JUST A POOR OLD SINNER

Recently I was a witness to a conversation that started over  President Obama coming out in favor of same sex marriage. However, what I am about to blog has nothing to do with that conflict people have but with a statement one of the participants made regarding sin.  They stated adamantly in the debate that we are all sinners.

I don't know this person so maybe they were speaking for themselves, but I have never found any indication in Gods word about we as Believers being sinners. As a matter of fact this statement is in contradiction to what the bible actually says about us as believers. The bible says we are ambassadors of Christ, his representatives on earth. How can a sinner represent a holy, sinless God that cannot even look on sin. We are citizens of heaven,  Through the Blood we have been made the righteousness of God through Christ, The one who was without sin was made sin for us. He took our sins and made us Righteous (in right standing with God). So if we are sinners He really did not take our sin and we are not righteous. We are not citizens of heaven, or ambassadors of Christ. So where does that leave us.

John says in his 1st epistle that we do sin but if we confess He is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. He later goes on to say that whoever abides in Him does not sin. What he is saying is that even though we sin we are not sinners because that sin cannot live in us since Holy Spirit lives in us and the 2 cannot live together. As believers we are not characterized by sin.  It is not natural to the believer. When we do commit a sin Holy Spirit, that lives in us, convicts us of that sin, we repent and He is faithful to forgive us. Children of God cannot sin without the Spirits conviction. Living constantly, I believe, in sin goes against the claim of having a relationship with God through Christ.
If we are to conclude that we are sinners, then how can we be holy, when in Hebrews 12:14 Paul says pursue holiness, without which no one will see The Lord.
Eat the Bread, Drink the Wine.  How He loves Us!!

Turn Back

I haven't posted on this blog for over two years now because I got busy doing other things and I just never got back into it. My zeal for the things of God wanned and I did not have  the enthusiasim for continuing because I let other things take the place of my time with God, I think the Bible calls that Idolatry. That's a pretty strong word for too much television, computer (surfing, news, sports, social networks) music, reading  and too little of the things of the spirit, Huh? Well I think that is exactly what it is. It is not that these things are bad,  in themselves unless we indulge too much in the world and our hearts turn from the precepts of the One True God. When we do this we are turned away and our hearts become cold toward Him.  But if we turn to Him, Spend time with Him in His word, prayer, fellowship and meditation our relationship will strenghten and we will become more like Him. As we can see in the scripture below not only will our relationship grow and blossom but these things will be planted in our children and all of our descendents.

Isaiah 59: 21 "As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever," says the LORD.



In reading this scripture we need to also understand that other things can be passed to other generations. Have you ever heard like father like son, or like mother like daughter. We have to be careful what we are passing along the future generations. It it an obsessive love of sports, hunting, fishing, shopping, boating, traveling' Please don't missunderstand these things are not bad in themselves but If we are going to be fanatic about anything lets make it the love of God, the Grace of Jesus Christ and Fellowshiping with the Holy Spirit. OH HOW HE LOVES US!!!

On the Scene

Have you ever known someone that just lit the room up when they entered, they came on the scene and an ordinary occurence turned into maybe something maybe a little extraordinary? That's the way Jesus is. When He comes on the scene extraordinary happens. Jesus came to Peter's house, his mother was sick Jesus touched her and she got up and served them. He was on the scene and that evening many came to Him and were healed. He got into a boat along with His disciples and as they went across the lakea storm came up. They came to Him and woke Him up, He got up rebuked the winds and sea and it was calm. Then He came to the other side He met two men demon possessed and He cast them out of the men. He then crossed over to Capernaum His own city where a paralytic was brought to Him ,"Be of good cheer" Jesus told him, "your sins are forgiven, arise take up your bed and walk" and he got up and walked.
When Jesus comes, when He is on the scene, something is going to shake, something extraordinary is going to happen.
At that time, In His physical body he came on the scene physically and could only be at one place at a time. But now because He went away and left us the Comforter and Counselor the Holy Spirit, He is present with us and in us, Always available to us. He is on the scene. That in itself is THE extraordinary thing about Him, He came to this earth to give us life abundant and He never leaves us or forsakes us. John Wesley the great revivalist of the 18th century, uttered, on his death bed these last words. "above all He is with Me".
Jesus did, however, come to one place where He could not perform miracles and that was His hometown of Nazareth. They were familiar with Him. Say isn't that the son of Joseph the carpenter. Are you too familiar with Him? Maybe you have been exposed to Him and you just take Him for granted, He's that man in the Bible that you have heard about all of your life. I know Him we learned about Him in sunday school. Just familiar! He did those things then but he doesn't really do them now. If you will to Matthew and read about all of these things mentioned above you will see one common factor in the people that were healed or delivered. They believed! It was done according to their faith.
How about you, He has come and is on the scene are you just too familiar with Him or not at all. Do you take him for granted or just not concerned? Do you know Him or just know of Him?

