What Did Jesus Say? - About Good Works And Giving?

What Did Jesus Say? - About Good Works And Giving?

Men and women love to be recognized and praised and win medals for their generosity and good works. To be seen and glorified by their fellowman is the only motivation of many for their benevolence and charity, even though their heart is not really in it.

Jesus taught about the hypocrites who love to stand in prominent places and pray so as to be seen of men, and to be known for their so called spirituality.

Sad to say that there are some do gooders and givers in churches today that want to be known by what they do and be recognized, and have their names displayed in prominent places.

God knows all about our hypocrisy and the motives of our heart. If we truly love God and love our fellowman, all our good works and giving ought to be motivated by a heart in tune with God, not caring whether anyone knows about it, and not seeking rewards.

We ought to gladly serve God with our good works and giving out of pure gratitude for what
Christ has done for us by saving us from eternal separation from God. We could never earn God's favor by anything we could give or do. All the blessings that we receive from God are free gifts of God's grace,- unmerited favor.

Jesus said: “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them: Othewise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Wherefore when thou doest thine alms do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when hou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6: 1`-4.

What Did Jesus Say About Loving Our Enemies?

What Did Jesus Say? - About Loving Our Enemies?

It is natural, according to our sinful human nature, that we love those who love us, but hate those who are our enemies and do us wrong.

When someone abuses us or causes us pain or loss, the natural thing for us is that we get back at them with revenge and like treatment. It seems to do us good to get even.

Jesus taught that even if someone causes us a great deal of anguish and pain, we are, by the grace of God, to love them and forgive them and help them. This requires a great deal more godliness on our part, and if we do as Jesus taught, it will reflect God's presence living in us. God has promised to greatly reward all those who do this.

It is not much of a problem to love those who are loveable, our friends, those who love us and help us; but it requires God's grace to love our enemies, those who would seek our harm.

Jesus's teaching was one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase with the thinking of his time, and it is so with the thinking of our time today.

Jesus said: “Ye have heard it said, thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the Publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the Publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5: 43-48.

Let us pray that God will, by his grace, instill within us his attribute of loving our enemies as well as our friends and neighbors so that his light may shine through us.

What Did Jesus say about seeking revenge and getting even?

What Did Jesus Say about seeking revenge and “getting even”?

The sinful human nature in mankind seeks revenge and wants to “get even”, as it were, for every little wrong done unto us. The law of the old testament declared that for every wrong deed done to someone, the wrong doer was to receive the same thing done unto him: an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. If you slap my face, I will slap yours, if you kill my dog, I will kill yours, etc. The attitude was that if I can't have something, I don't want you to have it either, thus: envy, strife, and contention.

Unfortunately, this same attitude prevails in the world today, even among some Christians, I am ashamed to report. We are always complaining like school children about what is fair, and that which seems to be unfair to us.

When Jesus came, he taught a whole new set of rules and standards that God's redeemed children ought to adhere to. Instead of revenge and getting even, we ought to be more ready to forgive and pardon one another even as God forgives us through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We ought to have pity and feel sorry for the one who does us wrong, and if possible bring him into the fold of the redeemed of God. Jesus said: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right check, turn to him the other also. And if a man sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also, and whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh of thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away.” Matthew 5: 38-42. Why not go the extra miule and show mercy?

The apostle Paul, speaking to Christians said: “Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you

because ye go to law one with another, why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?” 1Corinthians 6: 7.

What Did Jesus Say About Making Vows And Swearing Oaths?

We need to be very careful not to make promises that we do not intend to keep or have no power to perform. Deliberately breaking a promise or breaking a vow is sin. We must not make vows to God and then renege on our promise. God will not hold us guitless if we do. If we find that we are guilty of making vows to man or God and of forswearing ourselves, we need to go to God and confess, make restitution if that is possible, so that we might be forgiven.

We really have no right to swear to anything, nor make any promises beyond the point in time in which we now exist because we have very little or no control over the future. It is best just to say, yes, yes, or no, no, all according to the will of God.

Jesus said: :”Again, ye have heard that it hath been said of them of old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shall perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But I say unto you, swear not at all, neither by heaven: for it is God's throne. Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; neither by Jerusalem: for it is the city of the great king. Neither shall thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.”Matthew 5: 33-37.

What Did Jesus Say Concerning The Law?

What Did Jesus Say Concerning The law?

