter, but it will increase our stress level. Following Christ would be easy for us if we would let go of the world's value system. Unfortunately, we try to serve two masters, and that cannot be done. (Matthew 6:24) If we would stop trying to please man and begin to do the things which please God, we would be better off. If we would learn from Christ, by reading and studying The Word of God, we would find that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Following Him is easy if we believe and have faith in Him.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Be Careful What You Put Before Your Eyes
"I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me." Psalms 101:3 (NIV) The King James Version reads; "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes ..."
The words of this verse of this psalm were written by King David, a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22), as he was teaching the people and leading by example. David said that he was not going to put any vile, wicked, or evil thing before his eyes. He was not going to intentionally look at, or watch, anything that was vile, wicked, evil, or offensive to God.
David's action here would be a good example for us today. We are responsible for what we read, listen to, and watch whether that be personally witnessing in real life, on TV, in the movies, or over the internet. Something bad or ungodly may cross our path, but we do not have to continue watching it. The books that we read, the programs and movies that we watch, and all of our choices for entertainment reflect who we are, and we are supposed to be Christ-like. Our choices also effect those around us who are aware of them. We may cause others to fall into sinful behaviors as they imitate us. Remember, we are the only "Bible" that some people will ever read. We should also be aware of the fact that the eyes of The Good Lord are always upon us and He sees all that we do. (Proverbs 5:21) So, not only are we to avoid doing and saying anything that is ungodly, we should avoid watching anything that is ungodly. We will have to answer to God for the things that we put before our eyes which were not Christ-like.
The words of this verse of this psalm were written by King David, a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22), as he was teaching the people and leading by example. David said that he was not going to put any vile, wicked, or evil thing before his eyes. He was not going to intentionally look at, or watch, anything that was vile, wicked, evil, or offensive to God.
David's action here would be a good example for us today. We are responsible for what we read, listen to, and watch whether that be personally witnessing in real life, on TV, in the movies, or over the internet. Something bad or ungodly may cross our path, but we do not have to continue watching it. The books that we read, the programs and movies that we watch, and all of our choices for entertainment reflect who we are, and we are supposed to be Christ-like. Our choices also effect those around us who are aware of them. We may cause others to fall into sinful behaviors as they imitate us. Remember, we are the only "Bible" that some people will ever read. We should also be aware of the fact that the eyes of The Good Lord are always upon us and He sees all that we do. (Proverbs 5:21) So, not only are we to avoid doing and saying anything that is ungodly, we should avoid watching anything that is ungodly. We will have to answer to God for the things that we put before our eyes which were not Christ-like.
Honor Your Father And Mother
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land The LORD your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12 (NIV)
The fifth of the ten commandments which The Lord God gave to Moses for His people. This is the first of the commandments that contains a promise for those who keep it. Honor your parents and you will be blessed to live a long life.
We are told eight separate times in the Bible to honor our father and mother. (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, Matthew 15:4, Matthew 19:19, Mark 7:10, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, and Ephesians 6:2) To honor our father and mother means more than just saying nice things about them. To honor them is to respect them, to obey them, to express feelings our for them and to them, to love them, to accept their correction and punishment, to follow their advice and direction, to comfort them in their illness and in their old age, and to provide them with financial and emotional support. Honoring our parents requires us to demonstrate it with our actions. They cared for us when we were children, they helped us as adults, and now the time has come, or soon will come, for the roles to be reversed, and we will help and care for them. Most of them are not happy with their new dependent status. It is a blessing for us if we are able to spend time with them and make their last few years as easy as possible for them. Our parents will not be here with us forever, and we will regret it if we do not honor them while they were alive. Most of us will bury our parents, and we will miss them years after their death. We should be a blessing to them while we can. If we are a blessing to our parents and honor them, The Lord God will bless us and grant us a long life.
The fifth of the ten commandments which The Lord God gave to Moses for His people. This is the first of the commandments that contains a promise for those who keep it. Honor your parents and you will be blessed to live a long life.
We are told eight separate times in the Bible to honor our father and mother. (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, Matthew 15:4, Matthew 19:19, Mark 7:10, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, and Ephesians 6:2) To honor our father and mother means more than just saying nice things about them. To honor them is to respect them, to obey them, to express feelings our for them and to them, to love them, to accept their correction and punishment, to follow their advice and direction, to comfort them in their illness and in their old age, and to provide them with financial and emotional support. Honoring our parents requires us to demonstrate it with our actions. They cared for us when we were children, they helped us as adults, and now the time has come, or soon will come, for the roles to be reversed, and we will help and care for them. Most of them are not happy with their new dependent status. It is a blessing for us if we are able to spend time with them and make their last few years as easy as possible for them. Our parents will not be here with us forever, and we will regret it if we do not honor them while they were alive. Most of us will bury our parents, and we will miss them years after their death. We should be a blessing to them while we can. If we are a blessing to our parents and honor them, The Lord God will bless us and grant us a long life.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Resist Temptation And Stand With God
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
In his letter to the believers in Corinth, the Apostle Paul told them that temptation is common to all men and that all of them would be tempted. Then he told them that God would not let them be tempted beyond that which they could bear. When they were tempted, God would always provide them with a way out to avoid sin and to do that which was right.