IF YOU KNOW HIM PRESS IN AND PRESS ON
IF YOU DON'T KNOW HIM YOU CAN

Rescue Me and Take Me in Your Arms

Ever heard that expression "get real"? I think about that sometimes in my relationship to Christ Jesus. Am I being real? I know when I was first saved I thought I could kinda straddle the fence live a little in the world and a little in the church, after all I had witnessed this with some people that I knew in the church. In the pew on Sunday dressed in their "Sunday go to meeting clothes", doing all of the right things, or so it seemed, singing in the choir, serving in the government of the church. Well, I tried this double life but I was miserable, more so than before I had given my life to Him, and finally came to the conclusion that I needed to get real if I wanted things to change in my life. At that point things began to turn around; I let go of the world and began my quest for that relationship with the creator of the universe through His Son and by the fellowship of His Holy Spirit. I let go of a lot of things that I held very dear, including friendships; because I wasn't strong enough spiritually to withstand living in the same environment among the old influences.
I guess what has brought this to my mind are certain things that I have seen and experienced. I have just gone to work in a environment that I haven't been in in years. I see myself in the way I was in the past and how easy it would be to fall back into some of the old ways if it weren't for the strength God gives me through His Spirit that lives in me. He gives me strength to carry on.

I say all of this to ask "what is your story"; are you going through the motions, church on Sunday and Wednesday and living straddled across the fence the rest of the time just so you will be accepted by those around you? There are probably some things that you will need to let go of, but you will find when it all comes down to it, as Paul says you will count it all joy. Don't let acceptance by world keep you from a "real" relationship with Jesus Christ. You can begin that relationship by just inviting Him to help you. Ask Him to search you heart and know your thoughts and to change the wicked ways that you have and he will lead you in the right path. GET REAL!!

21 So I've discovered this truth: Evil is present with me even when I want to do what God's standards say is good. 22 I take pleasure in God's standards in my inner being. 23 However, I see a different standard {at work} throughout my body. It is at war with the standards my mind sets and tries to take me captive to sin's standards which still exist throughout my body. 24 What a miserable person I am! Who will rescue me from my dying body? 25 I thank God that our Lord Jesus Christ rescues me! So I am obedient to God's standards with my mind, but I am obedient to sin's standards with my corrupt nature.

Romans 7:21-25 (GW)

IF YOU KNOW HIM PRESS IN AND PRESS ON
IF YOU DON'T KNOW HIM YOU CAN

For You

As we prepare for Good Friday and Easter we should all be reminded of the Love the Father has for us in that he sent His only son to suffer and die on the Cross for our sins but for all that he wants for us. I have attached a clip from "The Passion of the Christ" and in doing this I am being brief because I could not express what you will see and I hope, feel in your heart the passion that He has for you. I want to say a lot but the spirit quenches me. Here is what the prophet Isaiah says in Chapter 53. Please watch the video and meditate on the scripture.

Chapter 53

1 Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord's power been revealed? 2 He grew up in his presence like a young tree, like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or majesty that would make us look at him. He had nothing in his appearance that would make us desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by people. He was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering. He was despised like one from whom people turn their faces, and we didn't consider him to be worth anything. 4 He certainly has taken upon himself our suffering and carried our sorrows, but we thought that God had wounded him, beat him, and punished him. 5 He was wounded for our rebellious acts. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so that we could have peace, and we received healing from his wounds.
6 We have all strayed like sheep. Each one of us has turned to go his own way, and the Lord has laid all our sins on him. 7 He was abused and punished, but he didn't open his mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. He was like a sheep that is silent when its wool is cut off. He didn't open his mouth.
8 He was arrested, taken away, and judged. Who would have thought that he would be removed from the world? He was killed because of my people's rebellion. 9 He was placed in a tomb with the wicked. He was put there with the rich when he died, although he had done nothing violent and had never spoken a lie.
10 Yet, it was the Lord's will to crush him with suffering. When the Lord has made his life a sacrifice for our wrongdoings, he will see his descendants for many days. The will of the Lord will succeed through him. 11 He will see and be satisfied because of his suffering. My righteous servant will acquit many people because of what he has learned {through suffering}. He will carry their sins as a burden.
12 So I will give him a share among the mighty, and he will divide the prize with the strong, because he poured out his life in death and he was counted with sinners. He carried the sins of many. He intercedes for those who are rebellious.

