Matthew 5:16 (KJV) Says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." Ephesians 5:8 (KJV) Says, "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:"
When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us, and we become new creatures in Christ. As the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Matthew tells us, we are to let the light of the Holy Spirit within us shine through in all we do so others can see our good works, and glorify God for them. As the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Ephesians tells us we are to walk as children of light. In short, we are called to be a light in a dark world.
As Christians we should be easily identified by our words, and actions. People should be able to identify us by the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the Spirit as follows: love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. I encourage you to ask yourself, if others see these things in you. Are others able to recognize that there is something different about you? Can they clearly tell by your words and actions that you are a born again believer, and follower of Jesus Christ? Or, do you dim the light of Christ within you via your words and actions? It is vital that we live our lives in a manner that reflects who we are in Christ. The manner in which we live our personal lives is our greatest witness for Him. When others see us live our lives in a Godly manner and the divine peace and joy it brings us, they will want what we have.
Far too many self-proclaimed Christians attend Sunday morning worship services, and allow that to be the only way someone could recognize them as being of the Christian faith. Attending worship services on Sunday mornings, and then going out into the world displaying behavior that in no way reflects the light of Christ within us does more damage than good. Proclaiming to be a Christian and living like lost souls does more harm than good to the reputation of Christians, and Christianity overall. This type behavior has earned Christians labels such as "hypocrites." Clearly when the lost see negative behavior in Christians they may decide they want no part in becoming a Christian or in Christianity overall. The vital point here is this type behavior can result in lost souls dying without having accepted Christ.
I urge Christians everywhere to make sure your words and actions line up with who you say you are as a born again believer, and follower of Jesus Christ. Live you life in a manner that makes clear you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. Conduct yourself in a manner that allows others to see the fruit of the Spirit. Stand firm in your faith and on God's Word even if it means standing alone. I encourage you to remember that you are called to be a light in this dark world.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Feel Good Preaching
2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) Says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"
Take note that the above passage of scripture uses the phrase "All scripture" recognizing that all scripture means that each and every Word of the Bible is important, necessary, and has a purpose. This verse goes on to tell us God's Word is profitable for doctrine which means a belief or set of beliefs taught by a Church. It further instructs that it is profitable for reproof which means an expression of blame or disapproval. It goes on to inform us that scripture is profitable for correction and for instruction in righteousness which means that it is profitable in correcting us, and in instructing us on how to live our lives in obedience to God. All of the profitable elements listed in this verse of scripture are of vital importance as is each and every single Word of God.
We live in a world where many people are adding words, changing words, and taking words away from the Bible in order for it to fit the lifestyle they are choosing to live. The Bible tells us in the book of revelation not to add or take away one word from scripture yet that is going on. There are pastors who opt only to preach on God's promises, and the blessings that He is prepared to rain down upon us while omitting sermons that touch on the importance of living in obedience to God, and the curses that come with failing to do so.
I am by no means saying that preachers should not preach sermons that lift up and encourage. Sermons that uplift and encourage, sermons that include the fact that God desires to bless us, and sermons that include all the wonderful promises He has made to us are very important. What I am saying is that sermons that include how important it is to live in obedience to God and the trouble it causes us when we don't are equally important.
Preachers who preach only what I call "feel good preaching" are not doing their hearers justice as they are limiting scripture by omitting vital sermons on obedience and disobedience. If a child misbehaves their parents are more than likely not going to bless them with a new toy. Just as this is true congregation members should not be led to believe God is eager to rain blessings down upon them while they are living in disobedience to Him.
It seems that more and more sermons are aimed at keeping congregation members coming back. Many sermons have the purpose of ensuring congregation members are reminded and encouraged often to tithe. In short, many are about money. Many pastors seem to avoid preaching the whole truth for fear they may run some people away from the Church, but this should never be a reason to sugar coat the Word of God. The truth does in fact upset some, but that's okay. If the truth offends some people, then they needed to hear it. I encourage you to recognize that God does indeed have the desire to rain blessings down on us, and that He has made us wonderful promises that He will keep. I encourage you also to recognize the importance of living in obedience to God because you have the desire in your heart to do so. Live in obedience to God, and you will be living the best life you could ever possibly hope to live.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Take note that the above passage of scripture uses the phrase "All scripture" recognizing that all scripture means that each and every Word of the Bible is important, necessary, and has a purpose. This verse goes on to tell us God's Word is profitable for doctrine which means a belief or set of beliefs taught by a Church. It further instructs that it is profitable for reproof which means an expression of blame or disapproval. It goes on to inform us that scripture is profitable for correction and for instruction in righteousness which means that it is profitable in correcting us, and in instructing us on how to live our lives in obedience to God. All of the profitable elements listed in this verse of scripture are of vital importance as is each and every single Word of God.