Today, all of us are tempted to sin. The devil tempted Christ repeatedly, and he will tempt us. (Matthew 4:1-11) Being tempted is not a sin, it is yielding and giving in to the temptation that is a sin. The devil tempts us with a host of sins. (Romans 1:20-32 and Romans 2:1-8) Most of us do not like to think about our sins or the number of times that we give in to temptation. We sin when we break on of the ten commandments. We sin when we misuse and abuse our body, which is the temple of The Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19) We sin, not only by what we do and say, but we also sin by what we think. (Proverbs 23:7 and Matthew 5:28) In fact the Bible teaches us that all unrighteousness is sin. (1 John 5:17) All of us are sinners, we just choose to sin differently. (Romans 3:10 and Romans 3:23) We choose to sin, and we can choose not to sin. When we are tempted, God always provides us with a way to avoid sin. Submit to The Lord and we can resist temptation, and the devil will flee from us. ( James 4:7) Reading the Bible when we are tempted to sin will help us stand up to the temptation. Praying to God and focusing all of our attention on Him when we are tempted will also help us to stand up to temptation. We all need to ask God to forgive us of our sins, and we need to ask for His help to keep us from yielding to temptation and sin. Let's yield to sin less, and glorify God more.
In his letter to the believers in Corinth, the Apostle Paul told them that temptation is common to all men and that all of them would be tempted. Then he told them that God would not let them be tempted beyond that which they could bear. When they were tempted, God would always provide them with a way out to avoid sin and to do that which was right.
Today, all of us are tempted to sin. The devil tempted Christ repeatedly, and he will tempt us. (Matthew 4:1-11) Being tempted is not a sin, it is yielding and giving in to the temptation that is a sin. The devil tempts us with a host of sins. (Romans 1:20-32 and Romans 2:1-8) Most of us do not like to think about our sins or the number of times that we give in to temptation. We sin when we break on of the ten commandments. We sin when we misuse and abuse our body, which is the temple of The Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19) We sin, not only by what we do and say, but we also sin by what we think. (Proverbs 23:7 and Matthew 5:28) In fact the Bible teaches us that all unrighteousness is sin. (1 John 5:17) All of us are sinners, we just choose to sin differently. (Romans 3:10 and Romans 3:23) We choose to sin, and we can choose not to sin. When we are tempted, God always provides us with a way to avoid sin. Submit to The Lord and we can resist temptation, and the devil will flee from us. ( James 4:7) Reading the Bible when we are tempted to sin will help us stand up to the temptation. Praying to God and focusing all of our attention on Him when we are tempted will also help us to stand up to temptation. We all need to ask God to forgive us of our sins, and we need to ask for His help to keep us from yielding to temptation and sin. Let's yield to sin less, and glorify God more.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Pray Frequently And Often
"Pray continually;" 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV) The King James Version reads: "Pray without ceasing."
In his letter to the believers in the Church at Thessalonika, the Apostle Paul told them that they ought to always pray, or to pray frequently and often.
Prayer is the means by which believers communicate with God. Jesus, The Christ, said that man ought to always pray. (Luke 18:1) King David was a man after God's heart not because he was perfect, but because he prayed frequently and often. We have not because we ask not. (James 4:2) Christ said that whatever we ask for in His name we would receive. (Matthew 21:22) That is, if what we ask for will give God glory. We are encouraged to be faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12), and to pray for one another. (James 5:16) Our prayers should be sincere. (Ephesians 6:18) We should pray for those that we love, and for our enemies. (Matthew 5:44) We should not pray just to be seen and heard by men or to get attention. (Matthew 6:5-6) The more often that we sincerely pray, the less often we are likely to enter into temptation to sin. (Matthew 26:41 and Mark 14:38) Jesus prayed for His disciples and He also prayed for us. (John 17:20) So pray, and pray sincerely, and pray often. The more often we pray, the better off we will be.
In his letter to the believers in the Church at Thessalonika, the Apostle Paul told them that they ought to always pray, or to pray frequently and often.
Prayer is the means by which believers communicate with God. Jesus, The Christ, said that man ought to always pray. (Luke 18:1) King David was a man after God's heart not because he was perfect, but because he prayed frequently and often. We have not because we ask not. (James 4:2) Christ said that whatever we ask for in His name we would receive. (Matthew 21:22) That is, if what we ask for will give God glory. We are encouraged to be faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12), and to pray for one another. (James 5:16) Our prayers should be sincere. (Ephesians 6:18) We should pray for those that we love, and for our enemies. (Matthew 5:44) We should not pray just to be seen and heard by men or to get attention. (Matthew 6:5-6) The more often that we sincerely pray, the less often we are likely to enter into temptation to sin. (Matthew 26:41 and Mark 14:38) Jesus prayed for His disciples and He also prayed for us. (John 17:20) So pray, and pray sincerely, and pray often. The more often we pray, the better off we will be.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
We Need Patience
"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised." Hebrews 10:36 (NIV) The King James Version reads "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." (KJV)
The unknown human author of the book of Hebrews states to the believers that they will receive that which God has promised them, after they have done His will, if they will just wait patiently on The Lord.
Patience is one of the attributes of God. (Romans 15:5, Revelation 1:9, and Revelation 10:3) Patience is also part of the fruit of The Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) When The Word of God is in the heart of a believer, the evidence is that it brings forth the fruit of patience. (Luke 5:18) The trials and tribulations which we go through in this life help us to develop patience. (Romans 5:3 and James 1:3) We need patience as we deal with our afflictions, our situations, and our fellow man as we run our race and go through the storms. (Hebrews 12:1) It is through patience that we wait for the things which we hope for and have prayed for. (Romans 8:25) It is belief and patience which lead to godliness. (2 Peter 1:6) It is by submission and patient endurance that believers obey The Word of God and remain faithful to Jesus, The Christ. (Revelation 14:12) The promise of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:23)
The unknown human author of the book of Hebrews states to the believers that they will receive that which God has promised them, after they have done His will, if they will just wait patiently on The Lord.
