If we insist on pursuing the flesh how can we be filled with the Spirit? Filling our body with sin by indulging in the flesh leaves no room for Him. Our body must be (become) a temple for the Holy Spirit, that is why Jesus forgave the prostitute and with that said, "Go and sin no more."
"Train yourself to be godly,as godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."1 Timothy 4:7-8.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Let us Come Before Him with ThanksGiving
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his for he made it and his hands formed the dry land. Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker: for his is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under this care ~ Psalm 95
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Thankfulness ~ Giving Thanks is Being Blessed!
At Thanksgiving, we reflect on blessings. However, we might be thankful for all the wrong things. Blessings from God are not new jobs, houses, cars, clothes, furniture etc. No not even good health. What God the Creator of Heaven and Earth deems a blessing cannot be what we imagine. Blessings are for our spiritual growth. Paul was blessed for having a thorn in his flesh. Paul wrote, "there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times, I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me; but, he said to me "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 COR 12:7-9. Paul was made to understand that he must not boast of his works but give thanks and praise to God in all things... for we may not ever or always know what a true blessing is.
"For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment. For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you ~ 1 Peter 2: 19-21. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won't spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God" ~ 1 Peter 4: 1-2. Those desires also include chasing after whatever modern philosophy trends grab your attention as they seem to please and satisfy your immoral and material desires.
Paul warned of running after such fables because they temporarily appease our carnal urges. Paul said, "I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received or a different kind of Gospel than the one you were given" ~ 2 COR 11:3-4.
Remember, the Bible is the Word of God and Jesus Christ the Son of God came into the world to save us from the sin of death ~ That is God's Blessing! Give Thanks and Praise to the Almighty Creator when you gather round the thanksgiving table.
"For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment. For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you ~ 1 Peter 2: 19-21. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won't spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God" ~ 1 Peter 4: 1-2. Those desires also include chasing after whatever modern philosophy trends grab your attention as they seem to please and satisfy your immoral and material desires.
Paul warned of running after such fables because they temporarily appease our carnal urges. Paul said, "I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received or a different kind of Gospel than the one you were given" ~ 2 COR 11:3-4.
Remember, the Bible is the Word of God and Jesus Christ the Son of God came into the world to save us from the sin of death ~ That is God's Blessing! Give Thanks and Praise to the Almighty Creator when you gather round the thanksgiving table.
Monday, November 23, 2015
We Have Deliverance!
Salvation belongs to those who are called, chosen and are faithful, in this we will have deliverance!
All are called, some are chosen but not all are faithful. Why? Forgiveness is the key to being 'remaining' faithful to God. We must forgive all the wrongs against us and those who are behind such wrongs. How many times? Seventy- seven times ... Matthew 18:21. If we cannot forgive, we sin. This kind of sin leads to a hardened heart. With such heart, goes the mind and soul. Having such draws away all life from us leaving a gap or gaping whole in which the Holy Spirit cannot dwell. Our faithfulness has no spring from which to sprung and flow out.
How can I forgive? This is what most people yell about. Why? Satan strokes their self esteem by reminding them that they are righteous for hating others. He is the one whispering in their ear, don't forgive, hate them for what they did to you. How can you forgive, right? You can! First by knowing and accepting that you too are a sinner and that your sins have been washed clean through Jesus Christ, in Him we have deliverance!
In Isaiah 53:2-5 we read that Satan tries to tell us that we have no deliverance, well the Word of God tells us different. "For the servant of God grew up before Him like a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; He has no royal kingly pomp, form, or comeliness that we should look at Him and no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him. Surely, He has borne our griefs sickness, weakness and distress and carried our sorrows and pain of punishment. In verse 5, we read further that He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement needful to obtain peace and well-being for us was upon Him and with the stripes that wounded Him we are healed and made whole."
The enemy tries to tell us that there is no deliverance for us but Jesus did it all! Jesus delivered us, there is deliverance for us ~ Praise God!!!
"I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations. I cling to our laws. Lord, don't let me be put to shame! I will pursue your commands, for you expand my understanding" ~ Psalm 119: 30-32.
Remember, you who were born again will be delivered but for those who reject Him, they will stumble and fail in their rejection... "But, you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God's mercy" ~ 1 Peter 2: 8-10.Our faith and faithfulness are in His mercy and grace. That is the reason to be faithful and the ease of being faithful.
In faithfulness,You have deliverance in Christ Jesus!