We live in a world where many people are adding words, changing words, and taking words away from the Bible in order for it to fit the lifestyle they are choosing to live. The Bible tells us in the book of revelation not to add or take away one word from scripture yet that is going on. There are pastors who opt only to preach on God's promises, and the blessings that He is prepared to rain down upon us while omitting sermons that touch on the importance of living in obedience to God, and the curses that come with failing to do so.
I am by no means saying that preachers should not preach sermons that lift up and encourage. Sermons that uplift and encourage, sermons that include the fact that God desires to bless us, and sermons that include all the wonderful promises He has made to us are very important. What I am saying is that sermons that include how important it is to live in obedience to God and the trouble it causes us when we don't are equally important.
Preachers who preach only what I call "feel good preaching" are not doing their hearers justice as they are limiting scripture by omitting vital sermons on obedience and disobedience. If a child misbehaves their parents are more than likely not going to bless them with a new toy. Just as this is true congregation members should not be led to believe God is eager to rain blessings down upon them while they are living in disobedience to Him.
It seems that more and more sermons are aimed at keeping congregation members coming back. Many sermons have the purpose of ensuring congregation members are reminded and encouraged often to tithe. In short, many are about money. Many pastors seem to avoid preaching the whole truth for fear they may run some people away from the Church, but this should never be a reason to sugar coat the Word of God. The truth does in fact upset some, but that's okay. If the truth offends some people, then they needed to hear it. I encourage you to recognize that God does indeed have the desire to rain blessings down on us, and that He has made us wonderful promises that He will keep. I encourage you also to recognize the importance of living in obedience to God because you have the desire in your heart to do so. Live in obedience to God, and you will be living the best life you could ever possibly hope to live.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Equally Yoked
II Corinthians 6:14 (KJV) Says, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"
I Corinthians 15:33 (KJV) Says, "Be not deceived: evil communcations corrupt good manners."
In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of II Corinthians Christians are warned about surrounding ourselves socially with unbelievers. While Christians are to mingle among the lost spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ we are not to spend idle time with them involving ourselves in activities that do not fit who we are as born again believers in, and followers of Jesus Christ. Christians are human beings, and as such we can fall into temptation. If we surround ourselves with people who tell dirty jokes, get drunk, partake in sexual promiscuity, lie, cheat, are unkind to others, abuse the people in their life, and other like behaviors we are headed for trouble. First and foremost as Christians we should be uncomfortable with these behaviors secondary to the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Secondly, Satan is a master manipulator. He is a liar, deceiver, and the author of confusion. He would love nothing better than to cause you to turn your back on God, stop spreading the gospel, and live your life in a manner that matches that of a person who is lost. When you surround yourself with lost souls, slowly but surely Satan will draw you into the secular world, and you will appear no different than one that is lost. You will no longer be a light in a dark world. As my twin sister says, "It's a short trip from standing outside the fire to being in the middle of it."
As the above passage of scripture taken from I Corinthians warns us evil communication can corrupt us. We must be vigilant recognizing that interacting with evil communication is a snare of Satan. For example, if someone tells a dirty joke, and we listen to it and join in the laughter it brought on we are behaving no differently than the lost. Being surrounded by the wrong people makes us vulnerable to falling prey to those Satan has sent to tempt us with phrases such as "just try it." If we agree to go to a movie that we know has content that God would not approve of just to be accepted socially then we are hiding the light of Christ in us. If we listen to or join in on gossip then we are partaking in a behavior that does not fit the Christian we claim to be. In short, when we as Christians live our lives in a manner no different from those that are lost while proclaiming to be Christians, we are damaging the reputation of Christians and Christianity overall. It is behavior such as this among self-proclaimed Christians that has earned Christians the reputation among non-believers of being a bunch of hypocrites. Worst of all, we are missing opportunity after opportunity to lead lost people to Christ.
I cannot stress enough the importance of being equally yoked in all of our relationships. This means we marry someone who is Godly, and that we surround ourselves with friends who are born again believers in, and followers of Jesus Christ. It is so important that we stress this lesson to our children in hopes that they heed the lesson, and avoid inviting chaos into their lives. I've witnessed married couples who are unequally yoked and the struggles they face with some ending in divorce. I've witnessed Christians who have gotten off track because they chose to spend idle time with friends that are unequally yoked for purposes other than witnessing to them in an attempt to lead them to Christ. I've seen firsthand born again believers in Jesus Christ, who were serving the Lord in many ways, turn their back on God, and fall prey to the temptations of the world after allowing Satan to lure them away with his wiles.
