LOST

 Lost

Romans 3:23-24 NES

“...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

And all are justified freely by His grace

Through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Looking back over my own life, I often wondered why I never took the things my dad preached about seriously. As a child, I didn’t realize my own sin was deeper than the world’s view of “normal child behavior: just arguing with my older sister, sassing my parents, or participating with my classmates in disrupting our class. I could go on, but the fact is though these seem like “little sins,” to God, there is no greater sin than that of another outside of blasphemy. My mother would teach us to guard our words closely not to be blasphemous: “OMG, gosh, or gosh darn it, or oh my goodness.” Strict, is what I thought then, but now I have learned to reverence the names and characteristics of God. Simply put, I was lost and didn’t understand just how lost I was until much more sin interfered with my life; and when I found God’s grace and forgiveness, I found it to be like a weight had been unburdened from me. 

So, what is sin? Sin is the behavior that separates us from God eternally. In the Bible, Exodus 20:1-17, God gives Moses the law of how to live morally within the world and righteously with the LORD our God. It is these commandments that outline the litmus test for the soul of man and those who practice them daily, the righteousness of God within those who claim to be Christians. David wrote in Psalm 119:11ESV says,” I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” This means  that the first thing is to take seriously the commandments of God so that we will know what is displeasing and at the same time how to understand what pleases Him. Know this, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately evil; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 KJV. The only one who knows the hearts of mankind is God (Psalm 7:9, 1 Chronicles 28:9). For me, I would have taken this test and failed, even as a child, I had a wicked heart. My parents tried to guide me in the right direction growing up and even in my adult life tried to help me get on the right path with God. I had to learn the hard way, but God was alway there no matter if the choices I made went against what my father preached about was pleasing to the LORD. I encourage you to pause and read the commandments of God and see if you honestly pass the test against your life. 

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Exodus 20:3: Do you acknowledge there is a God or higher power? If yes, ask yourself this, Is this God a just, loving, merciful, jealous God or only a God who loves, forgives, and shows mercy? 

2. Exodus 20:4-5: if   you answered the first question as God is loving, forgiving, and merciful then you are guilty of making an idol or false god to replace who God really is in nature. God is loving and merciful, but He is also just and jealous in HIs nature. 

3. Exodus 20:7: Here is where you ask yourself if you have said, OMG, Cursed with God in it GD, gosh darn it, good gracious, or any other slang using God as a curse word or profanity? 

4. Exodus 20:8-11: Here is where God requires us to take a rest day from work. Like God did, He took six days to create the world and on the seventh He rested. He asks us to take a day of rest in order to not only rest our bodies, but also to take time to revere how God has created everything around you and worship Him within a fellowship of other believers. Do you take time to thank God for what He has created for you or done for you?

5. Exodus 20:12, begins the moral laws on  how to live your life among your fellow mankind. First, God says to honor your parents. Would you say you have honored your parents if you curse at them, yell at them, disrespect their authority, do things behind their backs knowing it would not make them happy, ect? 

6. Exodus 20:13 talks about not committing murder. Jesus taught that even to think of hating someone is just like committing murder in your heart: Matthew 5:21-23. Have you ever hated someone?

7. Exodus 20:14 says to not commit adultery, and Jesus even expanded the explanation of adultery as looking at another person with lust in the heart (Matthew 5:27-28) Wow! I am guilty for sure. Have you looked at another person with lust in your heart?

8. Exodus 20:24: Have you ever taken something like a pen or pencil from a doctor’s office or more than a reasonable amount of something that was offered free (candy at  a doctor’s office)? Have you ever cheated on a test? Or, perhaps, stolen a small item from a grocery store you forgot to ring up at the self-checkout? Maybe the cashier gave you too much money back from your purchase and you did not bother to correct their mistake?

9. Exodus 20:16: Have you ever told a lie? White lies are still lies even if the intent is to keep someone from harm. 

10. Exodus 20:17: Have you ever wanted to have what someone else you know has? This could be anything: latest fads, a car, fame, fortune, their spouse, a child, a house, a job promotion, or anything that someone has you desire. This is a tough one to admit, but I am just as guilty as the next person.

There is hope! God did something to redeem sinners from the consequence of unrepented sin. Just as when anyone is found guilty of a crime, they are to pay a price. Romans 6: 23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” What does this mean for us that are guilty? God humbled Himself to come to earth as a baby, His son Jesus (John 3-16-17). Jesus took our sins upon Himself and was crucified for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:4). He then arose after three days and after a period of time ascended to heaven to sit on His heavenly throne. He left us a helper, His Holy Spirit, to dwell among those who would place their trust (faith) in Christ Jesus (Romans 1:16).

Finally, I would like to say that in my own salvation experience, God has dramatically changed my life. I was drowning in sin and the worst part is that for so long I knew what I was doing disappointed my parents and my Father in heaven but I did it anyway. God knows the hearts of mankind are wicked and sinful, yet, He still sent a Savior for us to reunite us with him. I know God has watched over me all these years I knew better, and called out to me. It reminds me of the Good Shepherd, that Jesus is for His flock. He will go after the one who strays from the herd and rescue us. (John 10:1-37)

Forgiven Series: God is Present

Forgiven: A Bible study series

God is Present

I am certain now that it was more loving for God to forgive us by sending His son, Jesus to die on the cross for my transgressions, than it was for me to come to a point in my life where I could accept His grace and forgiveness for my sins. I endlessly tortured myself with what all I had experienced in life against what I was taught was sin, but did it anyway; I thought I could never be forgiven for all I had done. I am sure many feel the same way at some point or either never come to the realization that choosing right from wrong, sin from living righteously has deathly consequences. At least that is how I felt for a long time before totally surrendering my life to follow His Word and really live God’s way in my life.