All are called, some are chosen but not all are faithful. Why? Forgiveness is the key to being 'remaining' faithful to God. We must forgive all the wrongs against us and those who are behind such wrongs. How many times? Seventy- seven times ... Matthew 18:21. If we cannot forgive, we sin. This kind of sin leads to a hardened heart. With such heart, goes the mind and soul. Having such draws away all life from us leaving a gap or gaping whole in which the Holy Spirit cannot dwell. Our faithfulness has no spring from which to sprung and flow out.
How can I forgive? This is what most people yell about. Why? Satan strokes their self esteem by reminding them that they are righteous for hating others. He is the one whispering in their ear, don't forgive, hate them for what they did to you. How can you forgive, right? You can! First by knowing and accepting that you too are a sinner and that your sins have been washed clean through Jesus Christ, in Him we have deliverance!
In Isaiah 53:2-5 we read that Satan tries to tell us that we have no deliverance, well the Word of God tells us different. "For the servant of God grew up before Him like a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; He has no royal kingly pomp, form, or comeliness that we should look at Him and no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him. Surely, He has borne our griefs sickness, weakness and distress and carried our sorrows and pain of punishment. In verse 5, we read further that He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement needful to obtain peace and well-being for us was upon Him and with the stripes that wounded Him we are healed and made whole."
The enemy tries to tell us that there is no deliverance for us but Jesus did it all! Jesus delivered us, there is deliverance for us ~ Praise God!!!
"I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations. I cling to our laws. Lord, don't let me be put to shame! I will pursue your commands, for you expand my understanding" ~ Psalm 119: 30-32.
Remember, you who were born again will be delivered but for those who reject Him, they will stumble and fail in their rejection... "But, you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God's mercy" ~ 1 Peter 2: 8-10.Our faith and faithfulness are in His mercy and grace. That is the reason to be faithful and the ease of being faithful.
In faithfulness,You have deliverance in Christ Jesus!
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Come Close to God!
Women seem to love spending time at Home Good as if it were their 'church'. We think that as long as we are not 'hurting anyone' then we are not hurting God. Sorry to say but relishing in time spent at Home Goods is hurting God. It is sad that we can so easily get caught up in the world...like many people, including men. By indulging in things of this world we do hurt God, we hurt the potential for the Holy Spirit to live and dwell in us. We create conflict in us as we become divided between God and the world.
In James, we are reminded of the conflict in the world and though we may not think we are part of it or have anything to do with it, we are mistaken. Simple by our desires to get things and get them 'cheap' causes disparity in others. Ask "What is causing quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you" You want what you don't' have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have but you can't get it so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet, you don't' have what you want because you don't ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong, you want only what will give you pleasure.... Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands you sinners; purify your hearts for your loyalty is divided between God and the world" ~ James: 1-7.
God our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ is our everything!
In James, we are reminded of the conflict in the world and though we may not think we are part of it or have anything to do with it, we are mistaken. Simple by our desires to get things and get them 'cheap' causes disparity in others. Ask "What is causing quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you" You want what you don't' have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have but you can't get it so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet, you don't' have what you want because you don't ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong, you want only what will give you pleasure.... Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands you sinners; purify your hearts for your loyalty is divided between God and the world" ~ James: 1-7.
God our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ is our everything!
Friday, November 13, 2015
Jesus Christ "God" is the Same Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow!
God does not change. " I the Lord do not change" Mal 3:6. It is man who changes or thinks he/she does. God is eternal. Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow-forever ~ Hebrews 13:8 And, in being so, "The eternal God is your refugee" ~ Deuteronomy 33:27. Therefore, "with Him that all things are possible" ~ Matthew 19:26. "For nothing is impossible with God"~ Luke 1:37. If you have a concordance in the back of your Bible, look up "God" and see the number of entries. There are more entries for "God" than any other. The Bible is His Word do not doubt it. God used men to be an instrument of His will which was to have His Word for all people. "Every word of God is flawless"~ Proverbs 30:5. His Word is flawless because He does not change. And, because, He does not change, we can have knowledge of Him. In this knowledge of Him, is our faith and eternal life.
In Hebrews 11, we read that faith is the substance of things hoped for. " Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Heb. 11:1. "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's' command so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." Heb. 11:3
It was by faith that Abraham was able to offer his son Issac as a sacrifice- because of the faith of things hoped for - resurrection. Thus, it is not faith 'in' Jesus but our faith is the faith of things hoped for - Jesus Christ the Light of the World. Our faith is the substance of things hope for. There is no work in that.