I encourage you to stand firm in your faith, if it means standing alone. I encourage you also to live your life in a manner that fits who you say you are as a born again believer, and follower of Jesus Christ. Don't fall prey to Satan's wiles, and participate in things that you know do not fit who you claim to be. I urge you to be the Godly witness, through your words and your actions, that God has called you to be.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
I Corinthians 15:33 (KJV) Says, "Be not deceived: evil communcations corrupt good manners."
In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of II Corinthians Christians are warned about surrounding ourselves socially with unbelievers. While Christians are to mingle among the lost spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ we are not to spend idle time with them involving ourselves in activities that do not fit who we are as born again believers in, and followers of Jesus Christ. Christians are human beings, and as such we can fall into temptation. If we surround ourselves with people who tell dirty jokes, get drunk, partake in sexual promiscuity, lie, cheat, are unkind to others, abuse the people in their life, and other like behaviors we are headed for trouble. First and foremost as Christians we should be uncomfortable with these behaviors secondary to the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Secondly, Satan is a master manipulator. He is a liar, deceiver, and the author of confusion. He would love nothing better than to cause you to turn your back on God, stop spreading the gospel, and live your life in a manner that matches that of a person who is lost. When you surround yourself with lost souls, slowly but surely Satan will draw you into the secular world, and you will appear no different than one that is lost. You will no longer be a light in a dark world. As my twin sister says, "It's a short trip from standing outside the fire to being in the middle of it."
As the above passage of scripture taken from I Corinthians warns us evil communication can corrupt us. We must be vigilant recognizing that interacting with evil communication is a snare of Satan. For example, if someone tells a dirty joke, and we listen to it and join in the laughter it brought on we are behaving no differently than the lost. Being surrounded by the wrong people makes us vulnerable to falling prey to those Satan has sent to tempt us with phrases such as "just try it." If we agree to go to a movie that we know has content that God would not approve of just to be accepted socially then we are hiding the light of Christ in us. If we listen to or join in on gossip then we are partaking in a behavior that does not fit the Christian we claim to be. In short, when we as Christians live our lives in a manner no different from those that are lost while proclaiming to be Christians, we are damaging the reputation of Christians and Christianity overall. It is behavior such as this among self-proclaimed Christians that has earned Christians the reputation among non-believers of being a bunch of hypocrites. Worst of all, we are missing opportunity after opportunity to lead lost people to Christ.
I cannot stress enough the importance of being equally yoked in all of our relationships. This means we marry someone who is Godly, and that we surround ourselves with friends who are born again believers in, and followers of Jesus Christ. It is so important that we stress this lesson to our children in hopes that they heed the lesson, and avoid inviting chaos into their lives. I've witnessed married couples who are unequally yoked and the struggles they face with some ending in divorce. I've witnessed Christians who have gotten off track because they chose to spend idle time with friends that are unequally yoked for purposes other than witnessing to them in an attempt to lead them to Christ. I've seen firsthand born again believers in Jesus Christ, who were serving the Lord in many ways, turn their back on God, and fall prey to the temptations of the world after allowing Satan to lure them away with his wiles.
I encourage you to stand firm in your faith, if it means standing alone. I encourage you also to live your life in a manner that fits who you say you are as a born again believer, and follower of Jesus Christ. Don't fall prey to Satan's wiles, and participate in things that you know do not fit who you claim to be. I urge you to be the Godly witness, through your words and your actions, that God has called you to be.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Thursday, February 27, 2020
God Never Changes
Hebrews 13:8 (KJV) Says, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." Malachi 3:6 (KJV) Says, "For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."
As the above two verses of scripture tell us, God never changes. This means He is still a God of miracles, He is and will forever be all powerful, present everywhere, and all-knowing. This means there is no sickness or wound He can't heal, no disease He can't cure, no situation He can't restore, and no problem so great He can't solve it.
All God asks us to do is to take all of our problems to Him in prayer, believe in Him with all of our heart, mind and soul, have faith even as small as a mustard seed, trust Him, and wait on His perfect timing. I encourage you to take a moment to ponder what a privilege it is to be able to cast all of our cares on Him knowing that nothing is beyond His power.