Isaiah 53:1-12 (GW)

All of this because He loves you.
If you know Him Worship Him and press on.
If you have wandered away come back.

If you don't know Him you can. He will take you Just as you are warts and all. Ask Him for forgiveness and invite Him to be your saviour. He will come in and change you into His image.

Press On

For the past two weeks it seems that in every direction I turn I am reminded of the scripture that says " in this world there will be tribulations". I know as you do that this is true but the next part of the scripture says "but do not fear I have overcome the world". This part of the scripture seems to be a whole lot harder to grab hold of than the first. We know there is tribulation but then we tend to ask the question Where is God? He is as close as we want Him to be. Have you ever been or are you now in a situation where you are wallowing in the mire of fear, anger, or self pity. When we get in that place it seems that is all we think about and talk about. Those things become magnified beat us down and they become so big that we are consumed. Every ounce of energy that we have is taken from us and the longer we roll around in it the more mud we get on us the harder it is for us to get out of it. There are people reading this that know exactly what I am talking about. You have gotten so deep in the muck and mire that you don't see any way out. Some want out and some choose to just stay in it and wallow around.
Just as we magnify or make large those things we can do the same with God. The Bible says magnify the Lord. If we begin to learn to take those negative thoughts captive as the scripture says we can, all of this old mire will begin to dry up and drop off. Through meditating on God's promises and making them a part of our lives the old things will begin to fall away and God will grow bigger in our eyes. If we continue in Jesus the Christ, trust Him and press through we will see the other side. He will bring us out of the tribulations and trials we are going through.
The thoughts of anger, self pity, fear, and worry will be overcome by His promises.

6 I called on the Lord in my distress. I cried to my God for help. He heard my voice from his temple, and my cry for help reached his ears.
7 Then the earth shook and quaked. Even the foundations of the mountains trembled. They shook violently because he was angry. 8 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and a raging fire came out of his mouth. Glowing coals flared up from it. 9 He spread apart the heavens and came down with a dark cloud under his feet. 10 He rode on one of the angels as he flew, and he soared on the wings of the wind. 11 He made the darkness his hiding place, the dark rain clouds his covering. 12 Out of the brightness in front of him, those rain clouds passed by with hailstones and lightning. 13 The Lord thundered in the heavens.The Most High made his voice heard with hailstones and lightning.14 He shot his arrows and scattered them.He flashed streaks of lightning and threw them into confusion. 15 Then the ocean floor could be seen.The foundations of the earth were laid bare at your stern warning, O Lord,at the blast of the breath from your nostrils.
16 He reached down from high above and took hold of me.He pulled me out of the raging water.

Psalms 18:6-16 (GW)

Do the raging waters surround you? Call on Him.

If you don't know Him personally you can.
If you know Him Press On and Press In

Daddy's Lap

When my children were little I always looked forward to getting home from work and spending time with them. I would be met at the door with a big hug and a sloppy, wet kiss, the word daddy would ring in my ears as sweet as any words that I have ever heard. The years have gone by since then and I still long for those reactions from them, the reach for my hand and the exuberiant I love you daddy. Did I deserve that adoration? I don't know if I did or not but I do know I filled something in their lives, as they did mine, that no one else could fit into.
This is the way it is with God he longs for our attention, He wants us to meet with Him, crawl up into His lap, Grab his hand and proclaim our love for Him. He wants to find that place in our heart that only he and His love can fit. I believe it grieves His heart when we just take Him for granted; when we don't spend time with Him and ignore Him. The following verses from Romans 8 says that if we are led by God's Spirit we are his children, not slaves to Him we are adopted by Him and can call Him Abba, which is a personal word comparable to the word daddy, in contrast to father (how many of you call you dad father?) which has such a formal ring to it. He is personal He is daddy.