Patience is one of the attributes of God. (Romans 15:5, Revelation 1:9, and Revelation 10:3) Patience is also part of the fruit of The Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) When The Word of God is in the heart of a believer, the evidence is that it brings forth the fruit of patience. (Luke 5:18) The trials and tribulations which we go through in this life help us to develop patience. (Romans 5:3 and James 1:3) We need patience as we deal with our afflictions, our situations, and our fellow man as we run our race and go through the storms. (Hebrews 12:1) It is through patience that we wait for the things which we hope for and have prayed for. (Romans 8:25) It is belief and patience which lead to godliness. (2 Peter 1:6) It is by submission and patient endurance that believers obey The Word of God and remain faithful to Jesus, The Christ. (Revelation 14:12) The promise of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:23)
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Greater Is He Who Is In Us
"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us." 1 John 4:4-6 (NIV)
The Apostle John, the last disciple to die that walked with Christ, told the believers that those who know God will listen to the people of God. Those who will not listen to God's people do not know God. They would rather listen to worldly people because they are of the world and they share the viewpoint of the world. John also told them that as believers they were the children of God and they would overcome those who are of the world. He said that because The God which is within the believers is greater than he who rules the world.
The Lord God is great, and there is no one greater. (Job 36:26) He is all powerful (Matthew 28:18), all knowing (Psalms 33:13-15 and Psalms 94:11), and He is everywhere all at the same time. (Psalms 139:7-10) The Holy Spirit of God indwells all believers. (Ezekiel 36:27 and 1 Corinthians 6:19) We are of God, from God, in God, and He is within us. We are not of this world just as Christ was not of this world. (John 8:23) Christ has overcome the world. (John 16:33) Because He is within us, we also shall be victorious and overcome the world, for we are more than conquerors. (Romans 8:37) All of us, not just the preachers, are to spread the good news to the world, but we should not be surprised when the world does not want to hear about the gospel. (2 Timothy 4:3)
The Apostle John, the last disciple to die that walked with Christ, told the believers that those who know God will listen to the people of God. Those who will not listen to God's people do not know God. They would rather listen to worldly people because they are of the world and they share the viewpoint of the world. John also told them that as believers they were the children of God and they would overcome those who are of the world. He said that because The God which is within the believers is greater than he who rules the world.
The Lord God is great, and there is no one greater. (Job 36:26) He is all powerful (Matthew 28:18), all knowing (Psalms 33:13-15 and Psalms 94:11), and He is everywhere all at the same time. (Psalms 139:7-10) The Holy Spirit of God indwells all believers. (Ezekiel 36:27 and 1 Corinthians 6:19) We are of God, from God, in God, and He is within us. We are not of this world just as Christ was not of this world. (John 8:23) Christ has overcome the world. (John 16:33) Because He is within us, we also shall be victorious and overcome the world, for we are more than conquerors. (Romans 8:37) All of us, not just the preachers, are to spread the good news to the world, but we should not be surprised when the world does not want to hear about the gospel. (2 Timothy 4:3)
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Receiving Special Conditional Blessings
"If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
It was at night that The Lord God appeared in a vision to King Solomon, the son of King David, and told him that He had heard his prayer. (2 Chronicles 7:12) He told Solomon that He would hear the prayers of His people, and He would forgive them of their sins, and He would bless them. But, He said that He would do this if they would first humble themselves, and pray to Him, and follow His commands, and turn from their wicked sinful ways.
We are all blessed in more ways than we can count. However, there are additional conditional blessing which we could receive if we would first satisfy the stipulations that The Lord has placed upon them. In this case the healing of the people, the nation, and the land, would not occur and the prayers for this would not be heard or answered. Personally, our individual and collective sins would not be forgiven unless we changed our behavior. As believers we are His people and He wants us to act more Christ-like. We need to be more humble when we approach Him, and when we deal with others. We need to sincerely pray many more times each day. We need to confess our sins, ask to be forgiven, and submit to and follow His Word. We also need to turn from our wicked sinful ways and stop repeatedly committing our favorite sinful bad habits. Then, and only then will He keep His promise to hear our prayers, forgive our sins, and heal us. Again, some blessings are conditional.
It was at night that The Lord God appeared in a vision to King Solomon, the son of King David, and told him that He had heard his prayer. (2 Chronicles 7:12) He told Solomon that He would hear the prayers of His people, and He would forgive them of their sins, and He would bless them. But, He said that He would do this if they would first humble themselves, and pray to Him, and follow His commands, and turn from their wicked sinful ways.
We are all blessed in more ways than we can count. However, there are additional conditional blessing which we could receive if we would first satisfy the stipulations that The Lord has placed upon them. In this case the healing of the people, the nation, and the land, would not occur and the prayers for this would not be heard or answered. Personally, our individual and collective sins would not be forgiven unless we changed our behavior. As believers we are His people and He wants us to act more Christ-like. We need to be more humble when we approach Him, and when we deal with others. We need to sincerely pray many more times each day. We need to confess our sins, ask to be forgiven, and submit to and follow His Word. We also need to turn from our wicked sinful ways and stop repeatedly committing our favorite sinful bad habits. Then, and only then will He keep His promise to hear our prayers, forgive our sins, and heal us. Again, some blessings are conditional.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Study The Bible And Avoid Idle Conversation
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly." 2 Timothy 2:15-16 (NIV) The King James Version says "Study to show thyself approved unto God..."
