Monthly Archives: December 2018

My Favorite Books of 2018

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Along with reading the Bible daily I also find myself reading other faith-based books as well. I would like to talk about four books I read in 2018 that I would like to personally recommend to you. I am also going to provide a link to purchase these books from Amazon. It is also important to note that we must read faith-based content that has biblical truth, so we must be careful not to give into false teachings. I have saved the best book for last!

Book image What on Earth Am I Hear For by Rick Warren


#1: Devotion Recommendation: What On Earth Am I Here For? By Rick Warren
Like many true Christians who read the word daily, you might be one who also likes reading a daily devotion. There are many daily devotions available. Some devotions go by the calendar year, while some can be read at any time of the year. There is one book, in particular, I would recommend as this type of devotion and it would be ‘What on Earth Am I Here For?’ by Rick Warren. God has given us each a unique purpose for our life, God never once says ‘oops’. This is a great 42-day devotion that will help guide you with your God-given purpose. At the beginning of the book, it talks about Ephesians 1:11 which says “In him, we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will,” (CSB). God knew us before we entered this world, and He has a plan for you, you just need to receive it and walk in it. Rick Warren has done a great job with this book, it also features links to audio lessons which give you more than 30 hours of additional teachings. If you are looking to learn more about what God’s word says about seeking your unique purpose I would highly recommend this book. This book will also make for a great graduation gift!

Christ the Healer by FF Bosworth Book cover


#2: Christ the Healer by F.F. Bosworth
‘Christ the Healer’ is another book every believer needs to read. I wish I would have read this book sooner in my walk with Christ. This book provides in-depth teachings of the healing scriptures and provides many great examples. This book also discusses aspects of our life that can hinder us from receiving healing according to the will of God. Bosworth also discusses how to apply healing scriptures to your life. We must be reminded that Isaiah 53:5 (GNT) says, “But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he received.”. As you read Bosworth’s book, I highly recommend taking notes and highlighting scripture in your Bible, there is so much powerful information in this book to absorb.

materialize the mind book cover by JP Price


#3: Materialize the Mind by JP Price
I saved the best one for last! ‘Materialize the Mind’ is a book that just came out towards the end of 2018 by a friend of mine who is a church pastor. He has composed a great book that discusses your God-given purpose in life along with examples from his life testimony. He also provides you with steps for transforming your inner self with in-depth teaching. A good new years resolution would be to transform yourself for what God has in store for you, this book written by JP is a great tool to have along the way. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”. In his book, JP also discusses the importance of enduring hardship which God can use to help strengthen us for what is ahead. Often times we don’t move ahead in life like we would like to because we are not fully prepared for what is next, this book helps explain this concept in detail.  2 Timothy 2:3-4 (NKJV) says, “You, therefore, must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”.

I would encourage you to put these three books on your reading list for 2019, along with reading the whole Bible. There are many tools online that can help you create a Bible reading plan that works for you. I would like to challenge you to make 2019 the year that you discover more of what God’s purpose is for you on earth, and walking in His plan for you according to His will for you! Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”. You might be making a New Years resolutions that will impact your outer self, but spending time with the Lord will improve your inner-self. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV) says,  “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”. Let’s make 2019 the year of inner growth, and show it as examples to non-believers so they might be drawn to Christ!

Are You Lacking Love

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cross in middle of snow covered hill.

As I continue my series on the fruits of the Spirit, I would next like to discuss the fruit of love. Let’s first look at our main scripture for the fruits of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”. God loves every single one of us, whether or not we are a true Christian. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world,  that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”. God loves everyone no matter who you are, this is why he gave us His only son so that if we stay true to Him we can have eternal life. Mark 12:30 says, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”. Since God loves us so much and has given us all His best, which is our savior he expects us to love Him back to the best of our ability. If you read the next verse in Mark 12 it says, “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”. As followers in Christ, we are to show love to others, even though it can be challenging at times.

You might ask what difference will it make if I show everyone love or not? The answer can be found in John 13:34-35 where Jesus said:  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”. In this scripture Jesus is talking to his disciples, the word disciple has the following synonyms: adherent, believer, admirer, devotee, and follower. If you are a follower of Christ then you should show love to the people around you along with walking in the other fruits of the Spirit. In order to be successful followers in Christ, we must lead by certain characteristics, which one of those is love. 1 John 4:8 says, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”. God is love, so we must show love to others.