Certainly, all who are guided by God's Spirit are God's children. 15 You haven't received the spirit of slaves that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the spirit of God's adopted children by which we call out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children

Romans 8:14-16 (GW)

I don't know about you but I relish attention from my children. When it comes I glory in it, something wells up inside me that it feels I might burst. God also longs for this attention from us just like we do our own children. Whenever I proclaim my love for Him I am reminded that the only reason I can say to Him, I Love You, is that he loved me first, before I was ever conceived. He thinks of me, I am on His mind and He chose ME. He is worthy of our worship for all He has done for us and for who He is ; King of Kings, Lord of Lords, creator of all there is,was or ever will be, the light, lover of My soul, the one who sent His son to die for me. Find time to worship, thank and praise Him. HE LOVES YOU.

Coming Through!

1 Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his mercy endures forever. 2 Israel should say, “His mercy endures forever.” 3 The descendants of Aaron should say, “His mercy endures forever.” 4 Those who fear the Lord should say, “His mercy endures forever.”
5 During times of trouble I called on the Lord. The Lord answered me {and} set me free {from all of them}. 6 The Lord is on my side. I am not afraid. What can mortals do to me? 7 The Lord is on my side as my helper. I will see {the defeat of} those who hate me. 8 It is better to depend on the Lord than to trust mortals. 9 It is better to depend on the Lord than to trust influential people.

Psalms 118:1-9 (GW)

One of the favorite cliches we hear today is things are so uncertain. Well here's the breaking news, folks. Things have always been uncertain. A friend once told me " the distance between the penthouse and the outhouse is very short". These last several months have proved him in this matter. You know Jesus says in the scriptures " in this world there are going to be troubles" there is no escaping this. We look all around us and there are so many things going on and as long as they are not happening to us we may feel a sympathy,but there is a detachment. It doesn't touch us, but there comes a time; that word from the doctor or that employer that tells us to come in and shut the door, the late night Phone call, there's been a accident; you heart is in your throat and your breath is gone like you've been hit in the stomach; a heaviness overtakes you, all hope seems to be gone. Where do you go? Do you turn inward and become depressed, anxious or worried and just let those things envelope you? Do you go outward, get angry at the world, turn to alcohol, drugs,or rebellion? All of these things will lead to your destruction. They will destroy all of you, physically emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
Above I quoted Jesus as saying, "In this world there will be troubles" but he follows with the Good News " but don't be afraid for I have overcome the world". I have found over the years to stop in the midst of my trial and seek refuge in His presence is the place to go. The thing that I try do first is reach to Him through praise and worship. Psalms says we enter His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts and His courts with praise. We go to Him in that way and we find Him for He inhabits our praises. We don't have to be in church to find Him, as a matter of a fact the best times I have with God are in my bedroom, my backyard or alone in my car; just me and Him. I worship Him and the heaviness begins to fade and is replaced by the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit. I only testify of these things out of my experience to let you know He will do the same for you.
This is not to say that the times of distress and trouble are the only times to worship Him. Go to Him every day in worship and the Word. Be prepared in season and out of season (good and bad times) and furthermore it is just plain fun and refreshing to be in the presence of the creator of the universe.
At the church I attend to we sing a chorus that goes like this (be glad you don't have to listen to me sing);

I think about His love,
I think about His goodness,
I think about His grace that has brought me through,
For as high as the heavens above,
Great is the measure of My Father's Love.

We don't have to be overcome by the troubles of the world for Through the cross He has overcome the World.

Simplify

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Romans 5:5-10 (KJV)
Each week when deciding what to write I find myself questioning as to what I am going to write about and is it offering hope and encouragement as I had initially invisioned. There are times after I finish that I know what I have written is right on and then there are those that seem to shoot a blank. I pray that this simple truth I write about today hits its target, which is the heart of those that love Him, those that take Him for granted, and those that give no thought of Him.
We go to church in our different denominations or non-denominations, all with different doctrines and use these differences to separate our selves from each other, when in fact the Gospel is one simple truth "GOD LOVES YOU", ie John 3:16. Falling from grace, speaking in tongues, once saved always saved, predestination, you must belong to this church to go to heaven, we're right and you are wrong (I won't even go into the things we say about one another's beliefs); how insignificant this is , how small and petty it makes us in comparison to what Jesus The Christ has done and continues to do for us each day.
If these beliefs separate us then what brings us together or at least should? It is the love of God for us in that He came to earth in the form of Jesus, the Christ, Who suffered, died on the Cross, rose from the dead and at the same time we were not left to contend with things on our own, but the Spirit of the Living God came to live in us,comfort and counsel us.