God's Word is full of promises He has kept, and He has kept and will keep every single one He has made. The Bible is full of battles won by those who had God on their side. There are many examples of people who believed in Him and His power, and were healed by Him with Him telling them after healing them that their faith had made the whole.
God doesn't promise us that as Christians we won't face trials and tribulations in this world. In fact, He tells us that we will, but to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. God also assures us that He is with us always, and that He will walk through our storms with us. He tells us that He will hold our right hand.
I urge you to pray talking to God as your best friend. I encourage you to read His Word, meditate on it knowing that it is the one hundred percent truth, and to have faith in God and His timing which is perfect. There is no need to go through life carrying burdens, when we can take them to God in prayer and leave them with Him. Remember that God blesses us with strength, comfort, and divine peace among other blessings and all we have to do to receive these things along with others is to trust Him, have faith in Him, believe in His power, live in obedience to Him, and wait patiently on His perfect timing.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. God bless you!
As the above two verses of scripture tell us, God never changes. This means He is still a God of miracles, He is and will forever be all powerful, present everywhere, and all-knowing. This means there is no sickness or wound He can't heal, no disease He can't cure, no situation He can't restore, and no problem so great He can't solve it.
All God asks us to do is to take all of our problems to Him in prayer, believe in Him with all of our heart, mind and soul, have faith even as small as a mustard seed, trust Him, and wait on His perfect timing. I encourage you to take a moment to ponder what a privilege it is to be able to cast all of our cares on Him knowing that nothing is beyond His power.
God's Word is full of promises He has kept, and He has kept and will keep every single one He has made. The Bible is full of battles won by those who had God on their side. There are many examples of people who believed in Him and His power, and were healed by Him with Him telling them after healing them that their faith had made the whole.
God doesn't promise us that as Christians we won't face trials and tribulations in this world. In fact, He tells us that we will, but to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. God also assures us that He is with us always, and that He will walk through our storms with us. He tells us that He will hold our right hand.
I urge you to pray talking to God as your best friend. I encourage you to read His Word, meditate on it knowing that it is the one hundred percent truth, and to have faith in God and His timing which is perfect. There is no need to go through life carrying burdens, when we can take them to God in prayer and leave them with Him. Remember that God blesses us with strength, comfort, and divine peace among other blessings and all we have to do to receive these things along with others is to trust Him, have faith in Him, believe in His power, live in obedience to Him, and wait patiently on His perfect timing.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. God bless you!
Monday, February 17, 2020
Hearing From God
John 10:27 (KJV) Says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV) Says, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." John 14:26 (KJV) Says, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
Many people have shared with me that God doesn't speak to them. If you are a born again believer in Jesus Christ, I assure you God speaks to you. God also speaks to the lost by convicting their hearts prompting them to come to Him in prayer, and accept His precious gift of salvation. With that said God does indeed speak to us. We miss Him speaking to us only when we fail to listen, and do so with intent.
One of the ways in which God speaks to us is through the Holy Spirit. For example, when a person comes to mind out of the blue, reach out to them they may need prayer, and recognize the thought as the Holy Spirit talking to you. If you have a prompting to perform an act of kindness, recognize the prompting as coming from the Holy Spirit, and perform the act of kindness . Have you ever walked by someone in need, and after walking past them repeatedly been bothered with the thought that you should have stopped to help them? That is the Holy Spirit letting you know that you should have stopped. In short, God placed the Holy Spirit within us to lead, guide, and direct our path.
Another manner in which we hear from God is through other people. For example, if God has placed something on your heart or on your mind, and it recurs, He may place a person in your path who confirms what He has been telling you. Let me add here to make certain that the person who shares something with you is a born again believer, and that what they tell you lines up with what God has placed on your heart and/or on your mind.
Yet another way God speaks to us is through His Word. God speaks to us as we read His Word by shining light on scripture that pertains to what He wants us to glean from it at a particular time for a particular reason. I strongly suggest going to God in prayer prior to reading His Word, and asking Him to shed light on anything that He specifically wants to tell you at that moment. He will certainly do so. He speaks to us through all scripture. There are times, however, when He has something in particular that He desires to say to us through His Word.
One more way that God speaks to us is through prayer. When we go to God in prayer, if we will pause to listen periodically as we prayer, God will speak to our hearts. Prayer is vital as it is our means of communicating with our Lord and Savior, and what a privilege it is to be able to go to Him anytime day or night and talk to Him as a friend. Prayer is a vital part of our building and maintaining a strong personal relationship with Him.