When almighty God created the universe and all things therein, he established certain laws by which it would function and continue. He established all the laws of physics, mathematics, and astronomy, which he has by grace revealed to mankind; likewise, he established spiritual laws by which mankind was to relate to him and enjoy his fellowship. He delivered to Moses the ten commandments and other instructions that were required to be obeyed if one was to have fellowship with him and inherit his eternal glory.

No one can see God and inherit his glory unless they keep the whole law. If they fail in one point of the law, all is lost. God knew from the very beginning, because of the nature of man, what was in man, and the frailty of man, so he made provision for mankind by sending Jesus Christ into the world, the one and only person and member of the human race who is one hundred percent man, and at the same time, one hundred percent God, who alone was able to obey the whole law in its' entirety.

God still holds all mankind responsible for obeying his laws, but warns us that no one is capable of obeying the law perfectly, therefore unless someone else who is capable does for us that which we cannot do for ourselves, we are without hope and are lost. But the good news is that Christ Jesus came into the world to save us from the curse of the law and set us free and place us under the grace or unmerited favor of God.

Jesus said: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfill, for verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5: 17-20.

Some people may think that because Christians are under grace and not under law, that the laws and commandments of God no longer apply, but this is not so. Jesus taught otherwise. The requirements of the law are in effect today as much as they ever were, but none of us can meet those requirments no matter how hard we try. Our only hope is to flee to Jesus for forgiveness and ask him to impute his righteousness to us. Then sin no longer abounds but grace does much more abound, and we are set free from the curse of breaking God's laws.

What Did Jesus Say? - About Light?

What Did Jesus Say? - About Light?

Up until the time that Jesus was born, the world was in a state of deep spiritual darkness. There had been no communication from God for four hundred years since the prophesies of Malachi, silent years in which every man seemed to do that which was right in his own eyes without any regard for the things of God, much as it is in the world today.

Isaiah had prophesied that there would come a time that the light would be turned on through the coming of the Messiah.

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shinned.” Isaiah 9: 2.

Jesus Christ, the light of the world had come to seek and to save that which was lost and give light unto the world, but even after his coming into the world, the world was in such gross darkness that even though the light was shinning, it was necessary for God to send John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness, to declalre that the light had been turned on, and to tell the multitudes to “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.”John 1: 29.

“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”John 1: 4

“Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8: 12.

We who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and born into his family, have the light of Christ dwelling in us. We ought to keep our gaze upon him so that we will reflect his light to the world around us, even as the moon reflects the light of the sun;.

Jesus said: “Ye are the light of the world, a city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5: 14-16.

Let us pray that each of us who are his will reflect the light of Christ and his salvation to give light and hope to a lost and dying world.

What Did Jesus Say? -About the Christian's Influence In The World?

What Did Jesus say? - About The Christian's Influence In the World?

What is the role of the Christian in the midst of an ungodly world culture? Jesus likened the Christian's influence to that of salt.

Salt is an important substance which adds flavor to our food, and acts as a preservative and an antiseptic healer of wounds. If salt looses its' saltiness, it no longer adds flavor, and no longer preserves, and no longer heals. It is no better than the earth on which we walk.

Jesus said: “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.” Matthew 5: 13.

When a Christian comes in contact with those around him who have no knowledge or relationship with God, and knows little or nothing of God's saving grace, the ungodly person ought to be able to taste the difference between the holy and unholy lifestyle. The Christian should be a living testimony to the saving grace of God, and the ungodly should taste and see what may be missing in their lives. The Christian ought to act as a preserver of righteousness and right living in his own family circle, his community, and his nation. The tragedy is that many so called Christians have lost their saltiness, so to speak, and though they may be saved and retain a form of godliness, yet, they are no longer the salty influence in their family, community, and nation as they ought to be. Therefore their influence is at a minimum, and the world disregards them, and pays little attention to what they say they believe. How can this ungodly world system be seasoned so as to have a flavor of godliness and righteousness?

“Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltiness, wherewith will ye season it” Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” Mark 9: 50.

How does one maintain his saltiness? The answer is: by abiding in Christ; by having his words constantly flowing through our mind; and by keeping short accounts with God, confessing our sins daily so that we maintain a continuous walk in the spirit; and by prayer and meditation .

Let us pray as Christians that we do not loose our spiritual saltiness and continue to make a difference in the world.

What Did Jesus Say? - How Should We React To Persecution?

 Thought for Today - June 26, 2023

What Did Jesus Say ? - How Should We React to Persecution?

By: Robert A. Searles

No one can out give God.

Jesus said: “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5: 11, 12.

If, for the cause of Christ we make ourselves vulnerable to be reviled, ridiculed, spit upon, abused, neglected, and abandoned by even our own familiar family and friends; even if we suffer physical pain and death, even as the martyrs of old have done, we should count it all joy because God has great rewards for all those who endure such things.

If we must face persecution for Christ, we should never be ashamed of him, for we will be more than conquerors with him in the end. Consider the suffering and persecution that he suffered for our salvation, and see how God has rewarded him for his obedience by giving him a name above every name to whom every knee shall eventually bow.

When we are being persecuted for righteousness sake, we are in good company with all the prophets which went before us.

 

What Did Jesus Say

What Did Jesus Say? - About Persecution?

Many people down through the centuries, have suffered persecution for the cause of Christ, and for the preaching of his gospel. Jesus warned his disciples, and us, that to follow him would mean persecution and suffering.

The bible says that Satan is a liar, and cannot tolerate truth, so wherever truth is lived and preached, Satan will be at work to stop it.

We live in a relatively free country here in America. We have not yet known religious persecution as some in other countries have; but there are many today in our country who would suppress any mention of God in public places, particularly, the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Bible reading and prayer is being banned from the public school system and sporting events. If we remain steadfast and remain true to the teaching ot he word of God, we stand in line for persecution from the ungodly world. Who knows to where it might lead? It might lead perhaps to martyrdom and death.

Only as we derive our strength from a one on one personal relationship with Jesus Christ can we find the grace and strength to endure such persecution.

Jesus said: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness,” and bear it patiently to the end. Jesus said we would be blessed and inherit the kingdom of heaven.

We must, however, be sure that if we are persecuted, it is not for any misdeeds of our own, for then we would deserve persecution; but for the cause of Christ, let us be steadfast and unmovable, trusting him to bring us through trials and difficulties for his name's sake.

What Did Jesus Say About The Condition Of The Heart?

What Did Jesus Say? - About The condition Of The Heart?

In its' natural state, the heart of man is desperately wicked. Who can know it?

When the bible speaks of the heart, it is not referring to the physical heart, the pump that circulates the blood through our bodies, but is speaking of the innermost personality, the mind and the soul.

In the depth of our subconscious mind there are impurities which have been inherited from our ancestors down through the ages. Until we are changed by being born again, as it were, by receiving Christ as our Savior and allowing the Holy Spirit to descend into the basement of our mind and soul, and dig out those evil thoughts and imaginations, and rebellion against God, we cannot expect the Holy Spirit to feel at home there.

There is no cleaning detergent on earth that can purify our innermost being, our heart, and soul, except the shed blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

When we have believed, and received him by faith, and allowed him to apply his blood to our account, his blood washes us and makes us whiter than snow.

When our hearts are pure because of what Christ has accomplished for us, then we are considered pure in heart, and we can sense the presence of God in our lives, and we can see God as he wants us to see him.

Jesus said: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew 5: 8.

What Did Jesus Say? - About Hunger?

Jesus said; “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5: 6.

Those of us who have been “born again” into the family of God by the grace of God, through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, still live in a heathen world full of sin and corruption. We are in the world, but not of the world. The banqueting table of this sinful world no longer nourishes us and we suffer from spiritual malnutrition, because the substance of the world cannot meet our spiritual need. Once we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, the sweetmeats of the world become bitter to us, and does not satisfy. We hunger, and long, and desire for something better than that which the world has to offer. We hunger and thirst for the table that God has promised to spread for us in the wilderness.

Jesus told us that when we truly desire and hunger for the things of God and thirst for his righteousness we will be blessed and he will fill us. God our Father will not allow his children to suffer spiritual famine if we truly desire to be fed by him.

What Did Jesus Say? - About Meekness?

What did Jesus say about meekness? Jesus said: “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5: 5.

What does it mean to be meek? To be meek means to be submissive – to be humble , gentle , easily entreated.

In our sin cursed world culture, meekness is sometimes considered weakness, where the world's philosophy is the survival of the fittest and strongest, and most aggressive, but Jesus taught otherwise. Jesus taught that meekness is strength and power, and will result in blessing from God.

Meekness ought to be an outstanding attribute of a true child of God as he follows the example of Jesus.