Simply said God loves You!!

If you Love Him, worship Him.

If you take Him for granted, draw close to Him.

If you give no thought of Him, Come and try Him.

Who, Who are You?

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:9-12 (KJV)
Exactly who are you as a Christian? Are you Just another person on the street. The same as any other person that we might meet. Do we fit in with the world? Do we act like the world doing and saying the same things as the world? Sure it might be easy for us to put away those things that all good church folks know are sins. No drinking, no smoking, no adultery. You go to church on Sunday, Wednesday, make all of the board meetings, visit the sick and shut-ins and yet you might listen to that joke that we really shouldn't, join in the gossip at work,the coffee shop or maybe the beauty shop. Maybe it is a racial slur that you still feel comfortable with. Do these kind of things still live in you? These are not just minor sins they are sins.

The above verses in 1 Peter should remind us who we are, we are the chosen ones, the ones that now belong to God through Jesus, the Christ. We are a nation unto itself, no longer a citizen of the world but a citizen of heaven. We are called sojourners, aliens, visitors, we are just traveling through. We should be in the world yet not really fit in, not part of the world. The thing I think of in context of the above is the movie E.T. He was definitely an alien. When someone saw him they knew he was not from this world and all the time he was working to get to the world he belonged in. That is kind of how we should be, recognized as someone that might not fit into the scheme of things in this world and looking to that day we will be with Jesus face to face.

He has taken us out of the darkness, which is the world or sin and brought us into the light. In the light we can be seen and believe me if we call ourselves Christian there are people who are going to be watching us, some waiting for us to fall and some looking to our example. We have that choice of showing people the world or Christ in us the hope of the world.

Quick Word

11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Heb 4:11-12 (KJV)
This passage says there is life in the Word of God. John 1 says that Jesus is the word. The word is the way, the truth, and the life; the same as Jesus. He is the word made flesh that came to dwell with us and now in us through His Spirit. There is power in His word because it is truth and light. God's word is not empty; when it goes out it does not come back to us it accomplishes what it is intended to accomplish. As stated before God cannot lie. He is truth.
The verse above says that The Word is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. At times it is a mirror that allows us to look at ourselves and see where we are in our relationship with Jesus. That is what David is saying in psalm 118:105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. If you look down at your feet you can see where you are. If there is a light on your path when you are in the dark it will show you the path you need to go to get to your destination. It is the same with God's word. You read His Word and you can see where you are in your walk. This same word serves a a light on the path that will lead to a closer relationship with God.
When we are confused and seem lost and do not know where to turn if, if in distress, bound by things in your life that don't see to want to let you go then look to God's word let Him show you where to go and how to get there. God Loves You.

Word

Like a lot of you when growing up, I was taught most of my values by my parents and many of these things came from God's Word. One of the things my daddy taught me was "your word is your bond" and that is a part of who I was, A Lampkin, which was something passed down to him from his daddy. Generation to generation, seed to seed to seed. This value is scripture based on Isaiah 59 in which God instructed Isaiah:
21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
Isaiah 59:20-21 (KJV).
This promise from God that passes to the next generation and on and on is His word. The Bible says that God is not a man that he can lie. In other words, It is not that He won't lie it is impossible for Him to Lie. Maybe you didn't know that there was something that He could not do But he CANNOT lie. His word is His bond you can count on it.
Today a lot of the young people use "word" as stating that something is accurate or the truth, as in "I hear you came here in a limo?" answer "Word". God's word is accurate, it is truth. Whatever you have need of, the answer lies in God's word, the truth that comes from the One who CANNOT lie. If you need a healing, peace, comfort, delieverance, whatever your need is, go to His word, find a scripture that deals with what your need is and meditate on it and you will be transformed by the renewing of you mind. Your answer lies in the words of the one who created the heavens and earth and all that is in them. BELIEVE GOD.

Whose House?