These are the words of that prolific New Testament writer, the Apostle Paul, to his young protege in the ministry, Timothy. Paul was encouraging Timothy to diligently apply himself to the study of The Word of God. so that he would understand it, and be able to explain it to the people and thereby please The Lord. Paul told him to avoid idle conversation and arguments, and to kind and gentle as he teaches The Word of God. (2 Timothy 2:16 and 23-26)
Most of us do not read the Bible as often as we should. Studying The Word of God requires much more than just reading it. Study entails developing an appreciation for the context in which something was said or done, looking up the definition of words, and comparing the content of a verse with other Bible verses that address the same content. We all should read and study much more. Here Paul urges Timothy to study and to do his best to correctly present The Word of God. He told him not to be ashamed of his efforts but to be careful in the manner in which he speaks and teaches. We would all also do well to heed Paul's warning to avoid idle godless conversation. Jesus, The Christ said that we would be judged on every idle word that we speak. (Matthew 12:36) Christ also said that by our words we would be justified, and by our words we would be condemned. (Matthew 12:37) Much of what we say could be left unspoken, because it is not helpful, and it does not praise God or give Him glory. As servants of The Lord we are not to quarrel with others, we are to kindly tell them what The Lord says. (2 Timothy 2:23-26) It is the job and sanctifying work of The Holy Spirit to convict, convince, and convert them as He deems necessary. (2 Thessalonians 2:13 and 1 Peter 1:2) If they will not hear us, or listen to us, it is better for us to just walk away than to argue with them. (Mark 6:11) We should always be mindful of the fact that our behavior may be the only "Bible" that they will ever read.
These are the words of that prolific New Testament writer, the Apostle Paul, to his young protege in the ministry, Timothy. Paul was encouraging Timothy to diligently apply himself to the study of The Word of God. so that he would understand it, and be able to explain it to the people and thereby please The Lord. Paul told him to avoid idle conversation and arguments, and to kind and gentle as he teaches The Word of God. (2 Timothy 2:16 and 23-26)
Most of us do not read the Bible as often as we should. Studying The Word of God requires much more than just reading it. Study entails developing an appreciation for the context in which something was said or done, looking up the definition of words, and comparing the content of a verse with other Bible verses that address the same content. We all should read and study much more. Here Paul urges Timothy to study and to do his best to correctly present The Word of God. He told him not to be ashamed of his efforts but to be careful in the manner in which he speaks and teaches. We would all also do well to heed Paul's warning to avoid idle godless conversation. Jesus, The Christ said that we would be judged on every idle word that we speak. (Matthew 12:36) Christ also said that by our words we would be justified, and by our words we would be condemned. (Matthew 12:37) Much of what we say could be left unspoken, because it is not helpful, and it does not praise God or give Him glory. As servants of The Lord we are not to quarrel with others, we are to kindly tell them what The Lord says. (2 Timothy 2:23-26) It is the job and sanctifying work of The Holy Spirit to convict, convince, and convert them as He deems necessary. (2 Thessalonians 2:13 and 1 Peter 1:2) If they will not hear us, or listen to us, it is better for us to just walk away than to argue with them. (Mark 6:11) We should always be mindful of the fact that our behavior may be the only "Bible" that they will ever read.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Increase Our Faith
"The apostles said to The LORD, 'Increase our faith!' " Luke 17:5 (NIV)
According to Luke, the physician and travelling companion of the Apostle Paul, after Jesus had spoken to His disciples about forgiveness and the number of times that they should forgive a transgressor, (Luke 17:3-4), they said to Him "Increase our faith." The disciples recognized that they needed more faith and they asked The Lord to give them more of it.
Some of the time God gives us what we ask Him for, and other times He puts in situations where we have an opportunity to demonstrate and develop that which we have asked Him for. Those of us with very little faith, must exercise it and use it in order for it to grow and increase. We can increase our faith by asking The Lord for it, and then believing and acting as if that which we asked for is already done. (Luke 17:5-10) We need to ask in prayer, be obedient to His Word, praise The Lord, give Him glory, and give Him thanks for blessing us with that which we asked for. (Luke 17:12-19) We need to be humble when we approach Him, knowing and believing that there is power in His Word. (Matthew 8:8) We need to believe that His touch can change our life. (Matthew 9:20-22) We need to demonstrate, practice, and exercise our faith when we are in trying circumstances and situations. (James 1:2-3) We need to be obedient to The Word of God and do His will, for without faith it is impossible to please God, (Hebrews 11:6), but faith without works to back it up is meaningless. (James 2:17-20 and 2:26)
According to Luke, the physician and travelling companion of the Apostle Paul, after Jesus had spoken to His disciples about forgiveness and the number of times that they should forgive a transgressor, (Luke 17:3-4), they said to Him "Increase our faith." The disciples recognized that they needed more faith and they asked The Lord to give them more of it.
Some of the time God gives us what we ask Him for, and other times He puts in situations where we have an opportunity to demonstrate and develop that which we have asked Him for. Those of us with very little faith, must exercise it and use it in order for it to grow and increase. We can increase our faith by asking The Lord for it, and then believing and acting as if that which we asked for is already done. (Luke 17:5-10) We need to ask in prayer, be obedient to His Word, praise The Lord, give Him glory, and give Him thanks for blessing us with that which we asked for. (Luke 17:12-19) We need to be humble when we approach Him, knowing and believing that there is power in His Word. (Matthew 8:8) We need to believe that His touch can change our life. (Matthew 9:20-22) We need to demonstrate, practice, and exercise our faith when we are in trying circumstances and situations. (James 1:2-3) We need to be obedient to The Word of God and do His will, for without faith it is impossible to please God, (Hebrews 11:6), but faith without works to back it up is meaningless. (James 2:17-20 and 2:26)
They That Wait Upon The Lord
"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is The Everlasting God, The Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in The LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)
The Prophet Isaiah recorded and number of prophecies which The Lord revealed to him. Here he records The Word of God as He addresses His people who have question whether or not He had forgotten them. (Isaiah 40:27) Isaiah reports that The Lord God is never too tired or too weak to help them. He is so powerful that He can share some of His power with the weak. (Isaiah 40:29) Those who believe and have faith in Him will have their strength renewed and increased. To those who wait patiently for His return, He will allow to fly like an eagle, to run and not get tired, and to walk for a long time and not pass out. He will be their physical strength and their spiritual strength.