Aside from loving a family member or a spouse, the Bible provides a very clear definition of love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.”. This scripture gives us a great definition of how we are to act with love. We can all take away one thing if not more from this scripture that we can improve upon. Colossians 3:14 says, “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”. Love keeps us together, many families fall apart often because of lack of love, because they have fallen short of something mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

The main reason families start lacking love is because of works of the enemy. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”. Sometimes we will have an aspect in our life that opens the door for the enemy to work. For instance, if you are in any sin, this opens the door for the enemy to work in your life. If you are thinking negative thoughts, this opens the door for the enemy. If you are listening to music that has lyrics that promote sin, that also can open the door for the enemy in your life. Even as followers of Christ we can open the door for the enemy to try to oppress us which can hinder our walk with God. When our walk with God becomes hindered we can start to lack the fruits of the Spirit, which include love. When we do this we will often have problems with our family or friends.  Often when families fall apart because of a lack of love, it is because one or more people in the family have an open demonic door for the enemy to work. This is why as followers of Christ we must stay true to His word and commandments. This is why by reading the word of God daily and walking in the Spirit will help us keep demonic doors closed. Romans 12:2 tells us, “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.”. Do not worry about what the world says is the trend, worry about what God’s word says the trend should be for every follower of Christ. God loved us so much, that He gave His only son to undo the works of the enemy. 1 John 3:8 says, “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”.

Even when we may not have open doors for the enemy trouble can still arise. This is when we must use our faith and seeking God to overcome the situation. During troubled times we must show love to others because as it is written in 1 Corinthians 13 ‘love bears all things’. We might need to show love to others who are going through a difficult time. Helping others in difficult times is a great way to help build their faith up or even lead them to Christ. One of my favorite scriptures for when you are going through a challenge is Romans 8:28 which says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a] for those who are called according to his purpose.”. I leave you with a couple of challenges.

  1. Are there any open doors for the enemy in your life?
  2. Are you lacking showing love to others as Christ commanded?
  3. Are there any parts of the definition of love in which you are weak in as listed in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8?

Once you go through these questions, spend time with God in prayer on the next steps of walking more in the Holy Spirit.

Did Mary Know?

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manger scene for Jesus birth

This week we will be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Many people favor Christmas for many reasons such as gifts, decorations, lights, food, and parties. Often when we get so busy with a hectic schedule, we can forget the true meaning of Christmas which is the birth of Jesus Christ. We all have heard through teachings of the Bible the many great things Jesus Christ did while on Earth. The things Jesus Christ did while on earth, I believe could not be imagined by anyone. Even when an angel sent from the Lord came to Mary and informed her that she would give birth to the Son of God, Mary could not possibly imagine how many things Jesus would do while on Earth.

Luke 1:30-35 says, “And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom, there will be no end.”And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.”.  One of my favorite Christmas songs is Mary Did You Know by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene, talks about the many great things Jesus Christ accomplished. Here is a list of the many great things Jesus Christ did:

  1. We are saved through Jesus Christ, He is the only one who can free us of sin. By accepting Him as your Lord and savior, you gain eternal life. John 3:16-17 says, ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”.
  2. He is also our deliverer from sin, sickness, and evil spirits. Luke 10:17 says, “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!””. Also, Romans 10:13 says, “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.””.
  3. He is also our healer. In the song ‘Mary Did You Know’ it refers to when Jesus healed a blind man. We know God’s promise in Isaiah 53:5, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes, we are healed.”. When the enemy attacks your body with sickness you need to rebuke whatever sickness it might be with the many healing scriptures that you can find in the Bible. You must take authority over the sickness and speak to the sickness about what is written in Isaiah 53:5.
  4. The song also refers to when Jesus calmed a storm. Although in this scripture this was a natural storm that can be detected by today’s radar technology, Jesus can still calm the storm in your life today. Even though your storm can’t be measured by a device, Jesus can still calm it and clear a path for you. Whether this is a financial storm, an illness, or an issue with a relationship, Jesus can still calm the storm. We must trust in the Son of God. Mark 4:39 says, “And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”. Also, Nahum 1:7 says, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.”.
  5. We also know Jesus came from heaven, and that Jesus and God are one. Matthew 28:18 says, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”. Furthermore John 10:28-30 says, “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”. The scripture of John 10 also confirms that Jesus gives us eternal life.
  6. The song also talks about Jesus being the Lamb of God and the ‘Lord of all creation’. John 1:29 says, “ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”. Additionally, Colossians 1:15-20 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him, all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”
  7. We also know that Jesus is the ruler of the nations. Psalm 22:28 says, “For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.”. We also know that He is the ‘Great I Am’, this is written in Exodus 3:14 which says, “And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”.