3 Then the Lord spoke his word through the prophet Haggai. He said, 4 “Is it time for you to live in your paneled houses while this house lies in ruins?"
Hag 1:3-4 (GW)
8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD
Hag 1:8 (KJV)
What God is saying to us today in this passage is If we are not building the Kingdom of God in our lives, if we are ignoring His house, which is Christ in us, then we need to go to Him and get those things that will restore us to Him in a close personal relationship. We can do that by reading and meditating on His word and fellow shipping with Him by thanksgiving and praise,talking with Him, and listening to what he has to say to us through the Word and in our spirit.
The Christian life is not about you and your needs—it is a call to deny yourself and share the forgiveness of Jesus with everyone around you.
Too often we reduce the Gospel to what God wants to do for me, how can He fix me/my situation. God wants us to be so infused with Him, His Life, and His Word, that it takes a hold of us and results in a holiness that empowers us to live a godly life and to become Kingdom minded people.
In other words, God’s grace becomes so infused in us and reflected in the way we live, such that we no longer live for ourselves, but for God. He wants to visit with us in such a way to transform us to be the man or woman He created us to be. When God visits His people, He is comes for two primary purposes …

1. to destroy the works of the devil and
1Jn 3:8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.NLT

2. to build His Life/Kingdom into our lives
Jn 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. God’s ultimate goal for our lives is to transform us.

If you have neglected the House of God in your life, today is a good time to begin to build or rebuild that relationship. Go to the mountain (God)and get the lumber and begin. He will take pleasure in that house you have built for Him in your life and you will find you can live the life that he has for you. He will transform you into His image.

Worthy

5 You are all around me—in front of me and in back of me.

You lay your hand on me.

13 You alone created my inner being.

You knitted me together inside my mother.

14 I will give thanks to you

because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made.

Your works are miraculous,

Psalms 139: 5,13-14 (GW)

One of the things we are instructed to do as Christians is to read God's word and meditate on it. In doing this lately the thing that God keeps bringing to my mind is His Greatness. I seem to be reminded at every turn that He is the creator of all things and before all things,He was. Out of the vastness and emptiness He created all things, the heavens and earth, the universe, and all that is in them. There are new discoveries every day.This universe and it's vastness cannot be comprehended. We really don't even know how big it is. He gives man the knowledge and ability to discover these things but they have been there all of the time. There is nothing new to God. He knows all and is in all.
Should we not stand in awe of all this greatness and worship Him.
The other day I watched a program on TV about the recent face transplant that was performed and the thing that struck me was when a doctor commented about how complicated this procedure was because of the complexity of the face and all it contains. Out of the face we talk, eat, smile, frown, hear, see, and smell. He talked about all of the muscles and nerves that control these things and how they joined all of these things in the transplant to the existing ones on the lady's face. To myself I thought, it took months and probably even years to prepare for this procedure to study and look at every intricate part of this, and what did God do? He formed man out of the dust of the earth, not just the face but the whole man.
Not only did he do this but He spoke, "light be" and there was light and divided the water from the land. He put the blue in the sky, green in the grass, leaves on the trees, meow in the cat and the moo in the cow.
He then came to earth as a child created in the womb of a woman by His spirit. After all if he can make man from the dust of the earth and woman from the man's rib what is the big deal about placing His child in the woman.
Think about all of this! Let it sink in! It is too much for us to comprehend. He is the creator of all things and he loves you, wants you to know him intimately and come and live in you. Can you imagine this; the one who created all things and he wants to reside in you? He thinks about you.
I wish there were words to describe Him but I am at a loss for words. He is an awesome God, almighty God able to do more than we could ever think of or imagine. As you are reading this think about these things and if you are under some heaviness He will begin to bring you out when you worship Him. This God who created all things loves you, thinks of you, and wants the best for you.

Consider, Choose

14 You are my friends if you obey my commandments. 15 I don't call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn't know what his master is doing. But I've called you friends because I've made known to you everything that I've heard from my Father. 16 You didn't choose me, but I chose you. I have appointed you to go, to produce fruit that will last, and to ask the Father in my name to give you whatever you ask for. 17 Love each other. This is what I'm commanding you to do.
John 15:13-17 (GW)

Well, hopefully I can get back on course in my writing and back on a regular schedule. Sorry I haven't written lately.