I stumble and fall when I am drawn away from His presence, and He is there to pick me up reassuring me no matter how many times I fail, He will always carry me through every victory or loss. There are times in my life I could have sworn I never felt His presence even though He promised He would never leave me or forsake me (Hebrews 13:5). I realized that I couldn’t feel His presence because my life I chose to live at the time was opposite of who a Christian should act.  When we look closely at those times in our lives, it becomes clear that false doctrines out there influence us because we like to have our ears tickled with things we want to hear, so we can keep living a lie that defies the truth of the whole word of God. God is always present in our lives, even when we don’t feel near to Him.  A real relationship with God takes work on our part because the righteousness we receive when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us goes against our innate sinful nature. Don’t mistake me when I say it takes work for us to mature in faith for me speaking about works because there is nothing we can do in ourselves to obtain salvation apart from putting our belief and faith in what Jesus accomplished on the cross for our salvation (Titus 3:4-7). When we redirect our focus away from ourselves and onto putting our trust in the Almighty Savior of the world, the realization is mind blowing just to how when we go through difficult times, God is there bestowing blessings in your life.

How many times have we all missed those blessings because we are lacking in our faith?
I like the old hymn that says, “Count your many blessings one by one.” How many can you count just in one day?  Every morning I wake up and pray just to praise God for the new day and that He allowed me to take part in it. Sometimes that is not easy, especially when you are not really feeling up to saying thanks for another chaotic day in the life of…, or even in the midst of the everyday normalcy of whatever is going on in your life today. In the midst of it all, God is there, and we all need to slow down a little to catch up on our praising and thanksgiving. That is why the Bible says to, “Be still and know I am God.” He is in total and full control over everything. One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 9:6, “Though man plans his way, God establishes His steps.” There is absolutely no way we can get this wrong even if life is currently a huge disappointment. So why not wake up and say thanks for another do over, a new start. I bought a wall hanging to put by my front door which says, “God’s mercy is renewed every morning” to remind me before I go out the door, or one of my children go off to school that it is a new day and God is in control. The big thing I have learned in my life is that, God can only be in full and total control when we let go and let God take over our lives.

Reflection

Describe what true faith is as presented in Hebrews 11:1-3?

What is the consequence of deliberately defying God after receiving knowledge of those sinful actions? (Hebrews 10:26-31)

What 3 things did Paul say that happens when we let go of trying to be good by ourselves and having faith in the righteousness of God? What knowledge do we gain by faith?

What changes take place in the life of a new believer in Christ? Ephesians 4:17-28

What does the walk of a believer who has the Holy Spirit as a helper look like? Ephesians 4:29-32

What things shouldn’t be a part of a believer’s life and what things should they practice? Ephesians 5:1-13

The Great I AM

I was in personal study into the name of God, "I AM" and what all that means to me in my personal relationship with Him. I even thought of what that looked like when I even doubted God's existence, and where He has been throughout my life. I wanted to share a little of what I learned, in order to maybe encourage and give hope to someone because it really brought perspective to me.

There is a high reverence owed to the name of God. In fact, the Hebrew scribes would not even wright the name of God on a scroll without cleansing themselves first, and making a new quill to wright it with. The name of God in Hebrew tradition would only be mentioned on Holy days only after purification had been done. Today, we say God's name and often take for granted the respect and awe owed to God even when saying His name. The name of God, "I AM" mentioned in Exodus 3:14-15 to Moses, in Hebrew is "Yhvh".

God is before anything He ever does in our lives.  Acts 17: 27b-28 says, "Yet He is actually not far from each one of us, for 'In Him we live and have our being'; as eve some of your own poets have said, 'For we are indeed His offspring." God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one in the same, I AM as John 8:57-58 indicates. "So the Jews said to him, 'You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?' Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." In the beginning and to the end of ages on earth, God will be present in all of our lives, no matter the relationship we have entered in with Him, we will all face Him on judgment day, and bow before His Majesty in awe at His Glory.

I looked up that God supplies all our needs, according to His will. (Philippians 4:19) Consider Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and where God is in its perspective. Since God is above all you could ever need or desire to become in life, that means He is around you continuously, even when you lack the sight to see Him there. Wait for it and I can say with certainty, today, your eyes will be opened to seeing the truth of God's realness in your life. He indicated that there were needs that we have as human beings, ranked in importance from: Physiological needs: air, water, food, shelter, sleep, clothing, reproduction; Safety needs: Personal security, employment, resources, health, prosperity, education; Love and Belonging: friendship, intimacy, family, sense of connection; Esteem: respect, self-esteem, status, recognition, strength, freedom; and Self-actualization: The desire to become the most that one can be in life. Would you believe, God's word reveals that the Great I AM supplies every one of these things to everyone, and everything He has created the most basic of needs.

Instead of typing out all the verses I have found, I will link them under each category in the Hierarchy of Needs listed above.

