Christian

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Know the Spiritual

I will be the first to admit that I don’t know everything about the Bible. Even though I have read it, there are parts of it that just escape my knowledge and understanding.

However I recognize there are many more people that know less than I do. I have made it a lifetime priority to study God’s word and live accordingly.

Many others have loosely dabbled with the Word and are living accordingly. Some do not know anything about God or only know some very basic things like the crucifixion.

As a result I can get blank stares from people when I speak of the spiritual.

Matt 22:29 You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.

I recall several years ago sitting with a family as a psychologist was talking to them. One of the girls in the family was having some problems.

The psychologist asked my opinion.

I told her that this family was under a generational curse that included some demonic activity.

You can guess how that went over. I got a blank stare from the psychologist and I’m sure she would have liked to recommend a psychiatrist for me.

She did not understand the scripture and the power of God.

It’s time for the church to stop thinking in the physical and begin thinking in the spiritual. There is much more to life than what is merely seen and heard.

Abba, Your word is strength and power. It is understanding and life. It is hope. Increase my knowledge and understanding that I may rightly teach others. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Affirming Sin

A few days ago I watched a video debate called “Can you be Gay and Christian”.

The debate is between Dr. Michael Brown and Matthew Vines.

Mr. Vines is very intelligent in his pro-gay part of the debate. He does not deny the what the Bible says in Leviticus 19 and Romans 1. But his main debate is that today people are capable of a caring and loving gay relationship as Christians.

Something Dr. Brown said caused me to think about myself.

He quoted Matthew 16:24:

Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

Dr. Brown says you must deny yourself – not affirm yourself.

Wow! I’ve never thought of it that way.

It makes the following verses take a whole new meaning.

Matt 16:25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Anyone that affirms their sin is trying to save their own life – trying to make the sin of no affect. They will lose.

It is not by my standard or yours. It is by God’s and His word is the standard.

Abba, I am guilty of affirming myself. Forgive me for not denying myself and affirming no other but You. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Know the Future

Sometimes it would be nice to know the future.

Abraham and Sarah had that knowledge.

Gen 17:19 God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac;

Gen 18:10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”

Abraham and Sarah are told they will have a son. They will call him Isaac. And they even knew the time he would be born.

Often the desire for futuristic knowledge isn’t about having a baby. More likely it’s for next weeks $250 million lotto numbers, the final score for the next Superbowl, or penny stocks that will increase in value 500%!

Such knowledge is selfish, greedy, and temporary.

There is one future you can know.

God has said;

I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord; Jer 29:11-14

God’s future for you is one full of hope and promises. It’s full of love, forgiveness, and grace. It’s also eternal.

The future belongs to God. Join in.

Abba, my future is in You. I trust you with it. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Jumping to Conclussions

Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was? John 7:41-42

Those that wanted to deny Jesus as Messiah did it based on the scripture – the lineage and birthplace.

What they failed to do was to get all the facts about Jesus Himself. They supposed He was born and raised in Galilee, not knowing of His birth in Bethlehem so many years ago.

They judged Him by what they knew, not by the facts!

Jumping to conclusions seldom leads to happy landings.

Throughout the day I can hear a bit of conversation here and another bit there. I will always come to some conclusion based on what I hear.

Or I see someone act a certain way. Perhaps they are stumbling around while walking. I may think they are inebriated when they may actually be having a reaction to cold medicine.
Often my conclusions are wrong.

There are a lot of people today that have come to a conclusion about Jesus based on partial information – a little bit of a sermon here or a part of a Bible verse there.
But when you read the entire Bible you will get the entire picture.

It will change your life. The more you read – the more you will change.

Abba, I want to know more about You. I want to know all about You. I want Your word to continue to change me and those around me. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Cut the little things.

Sin is certainly something that should be cut from your life. Sin will not allow a relationship with God to flourish.

I know many people that won’t give up the vices in their lives despite the fact they say they have been born-again and know Jesus as Savior.
They decide that the things they are doing aren’t really severe enough to be called sin.

But reconsider the covenant God made with Abraham. The procedure of circumcision is really as small matter. It seems insignificant. It’s not like God demanded something totally useful like a thumb or an ear.

There are times the little things interfere more with getting closer to God.

What makes the little things so tough to conquer is the attitude that because they are little, they really don’t matter. It’s the unwillingness to let go of the little things.
I believe that is why God said…

Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. Deut 10:16

It was Stephen that said,

“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.” Acts 7:51

Do not resist when the Holy Spirit tells you to cut away some small part of your life. End the stiff-necked rebellious nature that keeps you from growing closer to God.