Any mother being told she is going to give birth cannot begin to imagine what their child will accomplish in their life, or what they will become. The items I have listed are many of the parts of God’s great gift to us all, and that is Jesus Christ. No one can put a price tag on Jesus Christ!  Jesus is our healer, savior, and deliverer. His salvation to us, healing, and deliverance are still available to us all today through the power of the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 13:14 says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”. Also, John 14:26 says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”.

As you celebrate Christmas this week, do not become too occupied that you forget the true meaning of Christmas which is Jesus Christ. If you haven’t already, turn to Him for your salvation. Don’t forget when you are in need turn to Him according to His promises in His Word.

Let’s Keep Christ in Christmas!

Overcoming by Faith

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clouds in sky with sun shining through

As I continue my series on the fruits of the Spirit, I would like to discuss another fruit of the Spirit which is, faithfulness. Previously I have discussed joy, kindness, and gentleness. I am not going in any order, I am simply going in the order in which the Holy Spirit guides me. The listing of the fruits of the Spirit can be found in Galatians 5:22-23 which says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”. So, what is faithfulness? And how should we apply faithfulness to our daily lives?

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”. Notice John 3:16 does not use the word faith it uses the word believe. Looking at Ephesians 2:8-9, it says “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”. Unlike John 3:16 this scripture uses the word faith. By accepting the message of salvation through Christ as true, we can be saved by grace through having our faith in the Lord. However, we cannot become saved or born again by just our works alone, many religious people will argue with that. I believe doing good works is important, by walking in the fruit of the Spirit. Having faith in someone involves trust. One of the ways we build a relationship with others is through a foundation of trust. This applies the same with faith, by having faith we trust in Christ as our savior. Therefore, by becoming saved through faith we must begin and maintain a personal relationship with Him. Titus 3:5-6 says, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,”. Again, this confirms we are not saved by our own works, but by the work of Christ. When we accept Him as our savior with full faith, we are washed clean of sin.

When we are dealing with sickness we are to turn to God for a healing. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds, we are healed.” Notice this scripture says, ‘we are healed’, NOT ‘we might be healed’. How do you apply faith to receive a healing from Christ our healer? Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”. Often when we receive a bad diagnosis, our initial understanding of the situation is what the doctor tells us, because it is the first thing we hear when we receive the bad news. Right before my nineteenth birthday, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. When I was admitted to the hospital the doctor came into the room and explained to me what Type 1 Diabetes is, which is an autoimmune disease in which the body makes antibodies that perversely attack the insulin-making cells in the pancreas. The doctor explained to me that I would daily insulin injections for the rest of my life along with frequent blood sugar monitoring and very careful meal planning. In this situation, the first thing I was learned how to inject myself with insulin, check my blood sugar, and count carbs. I was more busy learning how to manage this disease than what the word of God has to say about my situation. Over time I have learned if I want to beat Type 1 Diabetes, I must understand the promise of healing and apply faith to the situation. Right now, I am still battling this disease, but I know what the word of God says, and God has the final say. After applying more faith to my situation my insulin need has decreased by almost 50% in the last year. I have to speak with authority to my body that all my hormones and immune cells will be in perfect alignment, and that there will be a full resurrection of my pancreas.

Much of condition is based off my blood sugar levels on what my glucose meter tells me. Even though I might see some high and low numbers, I know one thing is true and that is 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”. I know I see where my levels are and what the doctors report shows, but with faith, I know what the word of God says. Even though the blood work shows I am a Type 1 Diabetic by antibodies and pancreatic levels, I know that God’s hand is at work in this situation. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”. I might not have seen a report stating I am no longer a Type 1 Diabetic, but by my faith, I am expecting one. I also know Isaiah 53:5 says ‘we are healed’. Jesus never said we would be healed instantly, but we will be healed. A healing might be instant, or it might take time, therefore we must apply Hebrews 11:1. You might know someone who recently died of cancer who had strong faith but still died. One verse I would like to remind you of is Job 1:21, “And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”. Though we might experience a loss or a troubled time, God is still with us and blessed is His name.