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” Isaiah 53:7. Jesus said: “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11: 29

An example of meekness is found in Moses who lead the children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, of whom it was said that he was the meekest man on earth. “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth.” Numbers 12:3. Another example of meekness is Jesus who exhibited extreme meekness at his trial and crucifixion, yet he conquered the most formidable enemy of all, death itself, and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, waiting for the signal to come and reclaim the earth and its' inhabitants for the glory of God as King of kings and Lord of lords. Let us pray that we can be more like Jesus because he has told us that the meek will eventually inherit the earth.

What Did Jesus Say? - About Mourning?

To mourn means to feel sorry for – to grieve for something or someone.

“It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.” Ecclesiastes 7: 2.

We can never be truly happy and blessed while we are feasting with the world in the pleasures of sin. There is pleasure in sin for a season. The temporary pleasures of sin come and go and in the end we are left empty and desolate, but when we come to the place in our life where we realize the consequences of being forever lost and separated from God, because “The wages of sin is death”, we enter into the house of mourning, as it were, and when we truly feel sorry and grieve over our sinful condition and separation from God, and ask God's forgiveness, then we are blessed and comforted.

When we mourn because of our sin, then God is there to lift us up, forgive us, and comfort us. Jesus said: “Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5: 4

What Did Jesus Say? - "Follow Me"!

What Did Jesus Say? - “Follow Me”!

Jesus came into the world to pay the debt owed to God the Father for all the individual sins of mankind. He offered himself as a sacrifice and a free gift of life to all who will receive him by faith. Jesus came to lead mankind to God the Father, and to lead them to heaven. He came to give us life and that more abundantly. He came to be the master teacher of all, he who has all knowledge and wisdom, he who is the way, the truth, and the light. He came to be the light of the world, and to dispel the darkness of ignorance and sin.

Jesus said: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4: 19. Jesus was a fisher of men. He went after the lost souls of the human race. He promised his disciples, and through them he promised us that if they listened to and kept his teaching, and follow in his footsteps, that they too would become fishers of men. They would draw men and women, boys and girls to him through their lifestyle and testimony, and many would be saved.

When Jesus left this world to return to the Father in Heaven, he left us with the great commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creatures. He wants his redeemed people to be fishers of men so that as many as will receive him can enjoy the blessings of salvation and eternal life.

Follow him faithfully and he will make you to become fishers of men and soul winners.

What Did Jesus Say? - Repent!

What did Jesus Say? - Repent!

Jesus said: “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4: 17

Up until the time that Jesus came upon the scene and presented himself to John the Baptist to be baptized by him as a token of his identification with the human race, the worship of God was ceremonial, for the most part. People lived pretty much as they pleased. For the most part, people were concerned only for their own needs and pleasure, religious and strict keepers of the law out of fear, but having no heart for it. They feared an angry wrathful God, as they thought of him, whom they thought was more eager to pour out his wrath and punishment, than to love, show mercy, and forgive. An eye for an eye and tooth for tooth mentality prevailed. People were lying, cheating, and killing one another in business as well as in religious matters.

Jesus came with an all new philosophy. Jesus was the manifestation of God the Father in human flesh. He came to reveal to the world the true nature of God. God is love, God is kind, God is merciful, God is more willing to forgive sins than to pour out his wrath and punishment if people will only confess their sins and ask for forgiveness.

To repent means to come to a place in our sojourn through life when we stop and examine ourselves, examine our thinking and attitudes, look into the depth of our own heart and root out all bitterness, envy, strife, covetousness, and anything that does not reflect the image and glory of God. Jesus taught us to repent: to stop and take a good look at ourselves and if we are going in that direction to turn completely around – repent – and go in the direction of God: to follow his teaching about God, and his love and mercy, and to look forward to the coming kingdom of God.

We all need to take a good look at our lifestyle. What do we believe? What are our attitudes? What are our ambitions? Are we on the right road to inherit the kingdom of God? Have we truly believed and received Christ as our Savior? If not, we need to do as Jesus said: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4: 17

What did Jesus Say? - About Worship?

What Did Jesus Say? - About Worship?

Worship – what is worship? Worship is said to be the act of showing reverence, adoration, to adore; to love; and to admire.

The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. It was made by him, and was all his from the beginning, but he temporarily laid aside all that rightly belonged to him so as to become one of us earthlings, made a little lower than the angels, so that he could share in our miseries, and pay our sin debt so that we could be like him.

Many wonderful things that God has made and placed within our reach tempts us to be covetous. Satan, while tempting Jesus, reminded him of all the kingdoms of the world that he could rule over if he would just turn his affection away from God the Father, and worship him, who had gained control of all these things through the fall of the human race.