Therefore, there is no work(s) that we can do toward salvation; God, Jesus Christ, did everything for us that we may enter the Kingdom of Heaven. "For no one comes to the Father except by me" ~ John 14:6. Even as 'believing in' is a work. That is dead work. We know of Him and we subdue all arguments against the knowledge of God 2 COR 10:5 and in this knowing of Him we are in Him and He is in us. In that being 'in/of' Him' we know that He is the Lord God Christ Jesus and that He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth of all things seen and unseen. Though we may be in this world, we are not of it ~ 2 COR 10:3. For, in/of Him we live, move and have our being ~ Acts 17:28.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. So, don't be misled my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession" ~ James 1:16-18.
In Hebrews 11, we read that faith is the substance of things hoped for. " Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Heb. 11:1. "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's' command so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." Heb. 11:3
It was by faith that Abraham was able to offer his son Issac as a sacrifice- because of the faith of things hoped for - resurrection. Thus, it is not faith 'in' Jesus but our faith is the faith of things hoped for - Jesus Christ the Light of the World. Our faith is the substance of things hope for. There is no work in that.
Therefore, there is no work(s) that we can do toward salvation; God, Jesus Christ, did everything for us that we may enter the Kingdom of Heaven. "For no one comes to the Father except by me" ~ John 14:6. Even as 'believing in' is a work. That is dead work. We know of Him and we subdue all arguments against the knowledge of God 2 COR 10:5 and in this knowing of Him we are in Him and He is in us. In that being 'in/of' Him' we know that He is the Lord God Christ Jesus and that He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth of all things seen and unseen. Though we may be in this world, we are not of it ~ 2 COR 10:3. For, in/of Him we live, move and have our being ~ Acts 17:28.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. So, don't be misled my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession" ~ James 1:16-18.
Monday, November 9, 2015
God is my Strength and my Portion!
Psalm ~ 73:26
In this world, we think that we need so much stuff! Otherwise, we will be looked down on, we will be out of the loop, the circle of people, things and events. You know the song "Let it go" well, that applies. If God is your strength and portion, what else do you need? In this world, regardless of what God's Word offers, so many of us still fall prey to the world and its things. And, when things go bad, we wonder why. Some think that bad things happen as a bit of bad luck. They have no clue that they contribute to those bad things happening to them through their own actions and in-actions .. the seen and unseen.
For the most part they blame bad things happening to them on what can be seen: loss of a job, illness, divorce, and what they deem as an unfortunate accident. There are things that are unseen as well that trouble us and cause us problems as they demand a great deal of our attention. They steal away any reaching out to the Lord God. These things are: ideas, desires, lusts, envy doubt, greed, pride, and a whole gamut of unseen.
All of us have a tendency to blame bad things that happen to us on what can be seen - on that which is tangible as in what we think is really real - here and now. Ironically, we who believe in the unseen God will often lay blame on the Lord. What is really strange, is that for those who don't accept the Lord God as Creator of Heaven and Earth, because they can't see him (so he isn't real), they will often blame him. Maybe because they can't see him. Essentially, all of us, don't want to accept that we need Him. We want to be in control of every aspect of our life. If only we knew how much God truly and really offers.
In this world, we think that we need so much stuff! Otherwise, we will be looked down on, we will be out of the loop, the circle of people, things and events. You know the song "Let it go" well, that applies. If God is your strength and portion, what else do you need? In this world, regardless of what God's Word offers, so many of us still fall prey to the world and its things. And, when things go bad, we wonder why. Some think that bad things happen as a bit of bad luck. They have no clue that they contribute to those bad things happening to them through their own actions and in-actions .. the seen and unseen.
For the most part they blame bad things happening to them on what can be seen: loss of a job, illness, divorce, and what they deem as an unfortunate accident. There are things that are unseen as well that trouble us and cause us problems as they demand a great deal of our attention. They steal away any reaching out to the Lord God. These things are: ideas, desires, lusts, envy doubt, greed, pride, and a whole gamut of unseen.
All of us have a tendency to blame bad things that happen to us on what can be seen - on that which is tangible as in what we think is really real - here and now. Ironically, we who believe in the unseen God will often lay blame on the Lord. What is really strange, is that for those who don't accept the Lord God as Creator of Heaven and Earth, because they can't see him (so he isn't real), they will often blame him. Maybe because they can't see him. Essentially, all of us, don't want to accept that we need Him. We want to be in control of every aspect of our life. If only we knew how much God truly and really offers.
Friday, November 6, 2015
Prayers That Avail Much!
Pray God's Word over your husband and family everyday. Why? Prayer is effective when the living Word of God comes from your mouth. Commit yourself to prayer and to pray with your mouth filled with His Word!