Physiological Needs: Matthew 6:25-34, Luke 12:22-32; Colossians 1:16
Safety Needs: Jeremiah 33:6, Job 11:18,Psalm 90:17, Psalm 91: 1-12, Psalm 40:2
Love and Belonging: 1 John 4:7-8,18, Proverbs 17:17, John 13:34-35, Ephesians 1:3-12
Esteem Needs: Ephesians 3:12, Jeremiah 17:7, Nehemiah 6:16, Philippians 1:6, Philippians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 3:1-4
Self-actualization: Proverbs 16:9 (This verse sums up all the rest perfectly.)

Jonathan Cahn, in his book and The I AM Mysteries as he explained it further on YouTube, said this about God, the "I AM" in our lives, "Living with God, we have to be able to cut through the complexity and live with the simplicity of God." We try to over complicate who God is in our lives, but the reality is God is always present even when we don't see Him there in our circumstances. I realized that even when I am sick battling my Multiple Sclerosis, sad, happy, grieving, feeling lonely, feeling unwanted, upset, and even when life is good; God being the I AM is before everything I face in life. Cahn explains it this way, "You live in victory before you even see the victory; because God is victorious." God is the most basic of our needs before we even recognize our need for His grace. 

Without God, we are dead in the trespasses of our sin (Ephesians 2:1-10), and we need a savior because without Jesus, there is no hope (Ephesians 2:11-13).  So, look at this from the perspective of introducing yourself saying, "I am Susan." Notice before I even said my name there was "I am." God is there before me. God is present in everything I face in life. Even more so, because I have accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior, and have surrendered my life to doing His will, I have the Holy Spirit as my helper living inside my heart to help me always in life's path. How do I get through the tough times, remain strong in my faith during tragedies, and rejoice with the good times? It is because, I AM is there always.

In conclusion, I want to encourage you to think about your relationship with God in this perspective as God being before everything you encounter in life good or bad and remember when we even say these phrases below that describe things we go through, God is there before, during, and sticks around after them all.

I am a sinner. (Jesus is my salvation.)
I am broken. (Jesus was broken first for me on the cross.)
I am redeemed. (Jesus is my redeemer.)
I am alone. (God is with me always.)
I am happy. (God rejoices with me.)
I am sad. (God comforts me.)
I am depressed. (God lifts me up , for He is with me.)
I am victorious. (Jesus is the victory over my circumstances.)
I am (you fill in the blank).

We cannot exist without Him. We cannot live life in Him without Him doing it before us. His I AM became my I am on the cross. He says for us to walk in His I AM. Colossians 2:6-7 says, "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

Are You Ashamed of the Truth of the Gospel?

Are You Ashamed of the Truth of the Gospel?
I titled this in a way that presents a question in the hearts and minds of those Christians and non-Christians alike, because like in the 1st century church, there were Jew and Gentile, it remains the same, yesterday as in today. I have had several people on social media who knew me at some point in time as a non-Christian, non-Christian self proclaiming Christian, and currently a child of God living like a Christian should type of true Christian. Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." I certainly fall under that category, but unlike many who know this in their minds as I do, I found that I didn't just have to know it in my mind but be convicted in  my heart of what all I had sinned, separated me from really grasping the need for God's free gift of grace. It wasn't until I began to share my heart felt faith and hope in Jesus, and what was revealed to me as sin through His laws, that I realized the need to dive deeper in faith, prayer, and the word of God in order to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that I now have in my heart, through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 3:14-16 says,
"But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame."

I will be the first to admit openly and with security in the forgiveness I have in Christ Jesus for the redemption of my sins, that I am a sinner (Romans 1:24-32), and have been declared righteous through His blood and victorious over the death penalty owed for my sins though His resurrection. The difference between knowing this saving grace in your mind and knowing it in your heart shows in the actions of the person who claims to be a Christian. That is why there are two types of Christians today. I have written before as well as countless others, that you cannot possibly be a true believing, righteous living Christian with one leg on either side of the fence because there is simply no grey area with God. Someone once said this about the way mankind views God, "In the beginning God made man in His own image, and since the fall, man has been seeking to return the compliment." When we do this, like saying, "My God is loving and grants my requests when I pray, so he must care for me." is ignoring the sin we have and the need for a loving and just God who delights in granting our petitions when they glorify Him to do so. Let us not forget the reason behind the meaning of John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." We often quote this verse, but leave the point unsaid. John 3:17-18 continues, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." If you really believe in something, you stand firm in what you believe. I know who I believe in and that is the Son of God, Jesus Christ who has redeemed me from my former slavery to sin, and I now live to serve in righteousness. The laws of God are what condemned me of sin, but it is the Holy Spirit that convicted me of the need for repentance and justification through Christ Jesus. You cannot ride the fence on which is black and white with God. If mankind cannot see their penalty for sin and the justness of God, they are nullifying the need for a savior.

Here it is plain to see in Romans 3:23-26, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, who in God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins. It was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." We are all sinners, have been given justification through faith in the redemption of our sins, that Christ Jesus paid in full with His life (blood) on the cross, and now is alive and overthrew the death penalty for our sins which separated us from eternal life in heaven with Him. If we don't hold stock in this and believe this with all of our being, we are lost. There is no grey area in the Gospel. To teach otherwise is heresy according to the Bible (Galatians 1:6-12).

