Friday, December 12, 2014
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Merry C H R I S T M A S!!
Merry Christmas!!
Two words that for some raise blood pressure. Why?!
What about Happy Hanukkah or Happy Ramadan! Do I get offended by those words? No!
For Christians, Christmas is a day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3 vs. 16)
I say JOY TO THE WORLD! GLORY!!!
Why should we (Christians) be ashamed of that?! Jesus is the only HOPE for the world.
Would you agree that every time we do not say Merry Christmas but instead use the political correct version,'Happy Holidays" we are ashamed?
This may seem hard my friend and I must admit I've been guilty of this so I'm not judging here, but shouldn't we be asking God to help us be bold at all times and have no fear of man or their opinion?
Romans 3 vs. 4 says - "Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."
Isn't the God of the universe our Father?
God loves us and is in total control of our lives. What can man do to us apart from the Father's will in our lives. Amen!
The war on Christmas is just one way our enemy (SATAN) attacks Christians. Take a look around, do you see such an outrage over other religious festivals? The war on Christmas is just another way Christians are being persecuted for their faith around the world.
I'm reminded of this verse: Ephesians 6 vs. 12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Be mindful my friend that when a man or woman comes against you, persecuting you and saying mean things about you because of Christ that he/she is inspired to do so by Satan and his devils.
In Ephesians 2 vs. 2 the Apostle Paul reminds us, "You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil--the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God."
As a Christian, God expects us to live humbly before all men and be a light shining in a dark world. He also desires that we boldly proclaim his love to mankind. Christmas is a time that we can boldly proclaim our messiah's birth to a lost and dying world.
This December ask God to cut through the confusion so that on Christmas you remember Him. He is the reason we celebrate and may he be forever praised!!
So join me in saying, MERRY CHRISTMAS, MERRY CHRISTMAS, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Two words that for some raise blood pressure. Why?!
What about Happy Hanukkah or Happy Ramadan! Do I get offended by those words? No!
For Christians, Christmas is a day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3 vs. 16)
I say JOY TO THE WORLD! GLORY!!!
Why should we (Christians) be ashamed of that?! Jesus is the only HOPE for the world.
Would you agree that every time we do not say Merry Christmas but instead use the political correct version,'Happy Holidays" we are ashamed?
This may seem hard my friend and I must admit I've been guilty of this so I'm not judging here, but shouldn't we be asking God to help us be bold at all times and have no fear of man or their opinion?
Romans 3 vs. 4 says - "Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."
Isn't the God of the universe our Father?
God loves us and is in total control of our lives. What can man do to us apart from the Father's will in our lives. Amen!
The war on Christmas is just one way our enemy (SATAN) attacks Christians. Take a look around, do you see such an outrage over other religious festivals? The war on Christmas is just another way Christians are being persecuted for their faith around the world.
I'm reminded of this verse: Ephesians 6 vs. 12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Be mindful my friend that when a man or woman comes against you, persecuting you and saying mean things about you because of Christ that he/she is inspired to do so by Satan and his devils.
In Ephesians 2 vs. 2 the Apostle Paul reminds us, "You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil--the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God."
As a Christian, God expects us to live humbly before all men and be a light shining in a dark world. He also desires that we boldly proclaim his love to mankind. Christmas is a time that we can boldly proclaim our messiah's birth to a lost and dying world.
This December ask God to cut through the confusion so that on Christmas you remember Him. He is the reason we celebrate and may he be forever praised!!
So join me in saying, MERRY CHRISTMAS, MERRY CHRISTMAS, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Welcome to my new blog!
This is my spiritual workout blog and a place where I perform a heart dump. What is a heart dump? It's when a message on my heart needs to be dumped or written down. (Jeremiah 20 vs. 9) - "But if I say I'll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can't do it!"
I already know that many of my readers come from different religious backgrounds and may not totally agree on a doctrine or theological stance I present. I also want to make it clear that while I may spend hours or days writing a particular post I'm not the authority - Jesus is and his word (Bible).
I'm a man possessed by the Holy Spirit! The Spirit teaches me and brings to mind what I should say in these posts. If I say something wrong or something not in line with scripture, the Spirit will convict my heart so I can correct it.
It is important for you to know that my blog has but one agenda and that is to encourage you in your faith. I'm not trying to save you, nor can I do so. I'm also not trying to change your Arminiest, Calvinist, Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, or Catholic view.
I trust the Holy Spirit will bring conviction and enlightenment as he teaches you out of a heart that has been changed.
With that being said we are all one in the body of Christ if you are born again. I'm not concerned with abiding by certain denominational views or any legalism. My purpose is to share with you what the Holy Spirit has taught me and to encourage you.
I pray the grace of the Lord Jesus rests upon you.
This is my spiritual workout blog and a place where I perform a heart dump. What is a heart dump? It's when a message on my heart needs to be dumped or written down. (Jeremiah 20 vs. 9) - "But if I say I'll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can't do it!"
I already know that many of my readers come from different religious backgrounds and may not totally agree on a doctrine or theological stance I present. I also want to make it clear that while I may spend hours or days writing a particular post I'm not the authority - Jesus is and his word (Bible).
I'm a man possessed by the Holy Spirit! The Spirit teaches me and brings to mind what I should say in these posts. If I say something wrong or something not in line with scripture, the Spirit will convict my heart so I can correct it.
It is important for you to know that my blog has but one agenda and that is to encourage you in your faith. I'm not trying to save you, nor can I do so. I'm also not trying to change your Arminiest, Calvinist, Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, or Catholic view.
I trust the Holy Spirit will bring conviction and enlightenment as he teaches you out of a heart that has been changed.
With that being said we are all one in the body of Christ if you are born again. I'm not concerned with abiding by certain denominational views or any legalism. My purpose is to share with you what the Holy Spirit has taught me and to encourage you.
I pray the grace of the Lord Jesus rests upon you.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Help! I'm a Christian and I Struggle with Habitual Sin
For the purpose of this article I'm going to assume you are already a born again believer.
Habitual sins are sins that involve a pattern of the same sin committed over and over again whereby the believer feels enslaved and can't find relief from.
These sins bring great shame and guilt, hurt your witness and will steal your joy and effectiveness as a child of God.
When I was saved, the Holy Spirit came to live inside me and all my sins were washed away. I believe, as scripture teaches that Christ died once for all sin (past, present, and future) and that he who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it.
God saved me from the penalty of sin and death, gave me his Spirit to convict me when I sin, as well as teach me and empower me to do the Father's will.
Here is a fact!
A believer will sin. Anyone who believes that a christian does not sin is deceived and does not have a clear understanding of scripture. The Apostle Paul knew what it was to sin and to sin regularly. In Romans 7 vs. 15 Paul said, "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate." He goes on to say who will rescue me from this body of death, thanks be to Christ Jesus our Lord!
The truth is we all have chinks in our spiritual armor. There are certain sinful desires that may affect you more than me and vice versa.
In Galatians 5 vs. 17 it says "For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not able to do what you want."
The enemy (Satan) loves to attack us in our mind and when we are at our weakest. Times when I'm the weakest are usually when I'm tired, stressed, depressed, disappointed, and anxious. I tend to sin the most during these times.
For the believer, sin brings conviction. The Holy Spirit will not allow you to sin and get away with it. I do believe the most miserable people on the planet are believers living in sin. Scripture describes God as a loving Father who disciplines those he loves.
My father used to always tell me (and it is so true) that there are things that God will not let you get away with whereas it may seem your friends are getting away with. It is important for you to remember that you are God's child and as any good father will do, will correct you when involved in sin.
You see, we must remember that we are at war. Scripture says, "for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6 vs. 12).
If I have periods of sin or times when I fail God and do not live for him does this mean I'm lost? Does this mean he has abandoned me or given up on me? Does this mean he does not love me?
The answer is an emphatic NO!!
In John 6 vs. 39 Jesus said "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day."
Jesus will never leave you or forsake you!! My friend, if you are convicted by your struggle with sin and desire God's forgiveness, mercy and will then praise God!! This is evidence that you are saved because one of the Holy Spirits primary jobs is to convict you of your sin so that you will be led to repentance.
As believer's we need daily cleansing (repentance). As we confess our sins daily the Holy Spirit will empower us to live for him and accomplish his will each day.
Do not listen to the lies of the enemy and do not get discouraged. Satan is a liar and if he can rob you of your joy and witness he will. He is like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. Remember 1st John 1 vs. 9 "For if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Christ bought us with his precious blood on the cross. He rescued us! Do you really think Jesus would have paid such a high price on the cross and then lose you? He loves us with an everlasting love. This is a love beyond our human comprehension. It is impossible for us to humanly grasp his great love for us. So in this knowledge do not try and rationalize his love and do not try to explain it, just accept it by faith.
