GROWING IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

PRIORITY FOR THE NEW YEAR

If you want to become a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, you must make your relationship with God your highest priority. A growing love relationship with God is central to everything else that happens in the Christian life. That’s why we were created, that’s why Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that’s why God is preparing an eternal home for us in heaven.

When Jesus was asked which is the most important commandment of all, He replied,  “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength” (Mark 12:30, NLTSE).

Do you have a personal relationship with God? If not, invite Him into your life today through His Son, Jesus Christ. Ask Jesus to forgive your sins and invite Him to live in you, to guide and direct you daily.

If you have begun your relationship with God, would you describe it as “intimate”? Are you growing closer to Him with every passing day? Is that your desire? Has that become your highest priority?

Meditate on the following Bible passages and ask the Holy Spirit to increase your love relationship with God.

Deuteronomy 6:5, NIV
“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

God's command to love with all we are has not changed. What blessings await the obedient soul.

Psalm 63:1-8, NLT
“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself; how I praise you! I will honor you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest of foods. I will praise you with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. I think how much you have helped me; I sing for joy in the shadow of your protecting wings. I follow close behind you; your strong right hand holds me securely.”

Notice how God consumes the Psalmists' heart and mind. God is the number one priority in his life. God satisfies more than the finest richest food. Try Him and see!

Psalm 42:1,2, NIV
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”

In those days they met God in the Temple. Today we can meet God in our place of prayer wherever we are as we commune with Him.

Psalm 143:6, NIV
“I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.”

Hands lifted in thirst for God's presence will result in a fulness of God's presence. He will satisfy the thristy soul.

Psalm 130:6, NIV
“My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.” Waiting on God, not trying to hurry through prayer will result in satisfacton of the soul.

Psalm 84:2, NIV
“My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”

The longing soul will surely be satisfied.

Psalm 73:25, NIV
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”

As you grow in maturity you will find that everything here on earth will lose it's luster and all you work so hard for will belong to someone else. You can take nothing with you when you leave this earth. If you have spent no time with God, you will have nothing of any eternal value. But time spent with God will result in a close relationship with God that will last through eternity.

Isaiah 26:8,9, NIV
“Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for You; Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for You in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for You.”

These are the words of someone who has lived a life full of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. They have lived their life in God's way, always waiting on Him for every decision in life. They understand what is really important in this life and the life to come.

Isaiah 55:6, NKJV
“Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.”

There are some who put off seeking God until it is too late. God's Spirit is tugging at your heart right now.  There is a time when it will be hard to find God. Wise men came a long way seeking the Lord Jesus and to worship Him.

Jeremiah 29:13, NAS95
“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

This is God's promise to you and me. You will find Him when you sincerely seek Him with all your heart.

Psalm 27:8, NLT
“My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘LORD, I am coming.’”

Can you hear the voice of God saying to you “Come and talk with Me?” Then be obedient and receive all that God has for you. God waits for you right now! God desires a very intimate relationship with you. Will you come and talk with Him in prayer, right now as soon as you finish reading this article.

In these verses of scripture you see a picture of one who is truly seeking a closer walk with the Father God. As we seek a closer relationship with God, His blessings and favor will be poured out on you. God seeks those who desire more of Him in their daily lives. He wants to lead, guide, and direct us along life's journey. He made us and He knows the way for us that opens the way for His blessings in your life. God wants to bless all people, but He can only work in the lives of those who desire Him to. We have free wills with which to make decisions in life each day. Remember Jesus said in Matthew 5:6 (NKJV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

If you begin to desire God as the above scriptures point out, you will discover something that will bless your life and give you a greater sense of the presence of God working in your life every day.

No matter what life may bring, God's Presence and victory is yours through Christ our Lord.
INVITATION: If you don't personally have a relationship with the Father God and you desire to have a relationship with Him, you must confess your sins to Jesus Christ, God's Son and ask Him to forgive you and invite Him into your life to take charge of you. If you are sincere Jesus will save you and you will become a child of God forever and God Himself will come and live inside of you by His Holy Spirit. Will you do it? You won't be sorry you did. You will have the most blessed "2013."  