Christ died for all the shameful acts of sin I have done throughout my life, even up to the day of my salvation, when I surrendered my whole life to His glory. I no longer desire the works of my flesh to do evil, but desire only to continuously crucify my flesh as Christ did to redeem me from my sins, and serve the only just and loving God who has given me victory over that which separated me from accepting His gift of grace. I praise God that I cannot be put to shame by man for the things God has forgiven me from, "passed over", redeemed me from, justified in my faith in Him, cleansed from my heart, and by God has forgotten. Romans 5:20-21 says, "Now the law came in to increase the trespass,  but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin regained in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
What we owe God is a life lived for Him instead continuing in slavery to our sin. We owe a blood price, our lives, same as if we live and keep sinning we will pay the death penalty for our non-repentant hearts, the same is true for a life lived as a repentant servant to God will live in eternity with Him because the penalty has been paid. The difference is the faith in what you put your belief in, do you believe you are justified by faith in the redemption of God through Jesus Christ and live free from the ruler of sin in your life, or do you know that Jesus Christ died to pay the price for your sins, but feel that grace covers it all past and present, so you keep sinning without repentance. I am still a sinner, but saved by grace. I may sin, not like my former sin, but nonetheless, I am a sinner. So what's the difference? The difference is, that I have the help of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26) which teaches me how to live a righteous life, and convicts me when I am not living like Jesus' example for me to live.

Paul asks two questions in Romans 6 about living free from the law which convicts us of sin, and grace which freed us from the penalty of sin, past and present. "What shall we say then; are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?"(Romans 6:1-2) We cannot serve two masters, you cannot say you serve God and serve Satan at the same time. In America today, we have given a blind eye to the sin we have allowed to be placed in our legislation as lawful: abortion, same sex marriage, Religious oppressive penalties for not recognizing LGBT agenda in churches, taking the rainbow and perverting it to honor satanic agenda away from God's promises, and much more. I will say this, things are lining up for the day of judgment people. We cannot continue in life, living in sin and allowing it to reign in our lives, because we want to be politically correct. Christians and sinners alike will have to face judgement for what we say and what we do. "By no means!" We cannot say we are Christians and live like the world, nor should we accept it. Paul also writes, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:12-14) We owe a blood price for our sin. That blood price is your life. We have been freed from the slavery of our sins under the law, but we should know that the law is what shows us we need God's grace. God's grace that has freed us from the law that convicts us of sin, is not a license to continue to sin because we are no longer bound to the former sins, and we have been given the Holy Spirit that keeps us in line and teaches us righteousness. (Romans 5:3-5) The second question is about being under grace and sins we may commit today. "What then; are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." It doesn't say that we will never sin again, but when we have repented (turned away) from our sins in our hearts, we will obey the law of God and his commandments, and live a life of righteousness because of Christ in us that teaches us and rules our lives.

My friends, though many come and judge me based on my past transgressions of sin, I know the hope in which I place my life in serving by faith in Jesus Christ. I cannot deny ever having done every debased sin listed in Romans 1 and then some, but what I can confidently say is that unless you are the just and righteous God I live to serve with my life now, your judgement only makes me draw closer in obedience and further secures my faith in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I know there are many of my friends and family who are deceived by the way mankind would like to see sin as okay and justified because everybody does it, or think my sin isn't as bad as another person's sin. My friends, I too was blinded by it and I knew some of the things I was doing was wrong, but I continued in it anyway. NO MORE! I have rest, peace, and joy in everything (trial, tribulation, persecution, goodness, sickness, health) because I have found real and lasting hope in Christ Jesus. He saved me and cleansed me from all unrighteousness. People judge others based on two things, their own guilt and shame for doing what is wrong, or they have repented because they are no longer deceived by their self-justification but realize their guilt and repented, having faith in God's gift of grace, not wanting anyone else to be deceived by the schemes of the devil. Likewise, when a Christian shares the law of God and it is seen as judgement, the person who knows the former self you were, may see it as hypocrisy, because they don't know your witness of what God has done for you. Also, your testimony under the conviction of the law and freedom through the grace of God, because the work of the Holy Spirit will put a conviction of the hearts of who you share it with, is powerful above all against the enemy. If those you share it with are indifferent to the conviction of the law, their hearts become calloused and will view your testimony as a hypocrisy or you being judgmental. I can not judge anything I haven't confessed and repented from to God. I can only share God's law, my witness of it's power to convict to repentance, share salvation in Jesus Christ, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest in the harts of all who hear it.

Please my friends and family, share this with someone today. If you share it you are sharing life with someone who is dead apart from God's grace. I pray that someone who reads this post, and is lost, will cry out to God and repent from their sins and believe in the love shown through Jesus on the cross and through the resurrection, begin their new life to live pleasing to God, in His righteousness.

Are You Ashamed of the Truth of the Gospel?

I titled this in a way that presents a question in the hearts and minds of those Christians and non-Christians alike, because like in the 1st century church, there were Jew and Gentile, it remains the same, yesterday as in today. I have had several people on social media who knew me at some point in time as a non-Christian, non-Christian self proclaiming Christian, and currently a child of God living like a Christian should type of true Christian. Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." I certainly fall under that category, but unlike many who know this in their minds as I do, I found that I didn't just have to know it in my mind but be convicted in  my heart of what all I had sinned, separated me from really grasping the need for God's free gift of grace. It wasn't until I began to share my heart felt faith and hope in Jesus, and what was revealed to me as sin through His laws, that I realized the need to dive deeper in faith, prayer, and the word of God in order to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that I now have in my heart, through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 3:14-16 says,
"But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame."