Walking in faith can be challenging, therefore we must always be in the word and seeking God daily. Knowing the word of God prepares us for when trouble comes our way. When you are struggling in faith, I would like to remind you of two scriptures which are 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”. We often let fear decrease our faith, therefore we must let our faith overtake the situation and not let our fear overtake us. Also, one of my favorite verses is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”. Turn to God in full faith for strength for whatever you are going through in life and remember nothing is impossible with God.

Walking in Gentleness

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person walking in wheat field.

Previously, I have been discussing the nine fruits of the Spirit. Recently I discussed both joy and kindness. Today I would like to take a closer look at the Fruit of Gentleness. Gentleness is listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”. I found a great list of synonyms for the word gentleness in The Collins Dictionary, which are tenderness, compassion, kindness, consideration, sympathy, and softness. The word gentleness can also be translated into the term meekness. Meekness is defined as, a kind, gentle, and humble spirit.

 

So how do we apply gentleness in our lives so that we may walk in the Spirit? First off we must apply all nine fruits of the Spirit together, we cannot pick certain ones we like. A good example of gentleness is when we are courteous to others. This could apply to both people we know and people we simply pass by during our busy day. You might have a co-worker or family member who did you wrong, whether they apologize or not you should first forgive them, and also you must not seek revenge. Seeking revenge would conflict with gentleness and the other eight fruits of the Spirit. Titus 3:2 says, “To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.”.

 

Another aspect of gentleness comes when we witness to non-believers. At some point in your walk with Christ, you will come across a family member, friend, or co-worker who is a non-believer and you might have the perfect opportunity to share the Gospel with them. The outcome can be unpredictable, they might accept it, totally reject it, or the might be on the fence. Mark 16:15 says, “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”. When sharing the Gospel with anyone we must be gentle about it and respectful, this is written in 1 Peter 3:15 which says,  “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”. We will have witnessed to people who totally reject the message of the Gospel, we must remember 1 Peter 3:15 to be both gentle and respectful. Just remember when you cannot get the message of salvation through to a particular person, pray that they will come to salvation. Romans 10:1 says, “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.”.

 

At the beginning of this article, I listed some of the synonyms for the word gentleness, one of them was softness. Proverbs 15:1 tells us, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”. I think this is a verse that every one of us needs to hear, and seek God to help us with daily. With our busy and hectic lives we can become quick to anger, I myself can be guilty of this. Whether you feel under the weather or received an unexpected bill in the mail, or your car won’t start, turn to the Lord first before turning to anger. If you forget and turn to anger, seek God to help you with being gentle. Romans 8:26 tells us, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”.

 

I challenge you to find parts in each day of your life to find an area where you can apply gentleness. If this is something you are struggling with seek the Lord. We must apply gentleness in our character along with the other eight fruits of the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are a package deal, you can’t have one of them without the others. Galatians 5:16-17 which says, “ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”.

 

  1. Ray, Rayburn W. “Barbour’s Bible Dictionary & Concordance.” Barbour’s Bible Dictionary & Concordance, by George W. Knight, Barbour Books, 1998, pp. 206–206.

The Fruit of Kindness

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In my last post, I talked about one of the nine fruits of the Spirit which was joy. In this post, I am going to discuss a different fruit of the Spirit, which is kindness. We are told in Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”. So we know that kindness is one of the fruits of the Spirit. In order to walk in the Spirit, we must be kind to others, even when it can seem difficult. We must also be reminded of Galatians 5:16-17 which says, “ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”. God does not want us to pick and choose from the fruits of the Spirit, he wants us to apply all of them.

 

Being kind can be both easy and hard to do. If it means being kind to someone you love, then it should be easy. We often find it difficult to be kind to those who give us a hard time. 1 Peter 3:9 says, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.”. We will have people in our lives who might annoy us or make our job difficult. When dealing with these people we must remind ourselves that God loves that person just as much as he loves us. The same Jesus that died for you died for them also. Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”.

 

The fruits of the Spirit are characteristics that followers of Christ should apply to their lives. The opposite of a kind person is a cruel person. Proverbs 11:17 says, “A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.”. There are many ways that we can be kind to others, and there are many opportunities to accomplish this. Galatians 6:10 tells us, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”. Additionally Proverbs 19:17 tells us, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.”. God will repay us for our good deeds and even our bad deeds. Galatians 6:7 tells us, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”.