God's Promises to You

Psalms 91

Claim This Scripture For Yourself

It’s God’s Word To You

^{1  I dwell in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." 3 Surely He shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover me with His feathers, And under His wings I shall take refuge; His truth shall be my shield and buckler. 5 I shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at my side, And ten thousand at my right hand; But it shall not come near me. 8 Only with my eyes shall I look, And see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because I have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, my dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall me, Nor shall any plague come near my dwelling; 11 For He shall give His angels charge over me, To keep me in all my ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear me up, Lest I dash my foot against a stone. 13 I shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent I shall trample underfoot. 14 "Because I have set my love upon God, therefore He will deliver me; He will set me on high, because I have known His name (Jesus.) 15 I shall call upon God, and He will answer me; He will be with me in trouble; He will deliver me and honor me.                                                                   16 With long life God will satisfy me, And show me His  salvation."                                                                                                                                         Copy and print this. Post it in your home as a reminder of how God is always watching over you and is your protector from all enemies and harm.}

Give it to someone who is in trouble or is struggling with any problem.

If you don’t know God this well, ask Jesus to save you and invite Him into your life. Then you will know the truth of this scripture in your life!

The Supremacy of Jesus

John 3:22–36

3:22 The first portion of this chapter described the Lord Jesus’ witness in the city of Jerusalem. From this verse to the end of the chapter, John describes Christ’s ministry in Judea, where doubtless He continued to proclaim the good news of salvation. As men came to the light, they were baptized. It would appear from this verse that Jesus Himself did the baptizing, but we learn in John 4:2 that it was done by His disciples.

3:23 The John referred to in this verse is John the Baptist. He was still preaching his message of repentance in the region of Judea and baptizing those Jews who were willing to repent in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. John also was baptizing in Aenon ... because there was much water there. This does not prove conclusively that he baptized by immersion, but it certainly implies as much. If he baptized by sprinkling or pouring, there would have been no necessity of having much water. Immersion best pictures death, burial, resurrection.

3:24 This verse is given in explanation of John’s continued ministry and of the continued response of devout Jews to it. In the near future, John would be thrown into prison and beheaded for his faithful testimony.

3:25 It is clear from this verse that some of John’s disciples became engaged in a dispute with the Jews about purification. What does this mean? Purification here probably refers to baptism. The argument was whether the baptism of John was better than that of Jesus. Which baptism had the greater power? Which was of greater value? Perhaps some of John’s disciples unwisely contended that no baptism could be better than that of their master. Perhaps the Pharisees tried to make John’s disciples jealous of Jesus and His current popularity.

Mark 9:40 (NKJV) ⁴⁰ "For he who is not against us is on our side.

3:26 They came to John for a decision. They seemed to be saying to him, “If your baptism is the better, why is it that so many men are leaving you and going to Jesus?”

3:27 John’s reply was referring to the Lord Jesus, and means that any success the Savior received was an indication of God’s approval on Him. John was saying that he had never pretended to be anyone great or important. He had never claimed that his baptism was superior to that of Jesus. He simply said here that he did not have anything but what he had received from heaven. That is true of all of us, and there is no reason in the world why we should be proud or seek to build up ourselves in man’s esteem.

3:28 John reminded his disciples that he had pointed out time and again that he was not the Christ, but was simply sent to prepare the way for the Messiah. { John 1:23} Why should they argue over him? Why should they seek to form a party around him? He was not the important one, but was simply trying to point men to the Lord Jesus.

3:29 The Lord Jesus Christ was the bridegroom. John the Baptist was merely the friend of the bridegroom, the “best man.” The bride does not belong to the “best man” of the bridegroom, but rather to the bridegroom himself. Therefore, it was fitting that the people follow Jesus rather than John. The bride was used here to refer to those who believed in Jesus as their Savior. It was John's great joy to listen to the bridegroom’s voice as He spoke His vows to His bride. His joy was fulfilled when Christ was praised and honored by men.

3:30 This is a must for all believers. The entire object of John’s ministry is summarized in this verse. He labored ceaselessly to point men and women to the Lord, and to make them realize His true worth. In doing this, John realized that he must keep himself in the background. For a servant of Christ to seek to attract attention to himself is really a form of arrogance and disloyalty.

{Note the three “musts” in this chapter: for the Sinner (3:7); must be born again !for the Savior (3:14); Must see Jesus died on the cross for your sins1 for the Saint (3:30) Must decrease and Jesus increase.}

3:31 Jesus is the One who comes from above and is above all. This statement was designed to show His heavenly origin and supreme position. To prove his own inferiority, John the Baptist said that he himself was of the earth and was earthly and speaks of the earth. This simply meant that, as to his birth, he was born a man of human parents. He had not heavenly rank and could not speak with the same authority as the Son of God. He was inferior to the Lord Jesus because He who comes from above is above all. Christ is the supreme Sovereign of the universe. It is only proper, therefore, that men should follow Him and obey Him rather than His messenger.

3:32 But when the Lord Jesus spoke, He spoke with authority. He told men what He had seen and heard. There was no possibility of error or deceit. Yet strange to say, no one receives His testimony. The expression no one is not to be taken in an absolute sense. There are individuals who accept the words of the Lord Jesus. However, John was saying that the majority of mankind in general reject Savior’s teachings. Jesus was the One who came down from heaven, but comparatively few were willing to listen to Him.

3:33 Verse 33 describes the few who did accept the words of the Lord as being the very words of God. By their acceptance, they certified that God is true. So it is today. When people accept the message of the gospel, they take sides with God against themselves and against the rest of mankind. They realize that if God has said something, it must be true. Notice how clearly verse 33 teaches the deity of Christ. It says that whoever believes the testimony of Christ acknowledges that God is true. This is just another way of saying that the testimony of Christ is the testimony of God, and to receive the one is to receive the other also.

3:34 Jesus was the One God has sent. He spoke the words of God. To support this statement, John stated that God does not give the Spirit by measure. Christ was anointed by the Holy Spirit of God in a way that was not true of any other person. Others have been conscious of the help of the Holy Spirit in their ministry, but no one else ever had such a Spirit-filled ministry as the Son of God. The prophets received a partial revelation from God but “the Spirit revealed in and by Christ the very wisdom, the very heart of God to man with all its infinitude of love.”

3:35 This is one of the seven times in John’s Gospel where we are told that the Father loves the Son. Here that love is manifested in giving Him control over all things. Among these things over which the Savior has complete charge are the destinies of men, as explained in verse 36.

3:36 God has given Christ the power to grant everlasting life to all who believe on Him. This is one of the clearest verses in all the Bible on how a person can be saved. It is simply by believing in the Son. As we read this verse, we should realize that God is speaking. He is making a promise that can never be broken. He says, clearly and distinctly, that anyone who believes in His Son has everlasting life. Those who do not obey the Son of God shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on them already. From this verse we learn that our eternal destiny depends on what we do with the Son of God. If we receive Him, God gives us eternal life as a free gift. If we reject Him, we will never enjoy everlasting life, and not only so, but God’s wrath already hangs over us, ready to fall at any moment.

INVITATION: In closing do you believe what John has said about the Supremacy of Jesus Christ and do you believe in Him as your personal Savior and Lord? You can not come to God unless the Spirit of God draws you. The Spirit of God is speaking to every heart right now. What is He saying to you? Do you need to be born again? Do you need to surrender to God? Do you need to start believing God's word instead of your feelings? Do you need deliverance from something?

Being Thankful

I. We are to Shout To The Lord

Psalm 100:1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

 A more accurate translation is to “Shout for God, every country!” This shout is what is done before an army engages in battle against the enemy. When the trumpet sounds to engage in battle, all the men raise their voices in a loud and thunderous yell as they run forward to fight. What makes this a bit of prophecy is that the call is to all nations to shout to God. This makes this a prophetic song giving us the goal of redemption. We are preparing for the day when we can join in the grand shout of all nations to God! What a day that will be!  The shouts of complete victory over evil and sin.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             II. Psalm 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Joshua 24:16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods. God has been so good to us like no other has ever done. Who else deserves our service like God Himself ? Choose you this day whom you will serve.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Start every day with singing in the presence of the Lord. Sing at home, in the shower! In the car!    

III. Diligently Follow God! Psalm 100:3 Know that the LORD he is God: it is he that has made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

In Genesis 2:7 God “formed” man out of the dust of the ground. God there is Yahweh. To form is what a potter does with clay on a wheel. As the clay is spinning, the potter forms the clay into something that will serve a particular purpose, and uses the goal he has chosen as the pattern to follow in the design. God had a particular plan to which Man was formed and that plan was His own image and likeness.

But how did that lump of clay gain the likeness of God? It is not unusual for us to make clay silhouettes or likenesses of people, but the clay does nothing but lay where it falls.

 Genesis 2:7 Goes on and tells us that God then breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. Once God breathed of Himself into man, man can no longer die. He becomes an eternal being. Animals live and die and that is the end of them. But mankind comes to life and cannot die, even though the body may die.We are God’s people, and as such need to listen to God and obey Him. Ignoring God is no way to live. It brings a lot of attention for wrongdoing!

We are as sheep in God’s pasture. Every shepherd has to carefully watch over and provide for the flock. There are so many kinds of animals that want to harm sheep and goats, that almost constant supervision is needed. Nourishing food and drink has to be found and provided fresh each day.  A neglected animal will die from loneliness and lack of exercise even if it has an endless supply of food and drink. Shelter is also vital from the extreme heat and cold.God not only created us, but He cares for us and leads us along. The day we learn that only good can come from God is the day we can learn to be at peace with God and begin to enjoy the privileges He gives.

IV. We Are To Regularly Worship God! Psalm 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.Gates refers to any entrance to God’s presence. Praise is the human expression of honor and thanksgiving to God for his character and action. The spiritual person is one who can see the hand of God in things around Him and can see the incredible things that have happened so that praise can be offered to God. It is not natural for people to simply thank God for things, but something that has to be developed through constant exercise. It takes time to stop our minds and discipline them to consider His Word and to learn to see what is good from God. It takes more effort to learn to sing praises, when the world wants to sing about anything else.

God’s child is one that adores His Father and will make every effort to bring the proper honor to God, by learning to see things through God’s eyes.

V. We Are To Teach the New Generation Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endures to all generations.

When one considers the amazing history of God’s people, and how God’s faithfulness and truth have endured everything that has been thrown against it now for 6,000 year, it is a marvel. Even the Earth has undergone several changes, and yet God’s Word has not. It has remained the same since the beginning.

God is good. This means He is kind, benevolent, gracious, merciful, generous, proper, helpful, fruitful, morally correct, etc. What He does is pleasing and appealing to the one who wants to be holy.

God’s truth does not change. Human rules are constantly changing. Organizations change things too much, and not for the better. God, however, remains the same. His values remain unchanged, because there are no other values or ideals to adopt. What He does is perfectly timed and absolutely appropriate. Every generation can count on God being the same as He was in history and the same for ages to come.

INVITATION: If you don't know this amazing God of whom I speak  but you would like to, confess your sins to Jesus Christ right now. The bible says all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.( Romans 3:23)  Ask Him to forgive your sins against God and then invite Jesus to take charge of your life from this day forward. 1 John 1:9-10 (NKJV) 

⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

From Death To Life

John 2:1-11 (NKJV)
¹ On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
² Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
³ And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."
⁴ Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come."
⁵ His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."
⁶ Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.
⁷ Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim.
⁸ And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it.
⁹ When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.
¹⁰ And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!"
¹¹ This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

This is the first miracle or sign of seven John would record. Jesus used this wedding to reveal His glory which was His power over nature, death, sin, and who He was, the promised Messiah. His mission, to change old spiritually dead men into new born again saints. By this miracle Jesus would demonstrate He was the "Messenger of the Covenant" that Malachi 3:1 speaks of. Jesus Christ was sent from God for the purpose of saving mankind.

I. This wedding reminds us of our relationship with Jesus. When we were saved, We became betrothed to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2 (NKJV) For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. Romans 7:4 (NKJV) Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another--to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. We are spiritually united as one with Christ.