I will be the first to admit openly and with security in the forgiveness I have in Christ Jesus for the redemption of my sins, that I am a sinner (Romans 1:24-32), and have been declared righteous through His blood and victorious over the death penalty owed for my sins though His resurrection. The difference between knowing this saving grace in your mind and knowing it in your heart shows in the actions of the person who claims to be a Christian. That is why there are two types of Christians today. I have written before as well as countless others, that you cannot possibly be a true believing, righteous living Christian with one leg on either side of the fence because there is simply no grey area with God. Someone once said this about the way mankind views God, "In the beginning God made man in His own image, and since the fall, man has been seeking to return the compliment." When we do this, like saying, "My God is loving and grants my requests when I pray, so he must care for me." is ignoring the sin we have and the need for a loving and just God who delights in granting our petitions when they glorify Him to do so. Let us not forget the reason behind the meaning of John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." We often quote this verse, but leave the point unsaid. John 3:17-18 continues, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." If you really believe in something, you stand firm in what you believe. I know who I believe in and that is the Son of God, Jesus Christ who has redeemed me from my former slavery to sin, and I now live to serve in righteousness. The laws of God are what condemned me of sin, but it is the Holy Spirit that convicted me of the need for repentance and justification through Christ Jesus. You cannot ride the fence on which is black and white with God. If mankind cannot see their penalty for sin and the justness of God, they are nullifying the need for a savior.

Here it is plain to see in Romans 3:23-26, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, who in God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins. It was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." We are all sinners, have been given justification through faith in the redemption of our sins, that Christ Jesus paid in full with His life (blood) on the cross, and now is alive and overthrew the death penalty for our sins which separated us from eternal life in heaven with Him. If we don't hold stock in this and believe this with all of our being, we are lost. There is no grey area in the Gospel. To teach otherwise is heresy according to the Bible (Galatians 1:6-12).

Christ died for all the shameful acts of sin I have done throughout my life, even up to the day of my salvation, when I surrendered my whole life to His glory. I no longer desire the works of my flesh to do evil, but desire only to continuously crucify my flesh as Christ did to redeem me from my sins, and serve the only just and loving God who has given me victory over that which separated me from accepting His gift of grace. I praise God that I cannot be put to shame by man for the things God has forgiven me from, "passed over", redeemed me from, justified in my faith in Him, cleansed from my heart, and by God has forgotten. Romans 5:20-21 says, "Now the law came in to increase the trespass,  but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin regained in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
What we owe God is a life lived for Him instead continuing in slavery to our sin. We owe a blood price, our lives, same as if we live and keep sinning we will pay the death penalty for our non-repentant hearts, the same is true for a life lived as a repentant servant to God will live in eternity with Him because the penalty has been paid. The difference is the faith in what you put your belief in, do you believe you are justified by faith in the redemption of God through Jesus Christ and live free from the ruler of sin in your life, or do you know that Jesus Christ died to pay the price for your sins, but feel that grace covers it all past and present, so you keep sinning without repentance. I am still a sinner, but saved by grace. I may sin, not like my former sin, but nonetheless, I am a sinner. So what's the difference? The difference is, that I have the help of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26) which teaches me how to live a righteous life, and convicts me when I am not living like Jesus' example for me to live.

Paul asks two questions in Romans 6 about living free from the law which convicts us of sin, and grace which freed us from the penalty of sin, past and present. "What shall we say then; are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?"(Romans 6:1-2) We cannot serve two masters, you cannot say you serve God and serve Satan at the same time. In America today, we have given a blind eye to the sin we have allowed to be placed in our legislation as lawful: abortion, same sex marriage, Religious oppressive penalties for not recognizing LGBT agenda in churches, taking the rainbow and perverting it to honor satanic agenda away from God's promises, and much more. I will say this, things are lining up for the day of judgment people. We cannot continue in life, living in sin and allowing it to reign in our lives, because we want to be politically correct. Christians and sinners alike will have to face judgement for what we say and what we do. "By no means!" We cannot say we are Christians and live like the world, nor should we accept it. Paul also writes, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:12-14) We owe a blood price for our sin. That blood price is your life. We have been freed from the slavery of our sins under the law, but we should know that the law is what shows us we need God's grace. God's grace that has freed us from the law that convicts us of sin, is not a license to continue to sin because we are no longer bound to the former sins, and we have been given the Holy Spirit that keeps us in line and teaches us righteousness. (Romans 5:3-5) The second question is about being under grace and sins we may commit today. "What then; are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." It doesn't say that we will never sin again, but when we have repented (turned away) from our sins in our hearts, we will obey the law of God and his commandments, and live a life of righteousness because of Christ in us that teaches us and rules our lives.