Satan said to Jesus: “All these things will I give thee if thou will fall down and worship me.” In other words, Satan was saying , all can be yours if you will reverence, adore, love and admire me above all else, including God the Father.

What did Jesus say? “Then saith Jesus unto him, get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shall thou serve.” Matthew 4: 10.

This beautiful world that God has made is full of enticements for us to covet. Some things are good for us; others are not right for us to have. We are likewise tempted by our flesh, and by Satan to neglect our worship and service to God to go after those things, forgetting that God our Father, who gave his only begotten son to save us, will through him also give us freely all good things to enjoy if we will dedicate our worship and service to him only.

When we seek material things more than we seek a spiritual relationship with God our Father, we are falling into Satan's trap to worship him. The result is that we may have pleasure and comfort for a season, but in the end only misery and desolation.

Let us be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, and remind ourselves as Jesus said: “It is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve.” Math 4: 10

What Did Jesus Say? - About Food?

What Did Jesus Say? - About Food?

What did Jesus say about mankind's need for food?

Jesus Said: “it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

Jesus had been in the wilderness and had fasted for forty days and forty nights, and he knew what it was like to be hungry and physically in need of food. He could have commanded the stones to produce bread for his physical needs, but knew if he did, he would be using his divine power selfishly amiss. As the obedient son of God, he considered it more important to wait upon God and trust his word and promises.

Mankind needs more than physical food, clothing, and shelter for survival. He needs to absorb every word of God into his heart and mind. Every word of God is true and pure, and if obeyed will bring health, well being, and salvation to both body and soul.

Let us take the advice of Jesus and esteem the word of God more highly than our necessary food.

Bless The Lord At All Times!

Bless The Lord At All Times!

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Psalm 103: 1

We who are Christians and know of the mercies of God ought to spend the remainder of our lives blessing and praising the Lord for all his goodness to us. How wonderful to know that he has forgiven us all our iniquities, past, present, and future, and we will never again come unto condemnation. How wonderful to know that our once sin sick soul has been healed from the plague of the dominion and power of sin, and sin has no more power and dominion over us to keep us in its' prison.

The loving kindness and tender mercies of God has redeemed our life from destruction. As the mother bird feeds its' young, God daily fills our lives with good things. All things work together for good to them that love God. I am so glad that God hath not dealt with me after my sin, nor rewarded me according to my iniquities, but he sent his only begotten son to die in my place and take my sin upon himself and pay the penalty for me, and as far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgression from us.

My friend, if you are not yet a Christian, if you have not yet believed in the only begotten son of God whom God sent to earth to manifest himself to sinful men, and offer himself a sacrifice for the sin of the world, I admonish you to receive him by faith, and ask him to forgive your sin, and come live in your heart and give you eternal life. Then as millions of others will testify along with the psalmist, you will have gladness and joy in your heart, and you will have reason to bless the Lord Jesus Christ all the day long with all that is within you.

Who Shall Abide In Thy Tabernacle? Who Shall Dwell In Thy Holy Hill?

Who Shall Abide In Thy Tabernacle?

“Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that Walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor. In whose eyes a vile person is condemned; but he honoreth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh a reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.” Psalm 15

God cannot fellowship with sin, therefore if we have any vestige of sin in our lives, we cannot expect to enjoy the full fellowship of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, even though we may be the children of God. We ought to examine ourselves daily and keep short accounts with God so that we will be able to abide with God and dwell in his holy hill. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1: 9

Lets daily ask ourselves these questions, and if we find ourselves guilty, let us judge ourselves that we be not judged, and ask God's forgiveness: Do I walk uprightly? Do I the works of righteousness? Do I speak truth in my heart? Do I back bite with my tongue? Do I do evil to my neighbor? Do I take a reproach against my neighbor? Do I keep my word even to my own hurt? Do I fear the Lord and do I honor all them that do fear the Lord? “He that doeth these things shall never be moved.”

Run With Patience The Race That Is Set Before Us!

Run With Patience The Race That Is Set Before Us!

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1,2

Let us as Christians run the race so that we might receive the crown. We are called to be saved, and called to loose our life in our Savior so that we might gain eternal, everlasting life, but we must be willing to walk as he walked, and endure afflictions as he did and be a partaker of his reproach and his suffering in this present world.

Seeing that we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, we as Christians are in the arena of life and all the host of heaven, the host of hell, all the saints that have gone on to glory, and those who are yet alive in the grandstands to see how we will run the race of life and to cheer us on.