We question God for allowing us to remain in a bad situation after we call upon Him and ask for deliverance. The Prophet Isaiah reminds us that God created the heaven and the earth, and that He is all powerful. (Isaiah 40:28) We need God, He does not need us. We get weary and are weak physically and spiritually. We need His help and His strength. We believe in Him but our faith is weak. (Matthew 6:30, 8:26, 14:31, and 16:8) He lifts us up when we fall, and when the world knocks us down. One day our souls will fly towards heaven. When we receive our glorified bodies we will never get weary. Those who wait patiently upon The Lord will inherit the earth. (Psalms 37:9) They will also be blessed. (Isaiah 30:18) Belief, patient commitment, and perseverance in the faith will be rewarded. (Hebrews 11:6)
The Prophet Isaiah recorded and number of prophecies which The Lord revealed to him. Here he records The Word of God as He addresses His people who have question whether or not He had forgotten them. (Isaiah 40:27) Isaiah reports that The Lord God is never too tired or too weak to help them. He is so powerful that He can share some of His power with the weak. (Isaiah 40:29) Those who believe and have faith in Him will have their strength renewed and increased. To those who wait patiently for His return, He will allow to fly like an eagle, to run and not get tired, and to walk for a long time and not pass out. He will be their physical strength and their spiritual strength.
We question God for allowing us to remain in a bad situation after we call upon Him and ask for deliverance. The Prophet Isaiah reminds us that God created the heaven and the earth, and that He is all powerful. (Isaiah 40:28) We need God, He does not need us. We get weary and are weak physically and spiritually. We need His help and His strength. We believe in Him but our faith is weak. (Matthew 6:30, 8:26, 14:31, and 16:8) He lifts us up when we fall, and when the world knocks us down. One day our souls will fly towards heaven. When we receive our glorified bodies we will never get weary. Those who wait patiently upon The Lord will inherit the earth. (Psalms 37:9) They will also be blessed. (Isaiah 30:18) Belief, patient commitment, and perseverance in the faith will be rewarded. (Hebrews 11:6)
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
You Should Also Be Ready
"So you also must be ready, because The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him." Matthew 24:44 (NIV) The King James Version (KJV) renders this verse as "Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not The Son of man cometh ." Matthew 24:44 (KJV)
The Apostle Matthew, the former tax collector, recorded these words which Jesus spoke to His disciples when they asked Him about the coming of the end of this age. (Matthew 24:1-2) After He gave them a number of things to watch for as signs that the end is near, then Jesus said to them be ready, for no one knows the exact time judgment day and The Lord God will come.
The Boy Scout motto is "be prepared." It would be a good idea for us to be prepared, to be ready, just in case The Lord comes back sooner than is anticipated. We know that He is coming back because He said that He would. (John 14:2-3) We just don't know when He is coming back. He said that He would come back when we least expect Him to come. When He returns He is coming for His Church, and if you are not part of The Church and one of the believers in Christ, then you will be left behind. We get ready for a lot of things, we need to get ready for the coming of The Lord. While disaster preparedness may take hours, days, or months to complete, getting ready for Christ, to those who believe, can be accomplished within minutes. All one has to do is believe and accept Jesus, The Christ. (John 3:16, Acts 16:31, and Roman 10:9) Get ready, He's coming back, "Be ye also ready ..."
The Apostle Matthew, the former tax collector, recorded these words which Jesus spoke to His disciples when they asked Him about the coming of the end of this age. (Matthew 24:1-2) After He gave them a number of things to watch for as signs that the end is near, then Jesus said to them be ready, for no one knows the exact time judgment day and The Lord God will come.
The Boy Scout motto is "be prepared." It would be a good idea for us to be prepared, to be ready, just in case The Lord comes back sooner than is anticipated. We know that He is coming back because He said that He would. (John 14:2-3) We just don't know when He is coming back. He said that He would come back when we least expect Him to come. When He returns He is coming for His Church, and if you are not part of The Church and one of the believers in Christ, then you will be left behind. We get ready for a lot of things, we need to get ready for the coming of The Lord. While disaster preparedness may take hours, days, or months to complete, getting ready for Christ, to those who believe, can be accomplished within minutes. All one has to do is believe and accept Jesus, The Christ. (John 3:16, Acts 16:31, and Roman 10:9) Get ready, He's coming back, "Be ye also ready ..."
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Weeping May Endure For A Night But Joy Is Coming
"Sing to The LORD, you saints of His; praise His holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalms 30:4-5 (NIV)
King David told the believers to sing praises unto The Lord and to praise His holy name. He said that The Lord would only be angry with them for a short time, but His favor was everlasting. They may have to suffer and cry for a short time, but that time would be followed by a period of rejoicing.
We know that bad things can happen to good people. All of us will face and endure the storms, trials, and tribulations of this life. The issue is not the trouble that we face, the issue is our response to the trouble. (Matthew 5:39 and James 1:2) The Bible states that there is a time for all things, both good and bad. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) We are to keep our Christ-like behavior at all times, even in the midst of our tribulations. (Romans 12:12) We are to keep the faith, and never lose hope, because trouble will not last for long. (1 Peter 1:6-8) Believers know that God does not make mistakes, and all things will work out for our good. (Romans 8:28)
King David told the believers to sing praises unto The Lord and to praise His holy name. He said that The Lord would only be angry with them for a short time, but His favor was everlasting. They may have to suffer and cry for a short time, but that time would be followed by a period of rejoicing.