My friends, though many come and judge me based on my past transgressions of sin, I know the hope in which I place my life in serving by faith in Jesus Christ. I cannot deny ever having done every debased sin listed in Romans 1 and then some, but what I can confidently say is that unless you are the just and righteous God I live to serve with my life now, your judgement only makes me draw closer in obedience and further secures my faith in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I know there are many of my friends and family who are deceived by the way mankind would like to see sin as okay and justified because everybody does it, or think my sin isn't as bad as another person's sin. My friends, I too was blinded by it and I knew some of the things I was doing was wrong, but I continued in it anyway. NO MORE! I have rest, peace, and joy in everything (trial, tribulation, persecution, goodness, sickness, health) because I have found real and lasting hope in Christ Jesus. He saved me and cleansed me from all unrighteousness. People judge others based on two things, their own guilt and shame for doing what is wrong, or they have repented because they are no longer deceived by their self-justification but realize their guilt and repented, having faith in God's gift of grace, not wanting anyone else to be deceived by the schemes of the devil. Likewise, when a Christian shares the law of God and it is seen as judgement, the person who knows the former self you were, may see it as hypocrisy, because they don't know your witness of what God has done for you. Also, your testimony under the conviction of the law and freedom through the grace of God, because the work of the Holy Spirit will put a conviction of the hearts of who you share it with, is powerful above all against the enemy. If those you share it with are indifferent to the conviction of the law, their hearts become calloused and will view your testimony as a hypocrisy or you being judgmental. I can not judge anything I haven't confessed and repented from to God. I can only share God's law, my witness of it's power to convict to repentance, share salvation in Jesus Christ, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest in the harts of all who hear it.

Please my friends and family, share this with someone today. If you share it you are sharing life with someone who is dead apart from God's grace. I pray that someone who reads this post, and is lost, will cry out to God and repent from their sins and believe in the love shown through Jesus on the cross and through the resurrection, begin their new life to live pleasing to God, in His righteousness.

When Was Jesus REALLY born??

When Was Jesus REALLY born?? This is Johnathan Cahn a Rabbi and Christian speaking the truth of God's word about Jesus Christ the Messiah! Christmas is a good time to reflect on God's promise of a coming Messiah, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, but we must also remember what the timing of what we know as Christmas signifies. "According to Forever Conscious, "The winter solstice celebrates the longest hours of darkness or the rebirth of the sun and is believed to hold a powerful energy for regeneration, renewal and self-reflection. In Pagan times the winter solstice was referred to as Yule and was a celebration of the Goddess (Moon) energy." I mentioned it because not only the pagan significance, as we sing carols that say things like, "make the Yule tides gay," but we also need to understand the long period of darkness and the rebirth of the sun as pagan too. However, there is another way of looking at the winter solstice that happens on December 25 each year as this...there are reminders here that our days are short upon the earth, darkness is longer because we don't search out God as we should for our reason to live, but instead, turn to follow the world's example, and because of this there had to be a way to have justification of our since in the birth of our Messiah. The rebirth of the sun, celebrated on the holiday, signifies the coming of a new beginning, a new year, a new way of life. As this season comes soon, will you remember the reason for the season differently, but as the reason is repentance and turning towards preparing in relationship with Jesus Christ, putting your full trust in Him with all of your life, and in your new beginning, be watchful of the promised return of the Father, Christ Jesus.

Why do People Hate Christians? Part One

We all live in a generation where it is a disappointing reality, that presently Christians that speak out the truth of the whole Word of God, are being persecuted. This is not just in foreign countries, but also in America. For instance, I saw a post the other day on Facebook and repeated on Instagram, about a LGBTQ protest being done where two lesbian women spoke about how Christians were teaching hate and not love. There was another video where I saw two men trying to get women to reconsider abortion outside an abortion clinic. Those men had few successes, but never gave up on planting the seed of truth. I know God is happy with their courage in the face of the enemy, because they are showing God's love. I am sorry, not sorry, but my Bible is all about sharing love and I would not share love to others if I didn't tell them that the for sins is death in hell apart from God for eternity, and that they will burn in the flames of hell for their unrepentant hearts. However, if they could see that there is hope and love in Christ Jesus, and that the price for their sins was already paid in full on the cross, and when Jesus resurrected from the dead on the third day, He claimed victory over our death penalty, giving us the hope of eternal life in heaven with Him. In this study, God has revealed to me over the course of a few days, the reason for my faith, how to combat the demonic in this world, and claim victory in Jesus by living a life pleasing to Him. There will be a whole bunch of verses listed in this study, and will be quoting them all in NKJV translation of the Bible.

To combat the demonic in this world, we have to know three things: Know firmly who you are in Jesus, Know the tricks of the devil and how to combat them, and Know, why people blame Christians and Religion for their issues.


Know Firmly Who You Are In Jesus

When we have put our faith in the hope that is in Christ Jesus, and have repented, turned away from our sins because we have realized our transgressions separated us from life with Him in eternity, we have become new creatures. We are never going to be the same person we were before because we have a helper, the Holy Spirit living within us and we are newborn as a child of God. Our thoughts, desires, and our mindsets change to become that of someone not like the rest of the world. Best of all we have peace in a world full of war.

1 Corinthians 5:17; "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: all things are passed away; behold, all things are new." The moment I surrendered everything I had ever done and experienced others do to me, I repented of my sins because I realized I needed the salvation of Jesus Christ, and had to live for Christ instead of myself. I put my total faith and trust in Jesus and since then, I have never been anything like my former self, nor do I have any other desire to put my focus on but God. I have even had my own children say that I am not the same and it scared them a little, because every time they come to me about their day, or for advice, I will listen to their reasoning, but when I give them wisdom, it is not that I am preaching at them God's word, it is that the only real true wisdom I have to give is what I learned through my teacher, Holy Spirit guiding me in the Bible. My children are like other children. They are growing up in a society where there are many ways people view God, but the bible says God is not a fan of the "in crowd." If we view God as He is, that means He is a just God, and shows mercy and grace to those who put their faith in Him and have repentant hearts. This doesn't mean that He gives grace as a license to say, "I am sorry Lord, I did it again," and think God is okay with you repeating the offence. NO, God forgives the repentant heart. Someone may be thinking, "she is possessed and crazy." I say I am possessed by God through His Spirit, Holy Spirit, and yes I am crazy, I am crazy for my Father, and follow Jesus completely and not with one foot on either side of the fence with one that says I am a Christian and the other that shows I am living like the world. Why would we think that other's would want to follow us into putting our full faith in Jesus when we act just like they do?