 

As you go through your day try to take one opportunity to be kind to someone and act on it. It can be a simple gesture of kindness. By applying kindness and the other eight fruits of the Spirit, we avoid ourselves from walking in the flesh. I don’t know about you but I would rather walk in the Spirit with God, than of the flesh of this dark world. There will be times that we fall short of kindness and the other fruits of the Spirit.  When this happens we must turn to God who is our strength to help better us in our weakness. 1 Chronicles 16:11 says, “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!”. If you are struggling to be kind to others, seek God more every day, and try simple deeds of kindness each day.

Filled with Joy

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Christmas ornament imprint the word joy

As Christmas approaches very quickly we often become to busy with shopping, cooking, parties, and family gatherings to realize the true joy within our lives. While spending time with loved ones important this season as it should be all the time, let’s take a deep look into the term joy. As you read this article of mine, list some of the struggles you are going through in life whether it be health, family, financial, or emotional, and see how you can apply joy to that particular situation.

 

Galatians chapter 5 discusses the nine fruits of the Spirit which help us walk in the Holy Spirit. The nine fruits of the Spirit are characteristics one should have that is a true follower of Christ. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”. Joy is happiness from the consistent promises of God within His word. We have joy when God gives us provisions according to His word. This can come from anything from a healing to a financial need that is supernaturally met. If you are a true born-again Christian then you already have one thing to be joyful for, and that is your salvation. Psalm 21:1 says, “O Lord, in your strength the king rejoices, and in your salvation how greatly he exults!”.

 

So why should we always be joyful? Since joy is one of the nine fruits of the Spirit we must apply joy to our character. When we apply the fruits of the Spirit to our character, we are walking within the Spirit and not the flesh. Galatians 5:16 says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”. You might be weak in one of the nine fruits of the Spirit if so turn to God to help you with your weakness. We must remember our strength comes from the Lord. 1 Chronicles 16:11 says, “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!”.

 

So why must you apply joy even when going through a rough patch in life? First Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”. Notice the scriptures uses the word abound which has the following synonyms listed in the Webster’s dictionary: be plentiful, be abundant, be numerous, be full of, and overflow with. Also, Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”. The more time we spend rejoicing and in prayer, the less stressed out we will be. Spending time worrying is just wasting time that you could be praying. We are to continue our joy even in trials, and our perseverance during our trials will be dependent upon our joy. James 1:2 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds”.

 

When we get distracted by things of the flesh we walk out of the Spirit. This can make our circumstances worse for us because when we walk by flesh and not Spirit it opens the door for the enemy to work. John 16:22 says, “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”. While we will have our trials here on Earth, we must remember that if our hearts are right and if we are walking in the Spirit we have eternal life. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  The scripture of John 3:16 is one reason every believer should be filled with joy. Many secular views tell us that heaven will be a place of partying and a good time. This secular view is completely wrong and will hinder one from walking within the Spirit. Heaven will be a place of praise and worship to our creator. Romans 14:17 tells us, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”. I believe that God wants us to walk in the Spirit as much as possible when we are here on Earth so that we can rejoice in heaven.

 

I challenge you to be filled with joy during times of struggle and seek God for strength. By walking in the Spirit and not the flesh, we can expect to see more of God’s promises in our lives. Also by spending less time worrying, and more time in prayer, we will have more hope. As Christmas approaches quickly, be joyful for at least one thing, if not more, and that is the birth of our Savior.

 

Revelation 21:8 In-Depth

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brown rock formation (hell)

In my previous post, I did an in-depth look at sin and what a sinful life leads to. One of the scriptures I used is Revelation 21:8. I promised at the end of my previous post that my next post would be an in-depth look at the scripture of Revelation 21:8.

 

Looking back on Revelation 21:8 it mentions the sins that lead to one going to the lake of fire. Many of the items listed in this scripture of items that we have adopted into our society and even Christians view some of these as okay. There are many churches and preachers who lack correcting sin and preaching on sin in churches today. If you ever go into the Christian section at Barnes and Noble you will see many good Christian books by great authors. However, we must be careful of what is true and what matches God’s word. There are many ‘feel good preachers’, who get you to listen to them by telling you what you want to hear rather than the entire word of God. These types of preachers and teachers are cowards for not giving the full message of God. We are warned of this in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”.

 

In Revelation 21:8, it also mentions the faithless will be in hell. We are warned of this in Romans 14:23, “But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”. We also have mentioned the murderers, idolaters, and liars, you simply just need to look at the ten commandments for these and know they are wrong. 

 

The scripture also mentions sexual immorality, we have such a culture war over this one in our world today with what is now acceptable. We have many books and movies coming out that are sexually immoral. I will blast one that got a good bit of popularity very recently and that is Fifty Shades of Grey. This book was so popular in bookstores everywhere, and the movie was even more popular. I was a senior in high school when this book came out, I saw many people, glued to this book. Many were talking with each other about this book. I was even surprised to see middle school students reading the book, I was shocked that any parent in their right mind would allow their child to read that book.  The enemy is setting up camp in the entertainment world to make immoral content appear interesting to people of all ages. There is a video clip from Paul Harvey regarding this that was recorded many years ago and I encourage you to listen to it. I will link the recording at the end of this post. Imagine how much of a better world we would live in if people would have got excited about the Bible and talking about that Bible, instead of Fifty Shades of Grey. Aside from a current event perspective, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 says, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God”. Additionally, 1 Corinthians 7:2 says, “But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.”.

 

One last item that was mentioned in Revelation 21:8 that I would like to discuss is the term sorcerer. It is defined as ‘a person who claims or is believed to have magic powers’. Some of the synonyms for sorcerer are a wizard, witch, magician, warlock, enchanter, enchantress, magus, and several more. I believe I could count four occasions during my K-12 experience when a magician was brought into school. Many people might look into tarot card readings or horoscopes or see a witch to tell them their future. We are warned that people that practice sorcerer is false and are of the devil. Though they might not seem evil we must be so careful. 2 Corinthians 11:44 says, “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”. Additionally, Leviticus 19:31 says, ““Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.”. Our children are also exposed to learning witchcraft everytime they go to the library or bookstore. You will often see the very popular Harry Potter series. There is an excellent video of a former witch who gave her life to Christ, she discusses how the Harry Potter series teachers and exposes children to witchcraft. I will also link that video below.

 

There is so much more of how the devil works around us in this dark world that we are exposed to every day. As followers of Christ we must be careful of what we do, think, read, watch, and listen to. I would like to challenge you to assess what you expose yourself to daily in this dangerous world. Do any of the things I listed in this article apply? As followers of Christ we must not become devoted to things of this world, but the Word of God and serving God with our unique purpose. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”.

 

Paul Harvey Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Brmpv2D-xk

Ex-Witch Video Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZccQTMdqQ10

Are You a Slave to Sin?

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chains

As Christians, we must live according to what God commands us to do in His word. Even after becoming saved, we will still have imperfections on this earth. But what happens when you are living in sin every day? Are you seeking God to help you break that bad habit? Are you going to church every Sunday to just go through the motions? Do you want to go by your desires or God’s will for your life? We often make decisions quicker than we should and this often leads us to troubled times.

 

Maybe you know you are in sin, but it almost seems like it is just a part of your normal routine. John 8:34 says, “ Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”. Notice this verse says ‘a slave of sin’. Jesus is not referring to a physical slavery, but one who practices sin habitually. Sinning inhabit is a spiritual bondage to sin, and we know that sin is of evil, not righteousness.

 

We have a choice to make, we can either be children of God, or children of the devil. You cannot be both at the same time. 1 John  3:8-10 says, “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”

 

How do we become children of God? First, you need to be born again, if you want to go to heaven after your time on earth. Jesus said in John 3:5-6, ““Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”. Notice Jesus mentions being born of both water and Spirit. He is not referring to actual water but the need for cleansing, renewal, or spiritual cleansing. This cleansing is also mentioned in Ezekiel 36:25-27, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

 

John 3:15 says, “that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”. What happens if you aren’t born again and don’t believe in the one and only Son of God Jesus Christ?  Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”. If you are living in sin and are not born again, then your paycheck will be spiritual death. However, if you believe in the Son of God, then you receive everlasting life. We might be undeserving of everlasting life but God loves us, and He sent His only son to die for our sins. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”. The opposite of everlasting eternity in hell, which is the paycheck for living a sinful life and for not believing in Jesus Christ. Matthew 10:28 says, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”. Furthermore Revelation 21:8 says, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”. Also Jude 1:7 says, “Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.”.

 

I could go much more on with the topic of sin. However, the key lesson to take away is to make your heart right. Ask Jesus into your heart today and to forgive you of your sins. Claim that you will give him your best. Make him your Lord, the King of your Heart today. Once you do this read the Word of God every day. Live as much of a sin-free life as possible, and when you make a mistake admit it to God in prayer and seek forgiveness and guidance on improving. By reading the Word of God daily you can transform your mind. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”.

 

My next blog post will be an in-depth look of Revelation 21:8.