Yet another avenue through which we hear from God is circumstances. For example, if we allow ourselves to drift away from God, spending less and less time with Him, He may allow something to occur that forces us to slow down. When that happens, most times the first thing we do is go to God in prayer asking for help. He will do whatever is necessary to prevent us from drifting to far away from Him.
If you think that they are not hearing from God then there is only one reason for that, and it is because you're not listening. As God tells us in the above verse of scripture taken from the book of John His sheep hear His voice, He knows them, and they follow Him. I don't know if you are aware of this, but multiple herds of sheep can be together in the same pasture, and when a shepherd calls out to his sheep only his sheep heed his voice, and follow him. The remainder of the sheep continue as they are until their shepherd calls out to them. Just as the sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd, we as children of God should have such a close relationship with Him that we hear Him, when He speaks to us.
I encourage you to build a strong personal relationship with God through prayer, reading and studying His Word, meditating on His Word, attending worship services, and spending time alone with Him simply listening with intent. As the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Jeremiah tells us, if we will call unto God He will show us great and mighty things. God loves you tremendously, and He will never leave you nor forsake you. Again I urge you to spend time with Him, and to listen with intent as He speaks to you through whatever avenue He chooses. If we grow distant from God it is not because He walked away from us, but rather that we have distanced ourselves from Him. I urge you to listen for God to speak to you, and too obey His voice as it will result in your living the best life you could ever possibly hope to live.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message, and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Many people have shared with me that God doesn't speak to them. If you are a born again believer in Jesus Christ, I assure you God speaks to you. God also speaks to the lost by convicting their hearts prompting them to come to Him in prayer, and accept His precious gift of salvation. With that said God does indeed speak to us. We miss Him speaking to us only when we fail to listen, and do so with intent.
One of the ways in which God speaks to us is through the Holy Spirit. For example, when a person comes to mind out of the blue, reach out to them they may need prayer, and recognize the thought as the Holy Spirit talking to you. If you have a prompting to perform an act of kindness, recognize the prompting as coming from the Holy Spirit, and perform the act of kindness . Have you ever walked by someone in need, and after walking past them repeatedly been bothered with the thought that you should have stopped to help them? That is the Holy Spirit letting you know that you should have stopped. In short, God placed the Holy Spirit within us to lead, guide, and direct our path.
Another manner in which we hear from God is through other people. For example, if God has placed something on your heart or on your mind, and it recurs, He may place a person in your path who confirms what He has been telling you. Let me add here to make certain that the person who shares something with you is a born again believer, and that what they tell you lines up with what God has placed on your heart and/or on your mind.
Yet another way God speaks to us is through His Word. God speaks to us as we read His Word by shining light on scripture that pertains to what He wants us to glean from it at a particular time for a particular reason. I strongly suggest going to God in prayer prior to reading His Word, and asking Him to shed light on anything that He specifically wants to tell you at that moment. He will certainly do so. He speaks to us through all scripture. There are times, however, when He has something in particular that He desires to say to us through His Word.
One more way that God speaks to us is through prayer. When we go to God in prayer, if we will pause to listen periodically as we prayer, God will speak to our hearts. Prayer is vital as it is our means of communicating with our Lord and Savior, and what a privilege it is to be able to go to Him anytime day or night and talk to Him as a friend. Prayer is a vital part of our building and maintaining a strong personal relationship with Him.
Yet another avenue through which we hear from God is circumstances. For example, if we allow ourselves to drift away from God, spending less and less time with Him, He may allow something to occur that forces us to slow down. When that happens, most times the first thing we do is go to God in prayer asking for help. He will do whatever is necessary to prevent us from drifting to far away from Him.
If you think that they are not hearing from God then there is only one reason for that, and it is because you're not listening. As God tells us in the above verse of scripture taken from the book of John His sheep hear His voice, He knows them, and they follow Him. I don't know if you are aware of this, but multiple herds of sheep can be together in the same pasture, and when a shepherd calls out to his sheep only his sheep heed his voice, and follow him. The remainder of the sheep continue as they are until their shepherd calls out to them. Just as the sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd, we as children of God should have such a close relationship with Him that we hear Him, when He speaks to us.