From the beginning these writings have been directed mainly to the Christian and maintaining that christian walk. I am going to take a little break from that for this week and direct this to those that may have never given their lives to Christ.
Paul says that he works out his salvation daily, but there is, as in all things, a beginning to that walk,a journey that begins with the realization that we are sinners and in need of forgiveness. Paul had that beginning on the road to Damascus.
To begin that walk we have to consider our life and turn away from everything that is not pleasing to God. This turning away and turning to God is repentenance.
We then must come to the realization and acknowledge that Jesus died on the cross for our salvation. The Greek word for salvation ,Soteria, is an all inclusive word meaning forgiveness, healing, prosperity, deliverance, safety, rescue, liberation and restoration. Christ's salvation is for the total man. Wholeness. So we ask for His salvation and the whole scope is covered. He forgives us of our sin and makes us whole in Him. (Read Isaiah 53 to see what he died for)Your sins are washed away and you become a new person.
When you do these things ask him to become the ruler of your life and tell someone that He has become not only your saviour but the Lord of your life. (You may email me if you like).If you do this you are given the power to become a child of God. He is now in your heart by the Holy Spirit and you are given power to live you life through Him and for Him.
As you have read this and have acknowledged you sins, repented and ask Jesus to become the Lord of your life you must now take time to get to know him and spend time with Him by reading His word (a good place to start is John and Romans)and talking to Him. You will be changed. As the scripture above says we are now His friend and He chose us. Think about that he chose you to be His friend. THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE CHOSE YOU.

If not sure about what I say or you just need someone to talk to about this please email me back. This is important. I hate to say this but most of you are not spring chickens and it is time to consider these things.

Forgive Who? Why?

13 You were once dead because of your failures and your uncircumcised corrupt nature. But God made you alive with Christ when he forgave all our failures. 14 He did this by erasing the charges that were brought against us by the written laws God had established. He took the charges away by nailing them to the cross. 15 He stripped the rulers and authorities {of their power} and made a public spectacle of them as he celebrated his victory in Christ
Col 2:13-15 (GW)

For the last 2 weeks we have been discussing forgiveness and how as we release things to God it frees us.
Several years ago we found that a close friend was dying of cancer. I knew that as long as I had known him he had distanced himself from the things of God. He was an older man and hadn't gone to church since he was a boy. He seemed not to have any use for those things. We went to see him and as we were leaving The Holy Spirit prompted me to go back into the room and talk with him about his relationship with God. I went back and sat with him. I asked him about his relation with God and his answer indicated that he did not have one. I told him that God loved him and that he could begin that relationship now. He then said something that caught me completely off guard. "Tom" he said "I just don't think I could forgive Him." At that point I really didn't know what to say to him. I told him that I would not bring this up to him again but If he wanted to talk I would come back anytime. We went back other times but he never brought it up.
Forgiving God what a concept, but a very real thing. If we look back on our lives maybe there are things that we have blamed God for; a death of a child or spouse, divorce, financial problems, it can be one of many things. Consciously or unconsciously you may think all of these things are God's fault and develop a deep seated resentment, like there was with my friend.
If there is any unforgiveness in you for yourself, God, a family member or anybody that has ever done anything against you it is absolutely imperative that you forgive. The choice is up to us. We can make a consciuos decision to forgive or not. Just say those words and let God take over. He will see the desire of your heart to forgive even if you don't feel you are able to forgive and begin a work in you. Things will probably continue to rise up but just keep forgiving and ask God to help you. You will find a release and a relief from the weight of unforgivness and the flow of God's Kingdom will open up to you.

Unaware, Unwilling

14 The blood of Christ, who had no defect, does even more. Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself to God and cleansed our consciences from the useless things we had done. Now we can serve the living God.

Heb 9:14 (GW)

Last week I talked about forgiveness of someone that has done something against us. This week I will take a little different slant on this by approaching someone else that we might need to forgive more than anyone else and that is ourselves. Often we are unaware of the need to forgive ourselves. Things we have done in the past haunt us and sometimes we just can't seem to get over them and yet we might never consider that If we ask God to forgive us or have already ask for forgiveness, that sin is washed away and He does not remember it.
Maybe in another case of forgiving ourselves we are unwilling to forgive. Maybe you have hurt someone deeply or you have done something that you think is unforgivable and you don't think you can be forgiven or don't want to be forgiven. You want to hold on to it so you might always remember and let this rememberance serve as a punishment. This kind of thinking does not come from God but from the enemy who wants to kill and destroy you and not having forgivness for yourself will destroy you. That is why God came to earth in the form of a man to destroy the works of this enemy.
Whether you are unaware of your need to forgive yourself or unwilling, right at this moment you can begin that process by first asking God to forgive you and in turn ask him to help you forgive yourself. If you ask him he is faithful to forgive and you can know He has taken that sin away from you as far as the east is from the west and as the scripture above says "he has cleansed your conscience from useless things". Receive his forgiveness today and forgive yourself as he has forgiven you.