II. The wedding reminds us of the bride price Jesus paid for us to be His bride. 1 Peter 1:18-19 (NKJV) ¹⁸ knowing that you were not redeemed, [payed for, bought back from satan], with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

III. The marriage celebration reminds us of our celebration to come at the marriage of the Lamb when our marriage to Jesus will be consummated or finalized there in Heaven. Revelation 19:7 (NKJV) Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." 

IV. The 6 water pots symbolized the O.T. Covenant of law and works. Man's attempts to work his way to God through the keeping of the10 commandments. Which covenant they could not keep. The water pots were for Ceremonial cleansing and remind us of man's attempt to please God from outward cleansing and appearance. The 10 commandments were given to show all mankind the impossibility of their efforts to please God. There must be a heart change to please God and the turning of water into wine symbolizes that change that can only be brought about by the power of Jesus Christ at salvation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

The new wine symbolizes the joy salvation brings and the new wine symbolizes the blood which Jesus shed to purchase the new covenant. Just as Jesus changed the elements of water to wine, Jesus changes a mans spirit from lost to saved, from the old man dead in sin to a new man alive in the spirit. It changes a man's spirit form fleshly, worldly thinking to spiritual and heavenly thinking. Jesus changes mankind’s direction from hell to heaven. As the new wine brought joy, Jesus brings joy to our spirit and soul. Just as wine was used to affirm marriage covenant between husband and wife, it also affirms the covenant between Jesus and us. We celebrate and affirm that covenant each time we participate in Lord's Supper.
V. In verse 10 the new wine Jesus made was better than the old aged wine. God saved the best for last and we are recipients of that new covenant which we celebrate through the ordinance of the "Lord's Supper".
VI. The new covenant of grace we have with God through the blood of Jesus, is much better than the old covenant of law which no one could keep and was broken time and time again by the Jews. God gave the old covenant first to show mankind they could not please Him by their efforts to keep His laws and to turn them to the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. God promised to change that old covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-33 (NKJV)
³¹ "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-- ³² not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. ³³ But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
VII. In performing this miracle of changing water into wine, Jesus was saying that He was the One through which the new covenant would come. By His Holy Spirit that comes in at rebirth, God would put His law in their minds and hearts. His Spirit would speak directly to our minds and hearts. This miracle was the beginning of many more that Jesus would perform while on this earth.

Many have wondered why Jesus would “waste” his powers on performing a miracle of providing wine for a wedding feast, a party. But all of Jesus’ miracles had a purpose beyond alleviating suffering; they were a display of his glory. The miracles recorded in John’s Gospel (and indeed all the miracles recorded by the other Gospel writers) demonstrated God’s great love for people and his concern for their individual needs. But on a deeper level, Jesus’ unique, divine nature was portrayed in such a way as to claim our loyalty and reverence. The sign of turning water into wine was a partial unveiling of Jesus’ full identity. His power over nature, death, sin, and evil revealed him to be the promised Messiah.

The One who would bring mankind forgiveness of their sins and change mankind from an old sinner to a new saint.

INVITATION: John says that when the disciples saw the miracle, they believed in him. God may confront us in any number of ways with our need to believe in his Son. We will be held accountable for whether or not we have believed. Have you believed what God says about His Son? Have you asked Jesus to forgive you and have you invited Him into your heart to take charge of your life? If not, now is the time. Today is the day of salvation to all who will believe.

Who Do You Say That Jesus Is?

Matt. 16:13-17 & John 1:1-18

There are many who teach that Jesus was just a good man, He was a prophet like Mohammed. He was a wonderful Teacher. He was a revolutionist. A man who worked miracles like some of the prophets. But Jesus asks each one of us the question, “whom do you say I am?” Each person must answer this question and our eternal destination depends on us getting the right answer. Jesus asked His disciples this same question.

 Matthew 16:13-18 (NKJV) 

¹³ When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"
¹⁴ So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
¹⁵ He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
¹⁶ Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
¹⁷ Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
¹⁸ And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

  The foundation of the church is this confession by Peter of who Jesus is.

How much error is being taught today among different religious groups? How many teach there are many different ways to reach God and heaven?