I encourage you to build a strong personal relationship with God through prayer, reading and studying His Word, meditating on His Word, attending worship services, and spending time alone with Him simply listening with intent. As the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Jeremiah tells us, if we will call unto God He will show us great and mighty things. God loves you tremendously, and He will never leave you nor forsake you. Again I urge you to spend time with Him, and to listen with intent as He speaks to you through whatever avenue He chooses. If we grow distant from God it is not because He walked away from us, but rather that we have distanced ourselves from Him. I urge you to listen for God to speak to you, and too obey His voice as it will result in your living the best life you could ever possibly hope to live.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message, and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Sunday, August 18, 2019
The Best Life
Romans 10:9 (KJV) Says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) Says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." John 14:21 (KJV) Says, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
Let me begin by saying that if you want to live the best life you could ever possibly hope to live, the way to do that is to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. There is nothing greater than having all powerful, all knowing, omnipresent Almighty God dwelling in you via the Holy Spirit as you walk through this world filled with trials and tribulations. There are no words to describe the divine peace and comfort that come with having the creator of all that is walking with you through this life. You can go to Him in prayer anytime day or night and He is there to listen, there is no problem so great He can't solve it, no wound or sickness He can't heal, no disease He can't cure, and no situation He can't restore. I urge you not to put off accepting Christ for another second. Don't try to clean up your life before you ask Jesus into your heart because that is not necessary. God loves you right where you are, and there are no changes necessary for you to make prior to going to Him in prayer and accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Once you accept Him then He will help you clean up your life. So the first step to living your best life is to go to God in prayer and tell Him you're a sinner, ask him to forgive you of all your sins, tell Him you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and that He rose again the third day, and ask Jesus to come into your heart telling Him you want to make Him your personal Lord and Savior. Accepting Jesus Christ not only guarantees that you will have the best earthly life you could ever possibly hope to have, but more importantly it guarantees you that when your days on earth are finished you will spend eternity with Him in Heaven. Choosing to accept Christ is the greatest decision you will ever make.
The next step to the best life possible is to learn to trust God with all your heart. As the above verse of scripture taken from proverbs tells us we are to trust God, and not our own understanding. God is all knowing therefore He knows what is best for us, and because He loves us, He wants what is best for us. We must trust God even when we don't understand what He is doing in our lives. For example, if we apply for a job that we are more than qualified for and yet fail to be hired we can trust that God's plan did not include us working there, and that He will lead us to the job best suited for us, and that we will be hired. Wait patiently on the Lord, continue in prayer, read and study His Word, and have faith knowing He heard your prayers, and that He will meet your needs.
Not only must we trust God we must also obey Him. The Bible is God's instruction book for life, and it is thorough in its content. Read and study God's Word daily, and you will be amazed at all that He shows you from within it. Ask God to help you rid your life of the things that do not fit who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ, and He will do it. He may take some things away instantly and others may require you trusting Him to give you the strength to lay them down. As human beings we are all sinners, and as such we are a continued work in progress. There is only one perfect, and that is Jesus. We will all be a work in progress until the day God calls us home. With that said God knows our hearts, and He knows when we have a sincere desire to change, and have fallen pray to temptation. He knows when we are sincerely remorseful. On the other hand, He is also well aware of willful sin committed by those with no desire in their heart to change. There is a huge difference between the two, and make no mistake there is no fooling God.
If you want to live the best life you could ever possibly hope to live, I urge you to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, and begin your walk through this life with Him immediately. If you have already accepted Christ, and you have somehow drifted away from Him, I urge you to ask Him to forgive you and to get back on track with Him immediately. I encourage you to pray, read and study God's Word, and to trust Him with all things. I encourage you to live in obedience to Him. Living your life as a born again believer in Jesus Christ trusting and obeying Him doesn't mean you will never have trials and tribulations in this life, but it does ensure that you will not walk through even one of them alone. Remember God loves you tremendously and wants what is best for you. You are His child. When we as believers trust and obey God it is to live our greatest life, and more importantly it is pleasing to Him. You will find divine peace, strength, comfort, and so much more by choosing to trust and obey God. You will experience a joy in your heart of a magnitude that makes clear it could only come from God.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Let me begin by saying that if you want to live the best life you could ever possibly hope to live, the way to do that is to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. There is nothing greater than having all powerful, all knowing, omnipresent Almighty God dwelling in you via the Holy Spirit as you walk through this world filled with trials and tribulations. There are no words to describe the divine peace and comfort that come with having the creator of all that is walking with you through this life. You can go to Him in prayer anytime day or night and He is there to listen, there is no problem so great He can't solve it, no wound or sickness He can't heal, no disease He can't cure, and no situation He can't restore. I urge you not to put off accepting Christ for another second. Don't try to clean up your life before you ask Jesus into your heart because that is not necessary. God loves you right where you are, and there are no changes necessary for you to make prior to going to Him in prayer and accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Once you accept Him then He will help you clean up your life. So the first step to living your best life is to go to God in prayer and tell Him you're a sinner, ask him to forgive you of all your sins, tell Him you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and that He rose again the third day, and ask Jesus to come into your heart telling Him you want to make Him your personal Lord and Savior. Accepting Jesus Christ not only guarantees that you will have the best earthly life you could ever possibly hope to have, but more importantly it guarantees you that when your days on earth are finished you will spend eternity with Him in Heaven. Choosing to accept Christ is the greatest decision you will ever make.