In Romans 5, we read about peace and joy. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance - character, and character- hope. And, hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who he has given us."
Reflecting on scripture, prepares us to pray because we have received God's Word. If you feel that your marriage is suffering, preserve and hope as hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts....
A Prayer for a Harmonious Marriage ~ "Dear Father in Heaven, your Word of hope uplifts our hearts because You are in us. We commit ourselves to live in mutual harm one and in accord with one another delighting in each other, being of the same mind and united spirit. Our marriage grows stronger day by day in the bond of unity because it is founded on Your Word" ~ Romans 12: 12, 1 COR 15:19.
A Prayer for Husbands ~ "Father, in the name of Jesus, I take Your Word and confess this day that ____________ hearkens to the wisdom of God and that he and I shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet without fear or dread of evil. ____________ makes his ear attentive to skillful and godly wisdom and inclines and directs his heart and mind to understanding" ~ Proverbs 2:2.
*Source ~ Word Ministries, Inc. "Prayers that Avail Much"
In Romans 5, we read about peace and joy. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance - character, and character- hope. And, hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who he has given us."
Reflecting on scripture, prepares us to pray because we have received God's Word. If you feel that your marriage is suffering, preserve and hope as hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts....
A Prayer for a Harmonious Marriage ~ "Dear Father in Heaven, your Word of hope uplifts our hearts because You are in us. We commit ourselves to live in mutual harm one and in accord with one another delighting in each other, being of the same mind and united spirit. Our marriage grows stronger day by day in the bond of unity because it is founded on Your Word" ~ Romans 12: 12, 1 COR 15:19.
A Prayer for Husbands ~ "Father, in the name of Jesus, I take Your Word and confess this day that ____________ hearkens to the wisdom of God and that he and I shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet without fear or dread of evil. ____________ makes his ear attentive to skillful and godly wisdom and inclines and directs his heart and mind to understanding" ~ Proverbs 2:2.
*Source ~ Word Ministries, Inc. "Prayers that Avail Much"
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Works are Evidence of Our Faith
By faith we are saved not by works. Works are evidence of faith. Think about it. Abraham could not have approached the 'work' (sacrificing his son Issac) he was asked to do if he had not faith first. If he did do the 'work' first without faith, then what would his faith mean? Nothing. Faith is accepting God's call and being faithful to it. This is a gift from God; when His call is received and accepted it is called God's grace and this is a gift.
Why a gift? Because, we do 'man' does not seek after God. He seeks us. Otherwise, what would it be but 'our' work (seeking Him) and it would be work without faith; in that - He was, is and will be. "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace" ~ Romans 11.
"What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?" And..."So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless" ~ James 2:14-17.
Yes, faith by itself isn't enough. However, don't misunderstand, we cannot be the one who goes about being nice and thinking that it qualifies as faith for it is just works without faith. It is by faith that we are saved, not by works. Works are evidence of faith. How does one have faith first? All are called, some are chosen and all that are called, chosen must be faithful. What does that mean?
It means that when we are called we recognize (hear the call) that we are being 'chosen' and in being chosen acquire a gift which is 'grace' (undeserved) and by being faithful to that 'gift' we acknowledge that gift and its giver ... giving thanks and praise to the Lord who is our choice by faith and not by works. This in itself is a revelation as when that happens, works pour out from us. Why? Because this is no longer 'our' work but the work of the Holy Spirit in us which reveals being called, chosen and faithful. And, that's how it should and must be. And in this way, works are evidence of our faith!
Why a gift? Because, we do 'man' does not seek after God. He seeks us. Otherwise, what would it be but 'our' work (seeking Him) and it would be work without faith; in that - He was, is and will be. "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace" ~ Romans 11.
"What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?" And..."So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless" ~ James 2:14-17.
Yes, faith by itself isn't enough. However, don't misunderstand, we cannot be the one who goes about being nice and thinking that it qualifies as faith for it is just works without faith. It is by faith that we are saved, not by works. Works are evidence of faith. How does one have faith first? All are called, some are chosen and all that are called, chosen must be faithful. What does that mean?
It means that when we are called we recognize (hear the call) that we are being 'chosen' and in being chosen acquire a gift which is 'grace' (undeserved) and by being faithful to that 'gift' we acknowledge that gift and its giver ... giving thanks and praise to the Lord who is our choice by faith and not by works. This in itself is a revelation as when that happens, works pour out from us. Why? Because this is no longer 'our' work but the work of the Holy Spirit in us which reveals being called, chosen and faithful. And, that's how it should and must be. And in this way, works are evidence of our faith!
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