If a religion doesn't believe that Jesus is the “Son of God” then everything else it teaches is based on error. Any religion that is in opposition to this truth is false and will lead you to hell.

What do your family and friends believe about Jesus? We must know what others believe about Jesus, who He is. What people believe about Jesus determines their eternal destiny.

Determines how we reach them. Determines how they react to us as we witness.

What people believe about Jesus determines the morality and justice of a society.

The book of John 1:1-14 tells us who Jesus is, what He has done and why He did it.           Please get your bible and follow along as you read this article. 

V:1&2 He is the living Word of God. He was with God in the beginning of creation as we know it. He was God from eternity past.

V:3 Jesus is the creator of all things that exist. Nothing was made without Him,

V:4 & 5 Jesus is life and light of men. Mankind lives and breathes because of Jesus. He is the reveal-er of all spiritual truth. Jesus' spiritual light shines in the darkness but darkness doesn't comprehend.

V:9 Jesus is the true Light in comparison to those who claim to be bearers of light. He penetrates, exposes and chases away darkness. He reveals pure light,[spiritual light]. Jesus guides the right way and routes chaos. He warns of error and protects His own.

V:10 &11 Jesus came into this world He created and was not known. Jesus came as a Jew to save the Jewish people and the gentiles from their sins but many did not know Him. They turned from Him because their deeds were evil. [John 3:19]

V:12 Jesus gives the right or power to As many as will receive Him as Savior and Lord, to become the “children of God.” Those that believe on His name as their Savior and Lord.

V:13 Jesus gives new spiritual birth to those who believe on Him as their Savior and Lord.

V:14 Jesus came to earth in a fleshly body and lived among us. He was born of the Virgin Mary. Laid in a manger. Those who lived in His earthly days beheld or looked upon Him in His fleshly body. Jesus was full of God's glory as the Only Begotten Son of the Father.

Glory, means to possess and to be full of perfect light; to dwell in perfect light, brilliance, splendor, brightness, luster, and magnificence with God. The "glory" of God means all the excellence of God; all that He is in His might and power, love and grace, compassion and mercy. It means all His attributes: His omnipotence (all power), omniscience (all knowing), omnipresence (being everywhere), and sovereignty. Jesus paid a sin debt we could not pay because we have all sinned before God.

Romans 3:23 (NKJV)  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 5:8 (NKJV) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 10:9-11 (NKJV)
⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
¹¹ For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 

John 14:6 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus made it plain in this scripture He is the only way, the only truth, and the only real eternal life. We can not be tolerant toward other beliefs. Our God has told us the truth about salvation through Christ alone. There is no other way. Do not be afraid to stand for the truth as given in God's word. Help share it with others as you get the opportunity. Don't stand by and be silent anymore. We have the truth, let's share with those around us.

INVITATION: It's time for you to make your decision if you've never done that. Confess your sins against God, Ask Jesus to forgive your sins and invite Jesus into your life to live in you.

Christian, surrender your life to Jesus now. Invite Him to fill you with His Spirit. [Eph. 5:18]

As a Man Thinks

Christianity and living the Christian life is a war that goes on in you mind. And it is a matter of our thought life more than it is a matter of the devil and demons and what they do. We have to remember that our flesh is fallen; the will of the flesh is in unity with sin and therefore Satan. That is why it is called the sin nature. It is our nature to sin. You don’t have to train a child to sin, you have to train them not to sin, not to take what isn't theirs until it’s paid for and so much more. Scripture tells us and we know from our own lives, that a man acts and does in accordance with how he thinks. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he:” Proverbs 23:7.

That is why the battle is in the mind and the devil has worked through the world to influence us to think according to a mindset that is contrary to God and the Bible. We call it a person’s worldview. That is why wicked men hate God and don’t want to admit there is a God, because they don’t want to be accountable for their actions and lifestyle. To justify themselves they work extremely hard to train the younger generation to think their way, amoral, immoral, anti-god and try to convince them there is no God and that they descended from monkeys. Heaven forbid that our children should think that there is a God and that He will hold them accountable for their sins. After all, that might affect their behavior. Of course it would and that is why the younger generation has no conscience or morals. It has been destroyed by indoctrination and brain-washing.