The next step to the best life possible is to learn to trust God with all your heart. As the above verse of scripture taken from proverbs tells us we are to trust God, and not our own understanding. God is all knowing therefore He knows what is best for us, and because He loves us, He wants what is best for us. We must trust God even when we don't understand what He is doing in our lives. For example, if we apply for a job that we are more than qualified for and yet fail to be hired we can trust that God's plan did not include us working there, and that He will lead us to the job best suited for us, and that we will be hired. Wait patiently on the Lord, continue in prayer, read and study His Word, and have faith knowing He heard your prayers, and that He will meet your needs.
Not only must we trust God we must also obey Him. The Bible is God's instruction book for life, and it is thorough in its content. Read and study God's Word daily, and you will be amazed at all that He shows you from within it. Ask God to help you rid your life of the things that do not fit who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ, and He will do it. He may take some things away instantly and others may require you trusting Him to give you the strength to lay them down. As human beings we are all sinners, and as such we are a continued work in progress. There is only one perfect, and that is Jesus. We will all be a work in progress until the day God calls us home. With that said God knows our hearts, and He knows when we have a sincere desire to change, and have fallen pray to temptation. He knows when we are sincerely remorseful. On the other hand, He is also well aware of willful sin committed by those with no desire in their heart to change. There is a huge difference between the two, and make no mistake there is no fooling God.
If you want to live the best life you could ever possibly hope to live, I urge you to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, and begin your walk through this life with Him immediately. If you have already accepted Christ, and you have somehow drifted away from Him, I urge you to ask Him to forgive you and to get back on track with Him immediately. I encourage you to pray, read and study God's Word, and to trust Him with all things. I encourage you to live in obedience to Him. Living your life as a born again believer in Jesus Christ trusting and obeying Him doesn't mean you will never have trials and tribulations in this life, but it does ensure that you will not walk through even one of them alone. Remember God loves you tremendously and wants what is best for you. You are His child. When we as believers trust and obey God it is to live our greatest life, and more importantly it is pleasing to Him. You will find divine peace, strength, comfort, and so much more by choosing to trust and obey God. You will experience a joy in your heart of a magnitude that makes clear it could only come from God.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
People Need People
I Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV) Says, "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." Hebrews 10:25 (KJV) Says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Proverbs 27:17 (KJV) Says, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." Romans 15:1-2 (KJV) Says, "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification." Hebrews 3:13 (KJV) Says, "But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (KJV) Says, "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."
I have heard many people make remarks like "I don't like people," "I don't need people in my life," I'm better off alone," I can't tolerate people," "people get on my nerves," "I don't want to be around people," and other similar statements. The truth is God knew that we would need one another as we walk through this life, and He made that clear in His Word. One verse of scripture in support of this is found above and is taken from the book of 1 Thessalonians where we are instructed to comfort and encourage each other. If we are being honest with ourselves, we have all needed comfort and encouragement multiple times in our lives, and having experienced that need we should be more than willing to comfort and encourage others that need it.
The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Hebrews further supports the fact that God knew we would need one another. It instructs us to come together exhorting one another. By definition, the word exhort means to strongly encourage or urge someone to do something. We have all needed uplifting more than once in our lives, and God blessed us with people in our lives that are willing to do that, if we will lay pride aside, and accept the help being offered us.
The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Proverbs tells us that iron sharpens iron and that a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. When you rub an iron blade against another iron blade both become sharper. As friends we should stand by one another through the good times and the bad. We should be willing to stand with one another in support helping each other endure whatever storms come our way, and eager to celebrate the victories in one another's lives.
Romans 15:1-2 Makes clear that when we are strong and others are weak we should be there to support them. We have all experienced weakness in our lives, and needed to lean on God, and another person or group of people drawing from their strength.
The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Hebrews instructs us to encourage one another, and help one another to resist sin. We are to hold one another accountable in a loving Christ-like way. As a Christian never underestimate the benefits of fellowship with like-minded individuals. The love and support gleaned from Christ-like support has kept many individuals on track preventing them from straying away from their Lord and Savior.