We know that bad things can happen to good people. All of us will face and endure the storms, trials, and tribulations of this life. The issue is not the trouble that we face, the issue is our response to the trouble. (Matthew 5:39 and James 1:2) The Bible states that there is a time for all things, both good and bad. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) We are to keep our Christ-like behavior at all times, even in the midst of our tribulations. (Romans 12:12) We are to keep the faith, and never lose hope, because trouble will not last for long. (1 Peter 1:6-8) Believers know that God does not make mistakes, and all things will work out for our good. (Romans 8:28)
Monday, July 15, 2013
Do Good Unto All Others
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:12 (NIV)
As part of His Sermon on The Mount, Jesus said that men should always treat others as they would have others to treat them. He said that this is the essence of the Law and the teachings of the Prophets.
This verse is often referred to by the worldly phrase, "the golden rule", which states "do unto others as you would have them to do unto you." This quote is usually followed by the phrase "author unknown". All too often the world will not give Jesus, The Christ, the credit and respect which He is due. The golden rule is a paraphrase of a Bible verse which quotes Christ. Sometimes people will even give man credit for something that Christ said or did rather than recognize Christ. The real problem with this is that not enough believers are sufficiently knowledgeable about the Bible to refute the worldly individuals with the chapter and verse from The Word of God. Christ said that we should always behave, speak to, and act towards other individuals as we would like for them to behave, speak to, and act towards us. We are not to do unto them as they do unto us. We are not to repay evil with evil, but with love. (Romans 12:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, and 1 Peter 2:9) We are even to do good the those that hate us. (Matthew 5:44) We are to do good to, and love, our enemies. (Luke 6:27 and 6:35) We are to love others, even when we are not loved in return. If we only do good to and love those that do good to and love us, then we are no better than the lost sinners in the world. (Luke 6:33) By our being Christ-like to those who treat us poorly, we are "heaping burning coals upon their heads."
The Lord will deal with them for their bad treatment of us. (Proverbs 25:21-22 and Romans 12:19) Therefore, let us do good to all men, and treat all men as we would like to be treated. (Galatians 6:10) For knowing the right thing to do and not doing it is a sin. (James 4:17)
As part of His Sermon on The Mount, Jesus said that men should always treat others as they would have others to treat them. He said that this is the essence of the Law and the teachings of the Prophets.
This verse is often referred to by the worldly phrase, "the golden rule", which states "do unto others as you would have them to do unto you." This quote is usually followed by the phrase "author unknown". All too often the world will not give Jesus, The Christ, the credit and respect which He is due. The golden rule is a paraphrase of a Bible verse which quotes Christ. Sometimes people will even give man credit for something that Christ said or did rather than recognize Christ. The real problem with this is that not enough believers are sufficiently knowledgeable about the Bible to refute the worldly individuals with the chapter and verse from The Word of God. Christ said that we should always behave, speak to, and act towards other individuals as we would like for them to behave, speak to, and act towards us. We are not to do unto them as they do unto us. We are not to repay evil with evil, but with love. (Romans 12:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, and 1 Peter 2:9) We are even to do good the those that hate us. (Matthew 5:44) We are to do good to, and love, our enemies. (Luke 6:27 and 6:35) We are to love others, even when we are not loved in return. If we only do good to and love those that do good to and love us, then we are no better than the lost sinners in the world. (Luke 6:33) By our being Christ-like to those who treat us poorly, we are "heaping burning coals upon their heads."
The Lord will deal with them for their bad treatment of us. (Proverbs 25:21-22 and Romans 12:19) Therefore, let us do good to all men, and treat all men as we would like to be treated. (Galatians 6:10) For knowing the right thing to do and not doing it is a sin. (James 4:17)
Sunday, July 14, 2013
God's Perfect Peace
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You. Trust in The LORD forever, for The LORD, The LORD, is the Rock eternal." Isaiah 26:3-4 (NIV) In the King James version it reads: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee; because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in The LORD for ever; for in The LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength."
The Prophet Isaiah, often referred to as the greatest of the prophets, said that God will grant His perfect peace to those believers who have their mind fixed on Him, and who trust in Him, for in The Lord God there is everlasting strength.
The concept of God's perfect peace is beyond human comprehension and explanation. The Lord God could allow someone to attain such a state of peace here on earth. However, the conditions for attaining this would require being someone whose mind was focused on The Lord all of the time, and who trusted in The Lord for all things and in all situations. As best as I can explain it, God's perfect peace would not only be the absence of conflict, strife, suffering, and turmoil, but it would also include all of the blessings of a right relationship with God, and all which that entails. This may be possible for a believer to accomplish during and shortly after periods of effectual fervent prayer and meditation. This will be an inner peace and an outward peace. It will reflect having peace of mind and being at peace with God, a period of no earthly concerns. Although it may be possible through prayer for us to experience this for a few brief moments here on earth, for most of us, perpetual perfect peace will only be attained after death when we are in the presence of The Lord. Enjoying God's perfect peace should be the goal of every believer.
The Prophet Isaiah, often referred to as the greatest of the prophets, said that God will grant His perfect peace to those believers who have their mind fixed on Him, and who trust in Him, for in The Lord God there is everlasting strength.
The concept of God's perfect peace is beyond human comprehension and explanation. The Lord God could allow someone to attain such a state of peace here on earth. However, the conditions for attaining this would require being someone whose mind was focused on The Lord all of the time, and who trusted in The Lord for all things and in all situations. As best as I can explain it, God's perfect peace would not only be the absence of conflict, strife, suffering, and turmoil, but it would also include all of the blessings of a right relationship with God, and all which that entails. This may be possible for a believer to accomplish during and shortly after periods of effectual fervent prayer and meditation. This will be an inner peace and an outward peace. It will reflect having peace of mind and being at peace with God, a period of no earthly concerns. Although it may be possible through prayer for us to experience this for a few brief moments here on earth, for most of us, perpetual perfect peace will only be attained after death when we are in the presence of The Lord. Enjoying God's perfect peace should be the goal of every believer.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
To Whom Much Is Given Much Will Be Required
"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:47-48 (NIV)
Luke, the physician and a travelling companion of the Apostle Paul, records this parable which Jesus spoke to His disciples and to the crowd which had gathered. He first told them, "You also must be ready, because The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him." (Luke 12:40) Then Jesus told them the parable of the manager whom the master leaves in charge of the servants, the food, and all of his possessions. When the master left, the manager mistreated the servants, and consumed excessive food and drink. The master returned unexpectedly, caught him drunk and behaving poorly, and punished him. (Luke 12:40-48) Then Jesus made the point that those who knowingly disobey will be punished more severely, and those who are given more will be held to a higher standard.