1 Peter 2:1-3; "So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that you may grow up to salvation --if  indeed you have tasted the Lord is good." If you have these issues in your life, and you confess to being Christians then you need a reality check in what you are putting your faith in and what you believe. Look, it shows in your life if you are really a Christian or not. Here is a litmus test for it...malice: do you have unforgiveness in your heart even if it is directed at those who persecute you, or do you get upset when you don't get that promotion at work?...deceit: do you know that sexual sin is wrong, but you turn a bind eye, because you don't want to offend anyone, or do you take one part of God's word and disregard the other parts that don't agree with your lifestyle?...hypocrisy: living like the world and saying you are a child of God...envy: are you concerned more about appearances and keeping up with the trends of the world, do you look at your neighbor's things or lust after their wife or husband, do you wish you had something that wasn't intended for you to have?...and slander: Do you say, "I am a Christian." to those in the workplace or at church or at home, but you participate when someone tells a dirty joke at work and laugh, curse when you get angry, go out and party with drugs and alcohol, not only are you a hypocrite, you are slandering God, committing idolatry thinking, "Oh it's okay, I am covered by grace." and you are no closer than the world is to being like Christ. When you put your faith in Jesus you are His spiritual babies, and need like all children, to be fed and nourished, and know they are loved. This is how we grow and know that Jesus = salvation and if we study His word, and obey Him, we will live in peace because we know our identity in Christ.

Know the tricks of the devil and How to Combat Them

First trick of the devil is to get Christians to think like the world, act like the world, and believe like the world. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. This understanding and renewal of your mind comes from the word of God alone. When you go to relax and rest after work, do you play video games, watch TV, read a book, go on social media, or something else. I am not saying these things are wrong or condemning you if you do so, I enjoy some of those things too. But think of it in this way, when we relax or rest in things of this world, do we also spend as much time in God's word renewing our minds in it rather than filling it with the things of this world in our "free time"? With that said, be careful of what things we do enjoy or choose to learn from, because not everything is good for us to receive in our minds. Colossians 2:8: "See that no one take you captive by Philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Christians are never to appear to others outside the faith to be just like them. We are set apart from everyone else, and will not ever be the "in crowd". 1 Peter 2:4-5 says, "As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." The "in crowd" is going to reject you just as they reject Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The devil will deceive us and get us to think that we need to be a part of the "in crowd" in order to be accepted, but we are already accepted into a royal household, a spiritual one as children of God. His judgement over everyone Christian and worldly alike is what counts in the end and makes the final decree if we spend eternity in heaven or in hell. 1 John 2:16 says, "For all that is in the world--the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world." Why do we insist on having what we see others have and concern ourselves with keeping up with the current trends of the world, when they come from the desire of the flesh which as Christians, we are supposed to be crucified in our fleshly desires? (Galatians 5:24)It is because we concern ourselves with being a part of the "in crowd" and being a "people please" kind of generation and do not concern ourselves with pleasing God with our lives being a living sacrifice to Him. (Romans 12:1)

The world would have us believe that by following the "in crowd" it is okay and that we will be okay like everyone else. Satan is a great deceiver, and we need to know that one of the many tricks is to get us to feel intimidated by those who put down our views because we stand for what God's word says us to do. Matthew 7:13; "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many." There are many who are deceived, the devil has even deceived Christians, especially into hiding their faith and not sharing it. The mindset of the Christian should be that of the one who stands up for God's law, and sharing the Gospel and our faith with everyone. I have said it before on here and on social media, Christians think about the next opportunity you pass up to share the love of Christ Jesus with someone, is like passing a death sentence on that person. Be a good gate greeter, and share the Good news with someone. Each time that is done, the devil gets further behind us, and sooner than you realize it, you don't even hear the devil anymore. Matthew 11:28-30; "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart (meek), and you will find rest for your souls. 'For My yoke is easy and My burden is lite'."

We will pick up on part 2 of this study tomorrow. A bunch of Christian encouragement for my church family.
A Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't. - Charles Spurgeon
The carnal person fears man, not God. The strong Christian fears God, not man. The weak Christian fears man too much, and God too little. - John Flavel
Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will. - Jonathan Edwards
Right now counts forever. - R.C. Sproul
If you are not as close to God as you used to be, who moved? - Author Unknown
Let God have your life; He can do more with it than you can. D.L. Moody
When the will of God crosses the will of man, somebody has to die. - Addison Leitch
We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first. - Oswald J. Smith
Any place you can take Jesus Christ with you is ok to go. - J. Vernon Mcgee
No one is going to be powerful in their ministry if they are hiding something that they are afraid people will find out at any moment. - David Jeremiah (paraphrase)
In the beginning God made man in His own image, and since the fall, man has been seeking to return the compliment. - Author Unknown
If lips and life do not agree, the testimony will not amount to much. - Harry Ironside
I have concentrated all my prayers into one, and that prayer is this, that I may die to self, and live wholly to Him. - Charles Spurgeon
God examineth with trials, the devil examineth with temptations, the world examineth with persecutions. - Henry Smith
I have so much to do, that I must spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it. - John Wesley
Indeed, your scars may be your greatest ministry. Just as the scars of Jesus convinced Thomas, perhaps your scars will convince someone today. - Adrian Rogers
Make sure the thing you're living for is worth dying for. - Charles Mayes
If a sinner comes into your assembly or you otherwise come into contact with him, remember that he is a human being for whom Christ died. He stands at the foot of the cross, just as you stand at the foot of the cross. - J. Vernon Mcgee