Finally, the passage of scripture taken from the book of Ecclesiastes makes clear that two are better than one. This passage points out that, if you are alone and you fall, you have no one to help you up. If, however, you are with another person you have someone to lift you up. This not only refers to falling in the literal sense, but includes falling away from God, falling emotionally, taking a fall in life such as job loss, the loss of a loved one, and the list goes on and on. We should be there to lift one another up and encourage one another no matter what type fall occurs.
I urge you to consider how important we are to one another as we walk through this life together. Life can be extremely difficult at times. Some of the storms we face are so difficult that in order to make it through them we need God, and we need one another. We have all been faced with painful situations in our lives, and some so painful we didn't think we'd make it through them, but looking back we recognize that God and the people he blessed us with in our lives saw us through it all.
If you are a person who has a negative attitude toward people and don't think you need them to the degree that you shut people out choosing to spend a great deal of time alone, I urge you to recognize the importance of allowing people into your life. I urge you to recognize that God sends people into our lives to be a blessing. I urge you to open your eyes and recognize which ones He has sent you. I urge you to appreciate them, love them, and respect them, and to count them as the blessings they are. If you are a human being then you need other human beings in your life for love, support, encouragement, strength, and fellowship. Needing help from others in whatever form is not a sign of weakness it is merely being human. I encourage you to open your heart and let others into your life, and to be there for them. In summation, there is no shame in admitting that we need one another because the fact is people need people.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
I have heard many people make remarks like "I don't like people," "I don't need people in my life," I'm better off alone," I can't tolerate people," "people get on my nerves," "I don't want to be around people," and other similar statements. The truth is God knew that we would need one another as we walk through this life, and He made that clear in His Word. One verse of scripture in support of this is found above and is taken from the book of 1 Thessalonians where we are instructed to comfort and encourage each other. If we are being honest with ourselves, we have all needed comfort and encouragement multiple times in our lives, and having experienced that need we should be more than willing to comfort and encourage others that need it.
The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Hebrews further supports the fact that God knew we would need one another. It instructs us to come together exhorting one another. By definition, the word exhort means to strongly encourage or urge someone to do something. We have all needed uplifting more than once in our lives, and God blessed us with people in our lives that are willing to do that, if we will lay pride aside, and accept the help being offered us.
The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Proverbs tells us that iron sharpens iron and that a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. When you rub an iron blade against another iron blade both become sharper. As friends we should stand by one another through the good times and the bad. We should be willing to stand with one another in support helping each other endure whatever storms come our way, and eager to celebrate the victories in one another's lives.
Romans 15:1-2 Makes clear that when we are strong and others are weak we should be there to support them. We have all experienced weakness in our lives, and needed to lean on God, and another person or group of people drawing from their strength.
The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Hebrews instructs us to encourage one another, and help one another to resist sin. We are to hold one another accountable in a loving Christ-like way. As a Christian never underestimate the benefits of fellowship with like-minded individuals. The love and support gleaned from Christ-like support has kept many individuals on track preventing them from straying away from their Lord and Savior.
Finally, the passage of scripture taken from the book of Ecclesiastes makes clear that two are better than one. This passage points out that, if you are alone and you fall, you have no one to help you up. If, however, you are with another person you have someone to lift you up. This not only refers to falling in the literal sense, but includes falling away from God, falling emotionally, taking a fall in life such as job loss, the loss of a loved one, and the list goes on and on. We should be there to lift one another up and encourage one another no matter what type fall occurs.
I urge you to consider how important we are to one another as we walk through this life together. Life can be extremely difficult at times. Some of the storms we face are so difficult that in order to make it through them we need God, and we need one another. We have all been faced with painful situations in our lives, and some so painful we didn't think we'd make it through them, but looking back we recognize that God and the people he blessed us with in our lives saw us through it all.
If you are a person who has a negative attitude toward people and don't think you need them to the degree that you shut people out choosing to spend a great deal of time alone, I urge you to recognize the importance of allowing people into your life. I urge you to recognize that God sends people into our lives to be a blessing. I urge you to open your eyes and recognize which ones He has sent you. I urge you to appreciate them, love them, and respect them, and to count them as the blessings they are. If you are a human being then you need other human beings in your life for love, support, encouragement, strength, and fellowship. Needing help from others in whatever form is not a sign of weakness it is merely being human. I encourage you to open your heart and let others into your life, and to be there for them. In summation, there is no shame in admitting that we need one another because the fact is people need people.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
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