The Lord is a good and righteous judge, He will reward and punish people as they deserve based upon their thoughts, spoken words, and their behavior. (2 Timothy 4:8) He also takes into account the knowledge and understanding of the person being judged. (Luke 12:47) He who knows better, and still does that which is wrong, will be punished more severely than he who does wrong unknowingly. Those to whom much is given, of them will much be required. (Luke 12:48) The more that we are blessed, the more we will be held accountable for how we handled our blessings. We are blessed so that we may be a blessing to others. (Read Luke 16:19-31 regarding a certain rich man and Lazarus the beggar) He that gives to the poor is actually lending to The Lord and He will repay him. (Proverbs 19:17) Those who are entrusted with positions of leadership and influence will be judged on how we handled that responsibility and whether or not we helped others. We will be held to a higher standard. Those of us who "have", will be judged on what we did with it, and on how we treated those who "have not". Those in positions of influence should be very careful regarding what they say and do around, and to, those who listen to them, follow them, and are influenced by them. There will be varying degrees of punishment in eternity depending upon the sin committed. (Matthew 10:15, Matthew 11:22-24, Mark 6:11, and Hebrews 10:29) We should make sure that our sins are forgiven.
Luke, the physician and a travelling companion of the Apostle Paul, records this parable which Jesus spoke to His disciples and to the crowd which had gathered. He first told them, "You also must be ready, because The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him." (Luke 12:40) Then Jesus told them the parable of the manager whom the master leaves in charge of the servants, the food, and all of his possessions. When the master left, the manager mistreated the servants, and consumed excessive food and drink. The master returned unexpectedly, caught him drunk and behaving poorly, and punished him. (Luke 12:40-48) Then Jesus made the point that those who knowingly disobey will be punished more severely, and those who are given more will be held to a higher standard.
The Lord is a good and righteous judge, He will reward and punish people as they deserve based upon their thoughts, spoken words, and their behavior. (2 Timothy 4:8) He also takes into account the knowledge and understanding of the person being judged. (Luke 12:47) He who knows better, and still does that which is wrong, will be punished more severely than he who does wrong unknowingly. Those to whom much is given, of them will much be required. (Luke 12:48) The more that we are blessed, the more we will be held accountable for how we handled our blessings. We are blessed so that we may be a blessing to others. (Read Luke 16:19-31 regarding a certain rich man and Lazarus the beggar) He that gives to the poor is actually lending to The Lord and He will repay him. (Proverbs 19:17) Those who are entrusted with positions of leadership and influence will be judged on how we handled that responsibility and whether or not we helped others. We will be held to a higher standard. Those of us who "have", will be judged on what we did with it, and on how we treated those who "have not". Those in positions of influence should be very careful regarding what they say and do around, and to, those who listen to them, follow them, and are influenced by them. There will be varying degrees of punishment in eternity depending upon the sin committed. (Matthew 10:15, Matthew 11:22-24, Mark 6:11, and Hebrews 10:29) We should make sure that our sins are forgiven.
Friday, July 12, 2013
The Words Of My Mouth
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalms 19:14 (NIV)
King David, a man after the heart of God, prayed this prayer out of his sincere desire to please God. He had asked God for forgiveness of his sins, and he asked God to keep him from committing sin unintentionally and willfully. (Psalms 19:12-13) Here he is praying for Him to guide his words and his thoughts, that they might pleasing to The Lord. He knows that his help, his strength, and his salvation all come from The Lord.
We would do well to ask God to forgive our sinful thoughts, words, and deeds, and to ask for His help avoid unintentional and intentional sins. We need His help because we sin by omission as well as by commission. David said that The Word of God warns us, and we are rewarded for obeying it. (Psalms 19:9-11) We will be judged on our thoughts, spoken words, and our actions. (1 Samuel 16:7, Jeremiah 17:10 and 32:19, Matthew 12:36, and Revelation 20:12) We will also be judged on the things which we should have done but omitted. (Matthew 25:45) David was a man after the heart of God because he had a sincere desire to please God. Although he had sinned, he prayed frequently, and he asked God to forgive him, and he asked God to guide his thoughts, words, and deeds. We would do good to do likewise. We should pray that not only our actions would be pleasing to The Lord, but that the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts would be pleasing to Him.
King David, a man after the heart of God, prayed this prayer out of his sincere desire to please God. He had asked God for forgiveness of his sins, and he asked God to keep him from committing sin unintentionally and willfully. (Psalms 19:12-13) Here he is praying for Him to guide his words and his thoughts, that they might pleasing to The Lord. He knows that his help, his strength, and his salvation all come from The Lord.