He will never leave us and never forsake us.
In Galatians 5 vs. 1 it says "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Later on in Galatians 5 vs. 16 it says we are to walk by the Spirit, and in doing so you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
This is truth: 'The Spirit is willing but the Flesh is weak,' abiding in Christ daily is the only way we can live a life free from habitual patterns of sin. We must depend on the Holy Spirit empowering us each day if we are going to live as God desires.
How do we abide in Christ daily? Set aside a time each day for prayer and meditating on scripture. If you do not know where to begin reading, start with the Gospel of John or a Psalm.
In closing, remember this verse: 1 Corinthians 10 vs. 13, "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."
Habitual sins are sins that involve a pattern of the same sin committed over and over again whereby the believer feels enslaved and can't find relief from.
These sins bring great shame and guilt, hurt your witness and will steal your joy and effectiveness as a child of God.
When I was saved, the Holy Spirit came to live inside me and all my sins were washed away. I believe, as scripture teaches that Christ died once for all sin (past, present, and future) and that he who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it.
God saved me from the penalty of sin and death, gave me his Spirit to convict me when I sin, as well as teach me and empower me to do the Father's will.
Here is a fact!
A believer will sin. Anyone who believes that a christian does not sin is deceived and does not have a clear understanding of scripture. The Apostle Paul knew what it was to sin and to sin regularly. In Romans 7 vs. 15 Paul said, "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate." He goes on to say who will rescue me from this body of death, thanks be to Christ Jesus our Lord!
The truth is we all have chinks in our spiritual armor. There are certain sinful desires that may affect you more than me and vice versa.
In Galatians 5 vs. 17 it says "For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not able to do what you want."
The enemy (Satan) loves to attack us in our mind and when we are at our weakest. Times when I'm the weakest are usually when I'm tired, stressed, depressed, disappointed, and anxious. I tend to sin the most during these times.
For the believer, sin brings conviction. The Holy Spirit will not allow you to sin and get away with it. I do believe the most miserable people on the planet are believers living in sin. Scripture describes God as a loving Father who disciplines those he loves.
My father used to always tell me (and it is so true) that there are things that God will not let you get away with whereas it may seem your friends are getting away with. It is important for you to remember that you are God's child and as any good father will do, will correct you when involved in sin.
You see, we must remember that we are at war. Scripture says, "for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6 vs. 12).
If I have periods of sin or times when I fail God and do not live for him does this mean I'm lost? Does this mean he has abandoned me or given up on me? Does this mean he does not love me?
The answer is an emphatic NO!!
In John 6 vs. 39 Jesus said "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day."
Jesus will never leave you or forsake you!! My friend, if you are convicted by your struggle with sin and desire God's forgiveness, mercy and will then praise God!! This is evidence that you are saved because one of the Holy Spirits primary jobs is to convict you of your sin so that you will be led to repentance.
As believer's we need daily cleansing (repentance). As we confess our sins daily the Holy Spirit will empower us to live for him and accomplish his will each day.
Do not listen to the lies of the enemy and do not get discouraged. Satan is a liar and if he can rob you of your joy and witness he will. He is like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. Remember 1st John 1 vs. 9 "For if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Christ bought us with his precious blood on the cross. He rescued us! Do you really think Jesus would have paid such a high price on the cross and then lose you? He loves us with an everlasting love. This is a love beyond our human comprehension. It is impossible for us to humanly grasp his great love for us. So in this knowledge do not try and rationalize his love and do not try to explain it, just accept it by faith.
He will never leave us and never forsake us.
In Galatians 5 vs. 1 it says "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Later on in Galatians 5 vs. 16 it says we are to walk by the Spirit, and in doing so you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
This is truth: 'The Spirit is willing but the Flesh is weak,' abiding in Christ daily is the only way we can live a life free from habitual patterns of sin. We must depend on the Holy Spirit empowering us each day if we are going to live as God desires.
How do we abide in Christ daily? Set aside a time each day for prayer and meditating on scripture. If you do not know where to begin reading, start with the Gospel of John or a Psalm.
In closing, remember this verse: 1 Corinthians 10 vs. 13, "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."
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