Christian? - Short Film by James Dylan Short Films

The Light of a Complete Salvation

1 Peter Chapter One

Definitions: 

Foreknowledge: English meaning: awareness of something before it exists

Greek word for holy: from a primary root; sacred, holy:--Holy, Holy of Holies,
holy one, holy ones, holy place, most holy, saint(s), sanctuary (1 Peter 1:16) 

English meanings:

Sacred: connected with God or dedicated to a religious purpose and so
deserving veneration (great respect; reverence), embodying the laws or doctrines of a religion.

Holy of Holies: the inner chamber of the sanctuary in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem,
separated by a veil from the outer chamber. It was reserved for the presence of God
and could be entered only by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement; a place regarded
as most sacred or special.

Holy: dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose; sacred.

Holy ones: Those who are clean, particularly in a spiritual or moral sense; it also denotes
persons set apart for the service of God, in heaven or on earth.

Holy One: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit

Saint(s): a very virtuous, kind, or patient person; a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous

Sanctuary: a place of refuge or safety, a holy place; a temple or church

Greek word preparing: 328 to prepare; to gird up (English meaning of gird: encircle, surround, secure

Greek word sober: 3525 to be sober; to abstain from wine:--keep sober, sober
(English meaning sober: serious, sensible, solemn

Greek word mind: 1271 the mind, disposition, thought:--mind, minds, thoughts, understanding 

English meanings:

Disposition: a person’s inherent qualities of mind and character, where something
is placed in relation to another 

Understanding: the ability to understand something, comprehension 

Mind: the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and
their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness and thought

Minded: inclined to think in a particular way

Greek word fix: 1679 to expect, to hope for: expect, expected, fixed...hope,
hope, hopes, set...hope, trust

English meanings:

Fix: fasten on securely, decide or settle on a decision

Expect: regard as something likely to happen, regard as likely to do or be something,
believe that someone or something will arrive soon

Expected:regarded as likely, anticipated

Hope:a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen, a feeling of trust

Hopes: expecting something to happen

Trust: firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something, believe in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something

Summary of Chapter:

We have divine wisdom from the Holy Spirit living within us, and God’s infallible word of truth, as our instruction for obedience to Jesus Christ and His salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”  He showed us this grace on the cross before we existed with all of us on His mind. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 Because of our faith in Christ Jesus, and His living hope through His resurrection from the dead, we have now an inheritance in the Kingdom of heaven as sons and daughters of the King of kings and Lord of lords. This rebirth as children of God, and our obedience to follow Him by faith, is the outward sign to those who are lost in the world. We are reborn to be set apart from the rest of the world. My daughter and I had a conversation where her co-workers called her weird for ordering a happy meal on her break. I told her it was okay to be weird, and that we are supposed to be weird, because we are Jesus

freaks. We are in the eyes of the world freaks of nature because of their lack of understanding why
we rejoice in a God who no matter how the world defines Him or deny Him, they make Him up in
their own image of who He is and make an idol out of a passive aggressive god who approves of
their lives in sin.  True Christians, or “lifestyle Christians” as they call us today, rejoice even though
trials of the world come our way, because we understand and know by faith that in the end Jesus
won the victory over our circumstances and we have a promise of hope waiting in heaven for us.
Amen. Hallelujah! Though we get tested time and again, our firm faith in Jesus, becomes more
valuable to us than the riches of this world. Our faith value gets more pure and stronger as it
gets tested by the judgments of this world. Unless the world experiences what we know by faith
to be true, they base their feelings on how they feel rather than facts we know are proven true.
The Gospel message was predicted hundreds of years before the birth of Christ Jesus, and so
the like of His death, burial, and resurrection. The hope of our salvation has been proven in Roman
historical records in history, concerning the same. Yet, the world will bend over backwards to either
cover up, distort, or destroy evidence of the truth so they can continue to live in disobedience to
God the creator of all things. 

We Christians, Peter instructs us to be prepared in our minds, and “hope fully on the grace that
will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13)  He says this because he
knows that if faith is not practiced daily, the foreknowledge he spoke of (being the Bible) read and
meditated on daily, and prayer being done...it is easy to fall back into former sins. He says in
1 Peter 1:14-21, 

“As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as
He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am
holy.” And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work,
conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not
redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition
from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times
for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that
your faith and hope are in God.”

Peter goes on to instruct us to purify our souls through our obedience to the truth in the word of God,
and demonstrate brotherly love with sincerity and urge each other to continue to be obedient to the
truth. He talks about being reborn with an imperishable seed because we live and abide in the word
of God and living out the Gospel to the world. 

Please continue to support this blog. God has given me this gift and I use it to His glory.
I am not a weekly blogger as I hoped to become, but I am studying and remaining obedient to
teaching here what He speaks to me to instruct. The message remains the same and it is all about
the Gospel of Jesus Christ and growing in a lifestyle of Christianity in the present day.
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