Choices We Make

We all have choices to make.  We can walk in the Spirit and be salt and light and bless others and honor the Lord through a personal relationship with the Lord, or we can live in unbelief and rebelliousness and displease the Lord!!  We all have a choice and a free will to choose what we want to do.

You might ask this question: why didn’t God just make people like puppets so He could just pull the strings and we would do whatever He wanted us to do?  If He wanted to, He could have made it so everyone would love Him and be obedient because they would have no choice.  Think about this, God doesn’t need us, He is fully complete in Himself but He chose to create man in His image and likeness because He wanted to, and to top it off He actually wants to have fellowship with us.

Maybe this example might help; what if your mom and dad were programed to love you and the rest of your family were also programed, how would you feel?  It might be nice for a time, but in time it would start bothering you.  Would you feel like you were really loved?  No, you would know that they were just going through the motions because they had no choice like a robot or a puppet.  

God wants people to love Him because they choose to and they understand His character, goodness and His concern for each person and because He is love.  God’s love goes beyond anything we can imagine or think.  I think that is one reason God didn’t program us to love Him.  Another reason could be, why would you want to spend eternity with God if you don’t want to spend time with Him here and now on earth?  If you would be miserable here serving and praising the Lord, what would you feel like doing it forever and ever?  God wants us to love and serve Him because we choose to and want to, that is why we all have a free will.

Think about what it says in John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

God doesn’t make us come to Him, but He did provide the only way that we could come to Him and be made right with Him and that is through His Son, Jesus Christ.  He allowed Jesus to suffer the pain and shame and hostility that we should have suffered.  God allowed his Son, Jesus, to die in our place and shed His blood as a sin offering for us.  He had never sinned, but only through the shedding of blood could there be forgiveness of sins and it had to be a perfect sacrifice and Jesus was that perfect sacrifice, the sinless Lamb of God!! Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life, no man cometh to the Father except through Me.”  It is not by any good works that we can do and it is not by being a religious person, no, you have to be born-again.  You need to have a personal relationship with the Lord, that is the only way.

Read John 3 where a religious ruler comes to see Jesus and he does it at night in secret and he talks to Jesus who explains this to him.  Read verses 1-8, “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

This man who came to Jesus was a very religious man and a teacher of the law but he didn’t know what Jesus was telling him and there are many religious people that don’t know this or don’t teach it today.  Like I said earlier in this Tidbit we all have choices to make.  Read what it says in God’s Word in Matthew 7:21-29, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

I think you get the picture and this choice will be the most important choice you will ever make.  Jesus suffered a great deal so that you would make the right choice and my prayer is that you will.  Enough said, have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!  If you are a believer don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord, for He is worthy!!  

Broken

Everyone comes to the Lord broken because of the sin and the baggage we carry.  When we repent and confess that we are sinners and ask the Lord to forgive us and to be our Lord and Savior, then He starts to make new creations out of us, if we allow Him to.  Read 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

As time goes on we become more like our Lord if we have truly repented and mean business with the Lord.  But it seems that some of us seem to change quicker than others and I can think of two things right off that might explain this.  One, read about Jesus’ parable about the sower of the seed in Matthew 13:18-23 and the other one would be this; Jesus said those that are forgiven more love more and those who are forgiven less love less, you can find this in Luke 7:47.  This I am sure of, that if we are not changing and growing in our walk with the Lord it is not the Lord’s fault, it is ours.

When we are born-again, our body becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit, so the same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in us.  God’s Word says, “it is not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit sayeth the Lord,” so none of us has an excuse.  Some of us just have other priorities and we have to examine ourselves to see what and who is the most important in our lives.  And for those that think they lived a pretty righteous life before they became born-again; maybe they were very religious people and did many good works, the Word of the Lord says in Ecclesiastes 7:20, “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”

Then read Romans 3:9-18, “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Now read Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Now read what Paul the Apostle said about his accomplishments, or the way he lived before his encounter with Christ in Philippians 3:3-11, “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

So you can see, we were all in the same condition before we received Christ and we cannot say it was anything we did before that because we were all enemies of God before our conversion.  Praise the Lord for His grace and the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.  There is only one way to get to God and that is through Jesus, His only begotten Son, and there is nothing we can bring but our wrecked lives and let Him put us back together again!!  

Like I said when I started this blog, we are all broken when we are born because of the sin nature that we were born with, but there is hope in the Lord because God made a way that we can be put back together.  Though we have been marred by sin and even enslaved by it we can be set free through the precious blood of Jesus!!  God is committed to our welfare but we need to be committed also to forsake sin, to confess our sins and to repent, which means to go in the opposite direction and ask the Lord to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness and to be our Lord and Savior.  

Like I said earlier in this lesson read 2 Corinthians 5:17 again, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

If things don’t change in your life and you claim to have been born-again, then maybe you need to examine yourself to see if you really are in the faith.  I have given you something to think about and this is the most important decision you will ever make in your life.  My prayer is that you will respond in all sincerity and truly be born again!!  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may have a super day!!    