We would do well to ask God to forgive our sinful thoughts, words, and deeds, and to ask for His help avoid unintentional and intentional sins. We need His help because we sin by omission as well as by commission. David said that The Word of God warns us, and we are rewarded for obeying it. (Psalms 19:9-11) We will be judged on our thoughts, spoken words, and our actions. (1 Samuel 16:7, Jeremiah 17:10 and 32:19, Matthew 12:36, and Revelation 20:12) We will also be judged on the things which we should have done but omitted. (Matthew 25:45) David was a man after the heart of God because he had a sincere desire to please God. Although he had sinned, he prayed frequently, and he asked God to forgive him, and he asked God to guide his thoughts, words, and deeds. We would do good to do likewise. We should pray that not only our actions would be pleasing to The Lord, but that the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts would be pleasing to Him.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Christian Doctrine Summarized
A SUMMARY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE
POSTED WHAT A CHRISTIAN BELIEVES
06-26-13 The
Divinely Inspired Word of God 2
Timothy 3:16
06-27-13 The
One True God Jeremiah
10:10
06-28-13 By Sin
Man Fell From The Grace of God Romans
5:12
06-29-13 Believe
In The Resurrection Romans
10:9
06-30-13 Disobedience
Justified By Obedience Romans 5:18
07-01-13 Spiritually
Born Again John
3:1-7
07-02-13 Repentance
of Sin and Faith in Christ Acts 20:21
07-03-13 Sanctification
is A Life Long Process 1 Peter 1:1-2
07-04-13 The
Perseverance of The Saints Ephesians
6:18
07-05-13 The
Church is The Body of Christ and
We are The Church Ephesians 1:22-23
07-06-13 The
Lord’s Supper 1
Corinthians 11:23-30
07-07-13 The
Ordinance of Baptism Matthew
28:19
07-08-13 Keep
The Sabbath and Be Blessed Isaiah
56:1-2
07-09-13 The
New Heaven and The New Earth Revelation
21:1
07-10-13 The
Return of Christ and The Rapture 1
Thessalonians 4:16-17
The Return Of Christ And The Rapture
"For The Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet The Lord in the air. And so we will be with The Lord forever." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NIV)
The Apostle Paul, the human writer of almost half (thirteen of the twenty-seven Books) of The New Testament of The Bible, recorded in his letter to the believers in Thessaloniki that those who died believing in Christ would be raised from the dead, and they would meet The Lord in the air. Those of us who are alive when Christ returns, will meet up with them in the air. This meeting in the clouds in the air is referred to as the rapture of The Church.
The first time that Christ came to earth, He came as The Sacrificial Lamb, to die in our place, to pay the price for our sins for our salvation. (John 1:29, John 18:37, 1 Corinthians 15:3, and Galatians 1:4) Jesus said that He would come to earth a second time. (John 14:2-3) Also an angel appeared to His disciples after He ascended to heaven and told them that He would return. (Acts 1:11) When He comes to earth the second time, He will be coming to translate and rapture His Church. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) He is coming to gather all believers unto Himself. Get ready, no one knows the hour or the day of His return. (Matthew 24:44, Matthew 25:13, Mark 13:32, and Luke 12:40) He may return sooner than we think. (James 5:8)
The Apostle Paul, the human writer of almost half (thirteen of the twenty-seven Books) of The New Testament of The Bible, recorded in his letter to the believers in Thessaloniki that those who died believing in Christ would be raised from the dead, and they would meet The Lord in the air. Those of us who are alive when Christ returns, will meet up with them in the air. This meeting in the clouds in the air is referred to as the rapture of The Church.
The first time that Christ came to earth, He came as The Sacrificial Lamb, to die in our place, to pay the price for our sins for our salvation. (John 1:29, John 18:37, 1 Corinthians 15:3, and Galatians 1:4) Jesus said that He would come to earth a second time. (John 14:2-3) Also an angel appeared to His disciples after He ascended to heaven and told them that He would return. (Acts 1:11) When He comes to earth the second time, He will be coming to translate and rapture His Church. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) He is coming to gather all believers unto Himself. Get ready, no one knows the hour or the day of His return. (Matthew 24:44, Matthew 25:13, Mark 13:32, and Luke 12:40) He may return sooner than we think. (James 5:8)
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
The New Heaven And The New Earth
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away ; and there was no more sea." Revelation 21:1 (NIV)
In the vision which the Apostle John had, he saw a new heaven and a new earth. The original heaven and the original earth were no longer in existence. The new earth was different in that there were no oceans, no seas, no large bodies of water, it was virtually all land. Approximately three-fourths of the current earth's surface is covered by water.
In the beginning, God made the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) The earth is The Lord's, and all that dwell therein is also His. (Psalms 24:1) He can do with it as He pleases. God destroyed the earth once with water during the great flood. (Genesis 6:17, and Genesis 7:12 & 17-24) The Bible says that the earth will be destroyed again. (Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, and Luke 21:33) God promised that never again would He destroy the earth with water and a flood. (Genesis 10-14) However, this earth will be destroyed again, but the next time it will not be destroyed with water. God will establish a new heaven and a new earth, a place of perfect holiness, and He will dwell there with His people. (Revelation 21:3) The only people who will be there will be believers, the people of God. The only way to get there is by way of Jesus, The Christ. Jesus said, I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life, no man can get to heaven and God The Father but by Him. (John 14:6)
In the vision which the Apostle John had, he saw a new heaven and a new earth. The original heaven and the original earth were no longer in existence. The new earth was different in that there were no oceans, no seas, no large bodies of water, it was virtually all land. Approximately three-fourths of the current earth's surface is covered by water.
In the beginning, God made the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) The earth is The Lord's, and all that dwell therein is also His. (Psalms 24:1) He can do with it as He pleases. God destroyed the earth once with water during the great flood. (Genesis 6:17, and Genesis 7:12 & 17-24) The Bible says that the earth will be destroyed again. (Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, and Luke 21:33) God promised that never again would He destroy the earth with water and a flood. (Genesis 10-14) However, this earth will be destroyed again, but the next time it will not be destroyed with water. God will establish a new heaven and a new earth, a place of perfect holiness, and He will dwell there with His people. (Revelation 21:3) The only people who will be there will be believers, the people of God. The only way to get there is by way of Jesus, The Christ. Jesus said, I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life, no man can get to heaven and God The Father but by Him. (John 14:6)
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