We need to put aside everything in this life, whether it be spiritual or material, which would tend to weigh us down and hinder us from doing the will of God. We know that we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and receive for the things we have done in our bodies in this life; therefore we ought to keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and like him, for the joy that is set before us, endure the trials and afflictions and minor annoyances of this life with full assurance that one day when the race is run, we shall share in his inheritance, behold his glory, and be as he is.

It is better to suffer afflictions with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a moment. We must be diligent lest that for one tiny bit of advantage or comfort in this life, we do not dishonor God and sell our birthright and loose our rewards and inheritance.

My Soul Cries Out For God!

My Soul Cries Out For God!

My soul cries out for God! I need thee, Oh how I need thee, every hour I need thee. When I do not hear from God, I sink in the mire of despair and am despondent. God has promised that he will never leave me, nor forsake me, so that I may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

If I am cut off from God's fellowship it may be that there is sin in my life. I may be neglecting to eat the bread of life, the word of God. I may have bitter envying and strife in my heart. I may have ought against my brother that needs to be reconciled. Perhaps I had opportunity to do good, and did it not. I may be insulting God by being anxious and worrisome and not trusting God for my daily needs. Whatever the sin may be, greater is the remedy, for “where sin abounds, grace does much more abound.” and “if we will confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Can I doubt the care of God for me for today and tomorrow when he has kept me and provided for me through all these years? If God has given his best, the Lord Jesus Christ to be my Savior, will he not with him also give me all things freely to enjoy?

Yes! He will! And he does, and what he will and has done for me, my christian brother or sister, he will do for you also if you will trust him.

No True Atheist!

No True Atheists!

There are no true atheists, for all people everywhere believe in something, and trust in something, but they that know not our Christ, and the one true God which he reveals himself to be are like the gods which they bow down to. They are dumb and stupid.

“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of mans hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: they have ears, but they hear not; noses have they but they smell not: they have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they through their throat. They that made them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. Psalm 115: 4-8

It is dumb and stupid to trust in things, or ourselves, or other people, or houses and lands, or riches, yet the world worships at the altar of materialism, and the religion of secular humanism is the faith of the masses of unsaved heathen. The heathen is not limited to remote primitive peoples as we have sometimes stereotyped them to be, but in spite of its' beginning, America today is a heathen nation for the most part, for the majority of the people of this country are idol worshipers, worshipers of false gods. We have departed from the faith of our fathers and put our faith in man and man's so called achievements. Men and women are living together in adultery and fornication contrary to the teaching of God, and new born babies are being slaughtered by the millions and few people lift a finger to stop the massacre.

Heathen Americans point their bony , self righteous finger in the face of God and mock him; but you self proclaimed atheist, who are not really atheist, but worshipers of false gods, better be aware of the fact that the true God, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the keeper of Israel and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will bring judgment on all evil doers.

“Wherefore should the heathen say, where is now their God? But our God is in the heaven: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” Psalm 115: 2,3.

You who have a mind with which to think, and not yet completely sold to be a puppet on Satan's rope: - “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool, if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isaiah 1: 18-20

Lie Not Against The Truth!

Lie Not Against The Truth!

“Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom decendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work.” James 3: 13-16

Dear friends, one of the methods that Satan uses to try to destroy us and to ruin our testimony as a christian is to cause us to harbor bitter envying and strife in our heart. Satan knows the effect that bitterness and strife can have on our mind and our bodies. It can cause an imbalance in the chemical make up in our bodies, eventually causing breakdown and illness, and it can cause our thinking process to be irrational and perverted; also , it can cause our thoughts to be turned away from our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. My friend, if there is any trace of bitterness or strife in your heart this morning as you begin this new day, glory not, but confess it to God and lie not against the truth.

Jealousy, envy and covetousness are all grievous sins and displeasing to God our Father who has promised to be generous to his children and to provide for all our needs. Bitterness, envy, strife, jealousy and covetousness are the elements which lead to war.

“From whence come wars and fighting among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and can not obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not because ye ask not. Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4: 1-3

Dear friend in Christ, turn to your Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ this morning, and to the written word which he has given us, and allow the Holy Spirit, through the word of God to wash away all this bitterness, and to cleanse us and make us fit vessels for the master's use. Get into the word of God, and by the washing of the word, be clean.

“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace” James 3: 16-18

“But he giveth more grace, wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4: 6-10