Humility

Our example of humility is the Lord Jesus Himself, He humbled himself and became a man so that He could identify with man.  He was tempted as we are but He never sinned, read Hebrews 4:14-15, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Think about Jesus laying His life down for all mankind; without His willingness, all the Roman guards plus all the Temple guards could not have put Him on the cross.  If you think about the power He had at any time He could have called on ten thousand angels or more if he wanted to.  Read what just one angel did in Isaiah 37:33-36, “Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord. For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.”

He came to earth for a purpose and He fulfilled that purpose.  Being humble doesn’t mean He was like a doormat that people could step on either.  He wasn’t here to throw His weight around and to act better than everyone else, no, He associated with the down and out people, those that the religious leaders would have nothing to do with.  If you have some knowledge of God’s Word, which by the way is the truth, you know that Jesus had a righteous anger but He did not sin.

Read Matthew 21:10-14, “And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.”

And you can read John 2:13-18 also if you would like.  If you read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and many other places in God’s Word, you will read all the wonderful things Jesus did.

Now read what Paul encouraged the saints in Philippi to be like.  Read Philippians 2:1-16, “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”

I have given you something to think about, if you put these things into practice you will be a better person.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you all have a super day!!

Warnings from History

I was reading about this the other day and it really got my attention.  So many think that the Old Testament has nothing to do with us today, but as I was reading about the warning about history, I realized this was for us today as well.  Paul was talking to the Corinthian church at the time and he related to the Old Testament.  Jesus also related to the Old Testament at times when He spoke.  The way I see it, none of us will ever really get to know God’s true character unless we read and study both the Old and New Testaments.

Read Hebrews 13:6-8, “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

If Paul warned the Corinthian church and Jesus found fault with some of the churches in Revelations, which you could read about in the second and third chapters, we need to pay attention to these warnings in our day also.

Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-12, “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

I know I have given you a lot to digest, but like I have said many times before (It is not what you want to hear that is important, but it is what you need to hear that is important).  There is so much false teaching that you can hear, but only the truth will set you free.  

I have heard of a teaching that is being preached today and it is called ‘hyper grace.’  It is being taught that when you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior that all your past, present and future sins have been forgiven so you don’t have to repent or confess any more if you do sin.  If this is true, why was Paul talking to the church about these things if it didn’t matter anymore what you did, or why did Jesus speak to the churches in Revelations and why is 1 John 1:9 in your Bible?  1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

And why is 1 Corinthians 10:13 in God’s Word.  Be careful you don’t get deceived by great sounding words that may be nice if they were true but seek out the real truth that will set you free.  Don’t forget we live in the day of the ‘itching ear’ syndrome where people run to people that make them feel good by what they say instead of going to those who preach sound doctrine.  We need to be very careful, the enemy of our souls is always seeking an opportunity to deceive us but if we resist him he will have to flee, praise the Lord!!

I have given you something to think about and I hope you will.  May you have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!  P.S. Don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord for He is worthy!!

Faith

I think that people struggle with mountain moving faith.  You can talk about faith but that is not the same as having faith.

Read what Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”     

We live in a time where there are many who are suffering for their faith and if you are not, praise the Lord, but don’t be shocked if it happens to you; but still praise the Lord for He has counted you worthy to suffer for Him.

Read what it says in 2 Timothy 3:1-19, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect , thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

When Paul was persecuted he praised the Lord and when He wasn’t suffering he praised the Lord because he knew that the joy of the Lord was his strength or where his strength came from!!  That is something else that some believers struggle with; I know it is hard for me to be joyful when I am suffering.  If you have been around people that are very negative, at the time you may think that they have no faith but that isn’t always true, they may be going through a tough experience and it has taken them by surprise.  

Think about Job, he had his feet knocked out from under him, so to speak, he may have complained some but I think he still trusted the Lord.  

Now think of Elijah, the experience he had with King Ahab and the Prophets of Baal and what about when the ravens fed him in the wilderness.  Then all of a sudden King Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, threatens him and he starts running for his life, not long after the experiences he had with God sending fire down from heaven and consuming his sacrifice in front of everyone.  Then he prays for rain which hadn’t happened in three and a half years and it rains, then he runs and beats Ahab’s chariot back to Jezreel but where was he?  He was running to Horeb the mountain of God!!  

Think of King David, he had some great experiences with the Lord also, but he was running for his life also from King Saul; but David was called a man after God’s own heart because he knew what repentance meant and was willing to humble himself and repent.

I have seen the Lord move in tremendous ways in my life and others but that doesn’t mean I never get negative at times or even fearful or have any doubts at times and it doesn’t mean that I, or any of these people that I talked about, lost our faith, no, it just means we are human.  So instead of ignoring these people maybe you should take some time to get to know them and try to encourage them, but don’t be like Job’s friends.  And if any of you that are born-again believers lack faith, ask God to help your unbelief and let faith arise in your heart.

Read Luke 18:8, “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”  Think about what the Lord is saying here!!   

Enough said, may the Lord give you a blessed day and may He bless you and yours!!  And don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord, for He is worthy!!