Today this is Dedicated to the Memory of Lanois Davidson who had such a great influence on many of us. Remember Johnny and Mark in your prayers.

Against Any

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Mark 11:24-26 (KJV)

Unforgiveness in our heart blocks us from access to the kingdom of God. If you are breathing today there is a good chance that you have someone that you need to forgive.

By holding grudges and harboring these things in our heart we sometimes have the idea that some way we are holding them captive, that they are suffering because we refuse to forgive, how wrong that notion is.They are probably out hunting, playing golf or shopping and you are fuming over it and consumed at every thought of whatever the situation is. You are the captive; you think of that person and something rises in up and you begin to rehash the situation in your mind. Maybe it is a spouse that has hurt you, divorce,business partner that has not lived up to your expectations and you lost a lot of money; Someone you trusted with something very personal and they revealed it. You fill in the blank. Because of it you have no peace. We have all gone through something that leaves us with bitterness and a void in ourselves. This can be overcome through "the Prince of Peace". I know because I have been there. There is one particular person that for years whenever I thought of them I would begin to think of what I would say when I came in contact with them, boy would I tell them what I think. I rehearsed the talk in my heart many times and one day God spoke to my heart ( he had been trying to get through for a while) and I started by asking God to forgive me for my bitterness and help me forgive him through the same forgiveness God forgave me with and said out loud I forgive -----. It began that day and every time I thought of him or the situation instead of dwelling on it I would speak forgiveness of him. As time went by I thought of him less and less until I hardly think of him at all. Forgiveness is like a weight off you soul. It releases you from so many things. If you don't feel like forgiving, you feel you can't, or it is just something you want to hold on to just ask God to help you and begin saying a loud I forgive (fill in the blank). It will open up the windows of Heaven so that you can receive His peace.

Refer to Phillipian 4:4-7

Heart in the Hand

1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. 2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Prov 21:1-3 (KJV)

Isn't it good to know that as Christians our Heart is in the hand of the Lord. He loves us and knows every thought that we have and every intention of our heart. Do we want to be like him or just claim Him as our saviour because we think this way we can go to heaven? Do we sometimes justify our ways in our own heart? Sure we do; but Because he knows our hearts, He searches it and can, if we are willing, change us into his likeness, taking our old man, molding and making us into His image, of Grace, mercy and love. All we have to do is be willing. I end today with this scripture from Jeremiah 29. He thinks about us and just wants the best for us.

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jer 29:11-13 (KJV)

Continue

1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, we need to cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit and live a holy life in the fear of God.

2 Cor 7:1 (GW)

The fear of God is the beginning of Holiness. You know there are some that don't take the Holiness of God seriously. We have all heard people say and maybe we have said it ourselves " he is so holier than thou" and don't get me wrong there are some that do exude that feeling but sometimes it is God convicting us from within because we lack that holiness or even the desire to be holy, but guess what, he calls us to be Holy for He is Holy. If we call ourselves by the name of Christian, which basically means Christ is in us, He is part of our being, then we are to seek after Holiness, to be like Him, to cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates us. This is an on going process, an everyday thing and the Holy Spirit helps us to overcome. Paul says he works out his salvation daily. (salvation does not just mean to keep us from going to hell, the Greek word translates into wholeness) It is a going on to perfection.

To live that Holy life is a cleansing from those things that keep us from living life to the fullest in Christ. After we have come to Christ we have The HOLY Spirit living in us, however we still have the tendency to sin but should not continuously live in sin. All of us are going to sin occasionally but to hold on to it and live in that sin committing it time after time is a lack of a fear of God. If we continue to live in that sin and continue with it we are in a way flaunting God's Holiness and his ability to help us overcome that sin or give us the desire to overcome that sin. In other words we love that sin more than we fear God. I have heard people refer to fear of God being a reverence for Him and it is but it is also a real fear, for one day we are going to appear before the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, THE ONE WHO CREATED YOU, THE HOLY ONE, PURE HOLINESS.

I know these are hard words for many of you and they have been for me, but I say these things out of experience as I work through some of these issues even now. Believe me He will bring you out and bring you in to His light.

Continue in Him