Abba, circumcise my heart and remove those small things from my life – things I don’t need and that keep me from You. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Better Friends

1 Cor 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

For years I have said, “You have to get some new friends” to certain individuals. The problem is while they are striving to better themselves, they have friends that continually drag them down.

There are those people that have toxic personalities and unknowingly want to fulfill the old saying ‘misery loves company’.

Evil company deceives!
“Oh, come on! No one will know”
“Just one drink won’t hurt!”
“You’ll get home in plenty of time!”

Such things said are as deceptions.

If such company wants you to hide what you’re going to be doing or they have to assure you that it’s not going to hurt – then stay away from it.

Surround yourself with those that will help you; those that will encourage you to do better and not drag you down.

Separate yourself from poisonous, toxic people that will lead you into sin.

Abba, give me those that will encourage me. And let me be an encouragement to others that are trapped by their friends. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Assembly

Ps 26:5 I have hated the assembly of evildoers,

Just as Christians assemble together in a church – evildoers also assemble together.

All it takes is some commonality between them. It doesn’t matter if it’s a gang or a gathering of terrorists.

Why do people gather at a bar? To drink, to get a buzz, and even to get drunk. Do you find non-drinkers gathered drinking in a bar? Not likely.
Do you find a non-gang member gathering with the gang or a non-terrorist grouped with the terrorists? Not likely!

Like minded people gather together.

The like-minded men of Sodom gathered at the house of Lot. Gen 19:4
A gang of at least 42 young men gathered together and made fun of the prophet Elisha. 2 Kings 2:23, 24
Demetrius gathered together his fellow idol-makers. Acts 19:23-34

So who do you gather with?
What type of people are you like minded with?
Are you getting together for something honorable, evil, or just “fun”?
And is your fun honoring God?

Abba, I love gathering with your people, whether it’s in church, at work, or in my home. I abhor the gathering of those that seek to do evil but I know that Jesus died so they may also have forgiveness, salvation, eternal life, and gather together with Your people also. YES&AMEN

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Fruit of the Spirit

Gal 5:22-23 the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Over the weekend we had the Fruit of the Spirit VBS. During the first song I remember someone saying, “That’s what I need; self-control!”
My response was you start with love!

The fruit of the Spirit is a staircase.

What you will need first is love! You cannot have kindness or gentleness without it. You can’t have joy or peace if you have hate.

Love is the key – the first step to the fruit of the Spirit.

Self-control is last on the list. Before you will attain it completely you will have to have things like patience, faithfulness, and gentleness. Self-control is not possible without them.

The great thing is the fruit of the Spirit is not dependent on others. You can have it without any help and despite any opposition. It’s all about your personal relationship and availability to the Holy Spirit.

John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Abba, I want to be an orchard of good fruit for You! In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Get back to spiritual basics

This morning I was up at 3am and turned on the TV. Wagon Train was on and I tuned in just in time to hear this old man pray. It was quite a prayer. At the end of it he received an answer to his prayer and shouted, “Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!”

The show was filmed in 1961 and I thought how far we have gone off the straight and narrow path.

That became a subject last Wednesday evening. The American church and American Christian has become too sophisticated and has strayed away from God.

Other nations around the world are responding to the Gospel and seeing the evidence of the miraculous power of God.

I have heard testimonies of healings; even those being raised from the dead. None of these stories originate in the USA.

The word of God tells us why.

Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

The TV show from 1961 praised God in the dialogue. TV today curses Him.
Indeed we have left our first love.

Rev 3:17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked —

It is time for the American church to return back to the basics of God. Back to faith. Back to believing. Back to living in the bounds of Christianity!

Abba, in Jesus name I want to live in the Spirit and not in the physical! I want to return to the simplicity of the faith. YES&AMEN

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45-minutes of reasoning!

Isa 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

As great as the service with no lights was – the next night was even better.

Pastor Todd expounded and explained the word of God to the simplest degree. The Holy Spirit moved and reasoned with everyone in the worship center. The result was a 45-minute altar call!

I honestly have never seen so many teenage boys and girls crying in my life. They brought their friends to the altar, hugged each other, and prayed.

Todd offered the mic to anyone that had a testimony.

I listened as kids cried and shared their hurts and pains – divorces, the death of a parent, and the concern over a friend.

I learned that God’s grace and power does not run out or run low.
His promise to dismiss sin and replace it with forgiveness and love does not run out.

God’s love and grace did not run out with the end of church camp. Both stand ready today to change your life!

Come reason with God and listen to what He has to say to you. Find the forgiveness you need to make your sinful life as white as snow!

Abba, Your grace and love are addicting. I need it every day! I need the cleansing every day. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN