Ameliorations 1.0

In 1 Cor 13:13 we are told what the greatest of the three most precious gifts are, but do we really live a life that expresses that gift in all the fullness that it entails?

I can honestly say I don’t. There was a time where I would have said, yes, I love everyone equally. That just isn’t true anymore, if it was ever true then. Should I love everyone equally? Yes. The Bible is very clear on the matter. Christ himself said that you should love your neighbor as yourself. Your neighbor, of course, isn’t just the person who lives next to you. As we see in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37), your neighbor is the person who is going to be there for you in your time of need. Christ called on the person who questioned him, once he had answered the question of who the neighbor was, to go and do the same (Luke 10:36-37).

I believe that is the kind of love that is being spoken of in 1 Cor 13. Let’s examine the passage verse by verse.

1 Cor 13:1

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. (NKJV)

You could be full of any of the spiritual gifts, but if you are not teaching out of love you’re doing nothing more then committing recital of facts. In this verse, Paul is using exaggeration and symbolism (sounding brass or a clanging symbol were tools of the Corinthians former pagan worship) to make the following point: Those gifts are useless if there isn’t love. I don’t believe Paul to be talking about human love, but the love God showed us when he allowed his Son to become a sacrifice to wash our sins away. A love for his Creation that continues to stay his wrath at our sin. If you have love, than all that you do is blessed and those who receive from you are blessed.

1 Cor 13:2

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, an though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Here Paul alludes to Christ’s telling the disciples that if you even have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can tell the mountains to move and they will (Matthew 17:20). Can you imagine what could be done if you had all faith (and not just the faith the size of a mustard seed)? Yet Paul lets us know that without love, we are nothing.

1 Cor 13:3

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Here Paul is talking about charity, the gift of giving to others because God has blessed you with possessions. You can give what you have to feed or clothe others, you can make yourself a sacrifice for someone else, but if you do this without love what good is it? The next several verses show what love isn’t and go back to the first three verses as further illustration of why without love, whatever you do is of no value.

1 Cor 13:4-7

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in inequity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Long suffering, not envious, is not prideful, is not rude, is not self-important, isn’t angered, has no evil thoughts, only rejoices in truth and not in misfortune, has the strength to make it through any trial, is trusting, hopeful and enduring. That’s the kind of love Christ showed for us, the kind of love God and Christ are still showing for us every single moment of our lives. Maybe you don’t believe in God, or are angry at Him for some reason.That’s ok. He still loves you and wants you to be with Him in eternity. This is the kind of love Paul is talking about here.

1 Cor 13:8

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, the will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

Whoa. Hold on a minute. Aren’t those all gifts from God? Yes, they are. Eventually though, there will be no need for them. According to the NKJV Study Bible from Thomas Nelson, the Greek for will fail and will vanish are both translated as meaning something will happen to cause them to stop, while no external cause is indicated for the cessation of speaking in tongues. What does this all mean? Simply enough, while all other spiritual gifts will cease to be needed, love will always be needed so God himself made sure it would never cease. If you have a true, Godly love in your life, you can count on it always being there. Even past death. It was Christ’s love for God, and God’s love for Man, that allowed Christ to conquer death. I’m choked up just thinking about how powerful that sort of love is and how much I want all of that sort of love that He will give me.

1 Cor 13:9-10

For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

Here Paul gives us an explanation of the previous verse. We know in part and we prophesy in part. Yes, God gives us those gifts, but he only reveals as much as we need to know to grow closer to Him, to grow in faith. Paul also teaches that, when that which is perfect has come, when Christ comes again all that was only partial will be taken away because then all will be revealed and made known. Such partial knowledge will no longer be needed. We know that Christ will come again because He has already said so. We know that God, and in turn Christ, has kept all of his promises already. It is faith with which we trust in Him to continue to keep his promises and this is no different. Christ will come again. When that time comes, all that God had planned will be revealed to us in His perfect knowledge.

1 Cor 13:11

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

I believe this to be one of the more important passages in this short chapter. Here Paul is calling us, I believe, to stop acting like children and to start acting like adults, at least spiritually. When we were kids, it was okay to be naive, but as we mature into adults we need to start growing in understanding.

1 Cor 13:12

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

Verse 12 gives us further explanation on 11. Paul most likely is alluding to the Word of God when he speaks of seeing in a mirror while letting us know that it is only a pale reflection of full understanding (which comes when we meet God Himself). He reiterates in the next part of the verse. Right now even he (like us) knows only in part but when Christ comes again and we meet God face to face we will know as fully as God already knows us. All will be revealed.

1 Cor 13:13

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

My favorite verse in this chapter, Paul tells us that we need all three to grow in God and that we should abide (or to stand fast; remain; go on being or to stay; reside (in or at)) in faith, hope, and love. They are all important. Without faith we wouldn’t have our relationship with Christ and God. Without hope, there would be nothing to look forward to. The reason for love is explained previously. His final remark on love is that it is indeed the greatest of those three. Without love there would be no faith. Without love there would be no hope. It doesn’t take faith to believe in evil. It doesn’t take hope to await destruction. Love overcomes evil. It overcomes even death. So what good is faith and hope without love? None at all. It is faith in God that saves, and love that enables us to imitate him.

Remember, God’s two greatest commandments were about love (You shall love the Lord Your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your being and you shall have no other gods before Him and you shall love your neighbor as yourself). Yet over 2,000 years after Christ’s ultimate act of love (which was several hundred years after the Ten Commandments were handed down) we still have trouble expressing this sort of love to each other (I’m just as guilty at times, after all, only Christ is perfect).

Technorati Tags: religion, hope, love

Current Mood:  accomplished

I look around me and see so much death and destruction, disease and famine and amidst all of that, instead of seeing my fellow humans loving on each other, I find we are warring with each other. Christan vs. non-Christian, Republican vs. Democrat, Black vs. White, White vs. Native American, American vs. British or whatever else that we decide upon that divides us instead of focusing on what brings us all together. We look at differences instead of similarity. I truly believe we are all children of God and that He is looking for us all to come home to Him before he lets loose with his Almighty Wrath, but we can’t seem to stop fighting.

Guess what folks, all fighting does is keep us apart. Instead of being like brothers and sisters to each other we are all like two warring factions of insects. We fight for territory because we believe more territory will make us better and happier. We fight for women because we believe having the most beautiful women will make us better and happier. We fight for money because we believe more money will make us better and happier. None of that stuff matters! Not a lick of it matters. We are born, live and die in a short matter of time.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 “See that no one renders evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.”

Such a simple teaching from God through the apostle Paul, yet all around me I see people not heeding it. Perhaps they don’t understand it? Perhaps they don’t have know what’s in store for them?

I just recently finished reading a book called Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand (founder of Voice of the Martyrs) in which we are presented with the ultimate representation of the evil one’s power in this world, Communism. The destroyer of freedom, the destroyer of individualism, the destroyer of hope, the destroyer of light, the destroyer of prosperity. Or so he thinks. In Tortured for Christ we find hope, light, prosperity (but not as we think of it), individualism and freedom (in Christ). Unfortunately the evil one isn’t only at work in the Communistic nations of the world. He’s at work in the prosperous West as well. In this country, in America, we are inundated with the love of money, the love of beauty, the love of sex, the love of <insert-non-God-thing-here> and he’s winning! He’s losing in Communist Cuba and Communist China and all the persecuted bodies in the captive nations, but he’s winning here! Pastor Wurmbrand was rejected by many of the churches in this country because the church has been deceived and they have bought into the deception! Satan is alive and well throughout the world and he is most active here because he’s found in our prosperity and liberty a way to keep us from God without even showing his hand directly! In this country it’s not a clever quip or useful feature that sells a product. It’s not great taste or awesome value for the money. It’s not healthy living or being modest that represents our values. Almost everything is about sex. Teens in adult situations, wearing adult outfits. It’s beauty pageants where little girls are expected to dress up as adult women almost 4-10 times their age! It’s in almost all the make-up commercials and beauty magazines. Sex is in the tabloids. But where is the outcry for the persecuted church in a nation founded by Christians and puritans and Amish and diests? Almost every one of the founding fathers (not just the most famous ones) had some sort of Christian background (there were a few atheists I’m sure). Our Constitution is based on Christian morality. Even our most sacred laws (don’t kill, don’t rape, don’t steal) are based on entirely Christian principles. Yet we send foreign aid to terrorists, we buy from Communists, we fund corrupt governments and violent insurrections. We sell weapons to our enemies and then wonder how they were able to wound us. All for the love of money, or sex, or whatever motivates the people in power. Where is the support for the persecuted church while we’re sending out billions of dollars in aid to the non-believers (and I’m not talking about government aid, I’m talking about personal dollars directly donated to charity)? I’m not saying we shouldn’t feed and house the homeless and the poor, I am saying that our first duty as believers is to help fellow believers. We need to be funding them with money and materials and prayer. Yet most of us just turn a blind eye to it all. I am so disgusted by it all, yet all I can do is pray for I have no influence, no authority. I do pray for those in positions of authority. For while God pre-ordained our leaders, they still have free will to enter into righteousness with Him or into sin with Satan. Follow our leaders, but do not let them lead you into sin. Pray for them all that they may be moved by Christ Jesus to do great things in His name. Pray for them all that they may lead this and other nations into harmony with each other. May we all be of one mind and one accord for Christ Jesus and God the Father.

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Satan is moving in the lives of every non-believer. For evidence of this look at how the world is today. Look at the turmoil and controversy in the world. Look at the hate for life and liberty and all that God holds in high esteem. Look at how the world which we have been given dominion over is being misused and abused. All the wars and atomic weapons and slavery. Look at all the sexual immorality and crime. In all of this it is said, “Surely God doesn’t want this, and if He does exist He wouldn’t let it happen.” It’s true He doesn’t want all of this, but he lets it happen because He gave us freewill and He can only work within us when we let Him. So if we aren’t believers, and we aren’t letting Him work within us, who could be responsible for all of the depravity that goes on in the world? Partly it is a work of the sinful flesh, an inheritance we are cursed to from Adam; and partly is the work of the enemy.

2 Thessalonians 2:8-12
“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

To be sure there are self-proclaimed Christians who are duped into doing the enemies work but we can test them according to the Word. Are they living out a Christian life? Are they walking with Christ? If so then they wouldn’t hate anyone. They wouldn’t bomb abortion clinics and assault the doctors who work there. They wouldn’t call for the destruction of anyone, but would seek to spread the Word joyfully to all nations and peoples, no matter the cost. Anyone can cry “In the name of God/Allah” and set off a bomb that kills themselves and others, but as scripture tells us, God will not recognize them.

Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonder in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Of course Satan doesn’t manifest himself directly. He works through trickery and subterfuge. His greatest trick is convincing us in the modern world he doesn’t exist. The ancients knew he existed and they fought daily with possession and other such tactics of the devil and his minions. While he would like to be worshiped instead of God, he’s also just happy turning and keeping you away from Him. Satan knows it doesn’t take much for us to return to our fleshly, worldly ways. I fight with it on a daily basis. I have to pray daily and almost unceasingly just to stand up to the attacks of the enemy, but God gives us His armor to help us in this battle, we are never alone! Never for once think that God doesn’t want you as one of His children. God does want to save you, but He cannot be near sin. Because He is Holy and perfect, He cannot stand to have sin near Him. That’s why atheists and other unbelievers say they cannot feel Him working in their lives. It’s not that He doesn’t care, because He does, it’s just His very nature would make Him being near any sin impossible.

Matthew 13:49-50
“So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Psalm 5:4-6
“For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.”

Romans 1:18-19
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

Isaiah 63:10
“But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.”

Don’t take the above to mean that your salvation is impossible. I believe many in the prison system have had a genuine rebirth in Jesus and God. They are born again and just as surely as their faith is real they are assured a place in Heaven. Even the prisoner on the cross to the right of Jesus received salvation because he believed that Jesus is the Christ. That is key to salvation, to receiving that almighty grace of God. To save you you have to accept His Son, Jesus Christ, into your life.

Luke 23:39-43
“Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’ But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’

Even a criminal, being punished justly for his crimes, was saved all because he accepted that Jesus was the Christ. How much more reward will you have if you come to believe and accept Him now, when you still have much time on this earth?

Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Ephesians 2:8-9
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Salvation is, of course, more then just proclaiming your acceptance of Christ into your life. You must show an outward sign of inward change. Baptism doesn’t save, of course, but it is an outward sign that is commanded by God to be shown. It tells the rest of the world that you walk with Christ, for even Christ was baptized in the Jordan by his own cousin, a prophet in his own right. Part of that outward sign is a repentance from sin and showing that you are doing your best to not sin. No one is perfect, of course and we all sin. Sometimes that sin is hidden from us, for we do not realize it is a sin. That is – in part – why we must pray so much.

Acts 3:19
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord”

All your old deeds and transgressions were blotted out at the time of genuine salvation, but we still live in the flesh, even with our renewed soul and spirit. Do not think that God can’t use you, though. Share your faith with others; no matter who you are, God can use you! He exhorts us to go forth and make a disciple of all nations. It’s Christ’s great commission to all of us who are His followers. So if you are friends with an unbeliever, let the Spirit use you to preach the gospel. That doesn’t necessarily mean giving them a sermon and it certainly doesn’t give us right to condemn them. We preach the gospel each and every day that we live a Godly life. We preach the gospel every time we give Him glory in the good works that we do in His name. We preach the gospel by living as close to a Christ-like life as we possibly can.

It’s not going to be easy to be a Christian, though. Through Peter God warns us that we are to face fiery trials. We are exhorted though to take joy for taking part in Christ’s sufferings. How great a testimony is that for any Christian, to be though of as such a threat to the enemy that we are persecuted as much as our very own Lord and Savior! I take great joy in the attacks that the enemy throws against me because that means I am making an impact not only in my life but in the lives of others. If Satan wasn’t trying so hard to stop me I would have to rethink whether or not my salvation was genuine.

1 Peter 4:12-19
“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgement to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?’ Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

Even in this, God has something for us. God provides spiritual armor for His followers to protect against the evil one; spiritual warfare is very real. This goes back to the devil. He’s tricked western minds into thinking it isn’t real, but look around you. 75% of the world has fallen under the false teachings of the Muslim. The rest of the world that isn’t Christian follows other false teachings from native American spiritualism to Taoism, asataru, general paganism, Satan worship, Hinduism and Buddhism, among a number of any other false teachings. Even modern Jews only have it half right, and we need to reach out to them twice as hard. They are after all God’s chosen people. How terrible a thing for them to be so close yet lose it all!

Ephesians 6:10-20
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rules of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints – and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

God always gets and answers your prayers, although sometimes it takes a while because the enemy is always working against those who are making an impact for the kingdom of Heaven. If we are unceasing and honest in our attempts, even Michael the archangel himself will intervene on your behalf to make sure your prayers get through. There is nothing the enemy can do that God cannot overcome. Even Daniel, who fasted and prayed for three weeks, his prayers were answered and an angel even appeared to him to let him know what took so long. God isn’t callous or uncaring, He’s exactly the opposite! He wants his followers to know that He is on their side and will always intervene for them when necessary.

Daniel 10:12-13
“Then he said to me, ‘Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were hear; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.’”

Current Mood:  accomplished

Is it possible to talk about God and Christ and the Holy Spirit and the truth of their existence without being a witness to their glory? Without reaffirming our faith in Him? NO! And that is as it should be! If you are just arguing for arguments sake then it is nothing but division and that is not what we are called to do, that is not what God wants! He wants us all to be of one mind, one body through Him so that in us all good works may be done! Praise Jesus’ name!

Romans 16:17-18 “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”

Do not force your beliefs on anyone, though. We do not need to harden their hearts to a message that the Spirit might lead someone to give to them when the time is right. If you find yourself unable to witness directly to an unbeliever because their hearts are hardened to the message, then the best thing we as Christians can do is to truly live as Christ intended us for that is the greatest witness of all! If they see us living what they preach and see our passion and see our utmost devotion to the one true God and His Son Jesus Christ and it will give the Spirit a chance to soften their hearts to the message and bring them to salvation! We cannot do this if we divide. We cannot do this in the flesh but only in the Word!

Galatians 5:16 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

Galatians 5:26 “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

Live by example so that the world may see that we are really who we say we are and give God all due glory and praise! I pray that I can live that life and be that example for I have been down the broad path, I was heading down the road to destruction and GOD saved me! I knew the wretchedness that was my life and I hated it, but I didn’t know what else to do because all that time I spent as a Catholic, no one told me what I needed to do to be saved. No one told me that baptism was just an outward sign of an inward change (how can a babe change when all a babe knows to do is to eat and defecate and be taken care of)! No one told me that partaking in communion was more then just a ritual to celebrate the Lord’s last supper with his followers! Sure they showed me in the bible, and I went to Sunday school to learn this, but I had no /understanding/! It took 8 years as an dissatisfied heathen and 3 years of looking for a new home in the Church (I mean as part of the body of Christ) to finally get that understanding! Along the way I made many mistakes and got discouraged more then once. I even tried killing myself because I felt worthless and alone, but God had other plans for me. He saved me from myself, but even then I didn’t fully understand.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 “See that no one renders evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.”

Philippians 2:12-18 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.”

Now hear I am, sharing my faith with others, but only as I am led (like I am now) by the Spirit to do so.

I love you, my friends. My prayer for who are saved is that you aren’t discouraged by the enemy, for he is attacking us all. He still attacks me, probably even more after these next few days are past, but I have the tools with which to rebuke him and send him running! Everything I need is in the HOLY BIBLE, the greatest book ever given to man kind. All I need to do is believe and to study the word and be ready to be corrected and accept that correction with the same grace that Christ has shown me. After all, I am just flesh and blood and prone to mistake. A wretched, sinful creature who doesn’t deserve the salvation I have been given!

2 Corinthians 1:5-7 “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.”

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

I love you, my friends. My prayer for those who aren’t saved is that the Holy Spirit moves in your hearts when the Lord is ready to reveal Himself to you. I pray that when he does you do not harden your hearts but welcome him wholeheartedly! The price to pay for choosing non-belief or just rejecting salvation is too great. I want to see you all in heaven, I want to see you with all the saints and martyrs and prophets! How great it would be, a giant block party with one object in mind of giving praise to the One True God!

Romans 5:1-11 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinner, Christ died for us. Much more hen, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, whe shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

I believe the most important part of that verse is the following:

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Can you imagine that? It’s hard isn’t it, but the reward of following Christ is worth it all.

Acts 2:21 “And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.”

I love you, my friends. My prayer for all of you is that we meet in heaven and have the greatest time worshiping God and fellowshipping with all the other believers from the time the world was created until the end times when God passes his final judgement on the world and sends Satan to hell to burn there for his crimes against God along with all the unrepentant heathens. Don’t be separated from God. Don’t choose eternal separation from the Creator of all that is good and whole and just. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Technorati Tags: religion, faith

Current Mood:  accomplished

I know I don’t write in this very much these days, with my attention being drawn to Facebook, Twitter and Evony I leave very little time for this blog.

Now though something better then any website has come along that is taking even more of my attention and time, and that’s my renewed relationship with God and Jesus Christ, my personal Lord and Savior. I recently posted my testimony on Facebook, and I’m going to repost it here just because I want everyone to know just how much God has moved in my life, how much He has changed me and is still changing me. I truly cannot get enough of Him. I’m reading and studying the Bible more, I’m in a Life Group (some might call it a devotional group), and a discipleship class. For those of you who have known me a long time, you’ll probably think it’s a big change from where I used to be and you’d be right. I used to be a practising pagan, one of my friends last night described me as a hard core pagan but you know something? I was never satisfied. I knew that something wasn’t right and I could never figure out what it was until these past months that I’ve been going to church at Bridges of Hope Fellowship. Now I know why I wasn’t satisfied, and where that feeling of not-right-ness was coming from.

God was working on my heart, wanting me to come to Him like a lost child that is making his way home. I was a lost child, lost to the wicked lies and perversions of the Evil One. He had me in his grasp and fought hard to hold on. Even now he tempts me into stumbling but that is only ever more reason to sing the praises of my Lord Jesus Christ, who is always there with me to help me if I just ask for it, and now I ask for His help every day because every day is a struggle to keep Satan at bay.

When Charles first invited me to Bridges of Hope, I was rather recalcitrant on going. I was already going to my old church, St. Catherines, and a friends church on the Sunday’s I couldn’t go to mine. I was also nervous that it was going to be another “dead” church. I hated going to churches like that (and I still do). In a “dead” church people here the message of God, but you can tell God’s presence is not with them because the people aren’t living it for one reason or another. Then I started going to Charles with his church in a three week rotation (I forget why, but I think now it’s because God was calling me home) and am I ever glad I did. I was welcomed with such open arms, even before I stepped in the door I could feel God moving in their midst. Since then I’ve been saved and have even joined Bridges of Hope Fellowship. The people there are great. Tammie Sue and Mike, Tim and Jenny, David and Cathy, David and Jennifer, Hugh and Joan, Wade, Carol and Heather and especially Natalie, DeWayne and Dwight. God has put me in touch with so many wonderful people that I can’t help but sing Him praises for using BOHF to open my eyes to His awesomeness. Now I’m in a wonderful Life Group headed up by David and Jennifer and I’m even more touched by His greatness. I just know He has great things in store for me if only I’m patient and open to His life-changing influence. The Spirit has definitely lit a fire in me that can never be quenched! Praise God!

If God can and will do all that for me, imagine — no pray for — what He can do for you!

Technorati Tags: religion