2 Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” The Bible doesn’t say “take every demon captive” but “take every thought captive. If you are born again by the spirit of God, then you do not belong to Satan. You might have old ways of behaving due to your ways and system of thinking you were trained to have by the world before you got saved. You need to destroy that system of thinking and have your mind renewed by the truth of God’s Word so that you will then act and behave in a different manner, in a way that is godly and acceptable to God. Romans 12:2 (NKJV) 
² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 

We have to know that we cannot change our lives by changing our behavior. Dealing with behavior will not change your life. For “As a man thinks…” You have to change your way of thinking and your thought patterns if you are going to change your behavior.  You change your life by changing what you think. Then when your thinking is lined up with God’s thinking, God’s Word, then that seals Satan out and he has no entrance into your life. He will come and try to get you to think as you used to. He will throw accusations at you to try and penetrate your mind and thinking because that is how he gets power in a person’s life. If he can get you to think evil thoughts, angry thoughts, hateful thoughts, vengeful thoughts, lustful thoughts, any thoughts contrary to God’s Word, that is how he gets you to act sinfully. You don’t go out and do sinful acts if you didn't first think and meditate upon them. You don’t go to see a porno movie without desiring it in your mind. You don’t take a gun and go shoot someone unless there are murderous thoughts in your mind.

You must replace sinful, wrong, and negative thoughts with God's word. Read God's word every day and your thoughts will change. You think about what you saturate your mind with.

If you have on the armor of God, and you have on the breastplate of righteousness and your shield of faith up (which is faith in the Word of God) and your mind filled with the preparation of the Gospel, and you have on the helmet of salvation, then he can’t get you to do his bidding and dirty work. If the devil can’t penetrate your mind because of the helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, then your mind is sharp and ready and the enemy can’t penetrate your mind and get you to follow his system and way of doing things. The key to the armor of God and putting it on and having it in force in your life is the Word of God, daily renewing your mind to truth, filling your mind with truth and building your faith up with the truth. That is what arms and defends the attacks of the enemy against your mind and gives you power to attack him on his own turf. Of course that means that you are obeying that truth that you know, walking in obedience to the Word in your daily life for that is how the Word has power in your life.

The devil will try you to see if you really believe God's word just like he did Eve in the garden. He got Eve to doubt God's word. 

Why is it that some who have “come to Christ” are still doing wrong things and have bad habits? It’s because if they are saved, that doesn't renew their mindset and way of thinking and pattern of thinking. That can only be done by the washing of the water of the word. Ephesians 5:26 “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,” and by the sanctification of the Spirit as He speaks to them and corrects them, Isaiah 30:21 “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” Saved people still have an attitude and spirit that was built by a old system of thinking. We have to allow the Lord and His Word and His Spirit to then cleanse us by changing our thinking and renewing our minds and correcting us in our daily walk. We have to ask the Lord to teach us “His ways” and show us “His paths” for us to walk in.

It’s like this. You can come and ask for healing and deliverance from cancer. But even if you are healed of that cancer and it was caused by smoking and you refuse to give up the smoking, you can’t blame God if the cancer comes back because you are giving it a place in your life and access to come back by your continued sin against your body. In like manner, you can cast a devil out of your life, and bind the devils operating in our life, but unless you change your system of thinking, then Satan will soon have the same access back into your life that he had to begin with. When you were a sinner, Satan owned you and he infiltrated your mind and thinking through worldly means and he filled your mind with things that were meant to produce destruction in your life. Once you are born again, his authority and place in your life is removed, but your old system of thinking is still inside your mind and that has to be broken down and replaced until you renew your mind and have a new way of thinking so that you no longer give access to the devil in your life. James 4:7-10 (NKJV) 
⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
⁹ Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

 You have to be disciplined by the Word and the Spirit to stop the old way of thinking and doing the things you did before.                                                                                                           INVITATION: What do you think about Jesus, God's Son? The bible says that only through Him can you be saved and have a relationship with God. He alone can give you the power to think the right thoughts and live the right kind of life.  He will also give you an eternal home in Heaven. Ask Jesus to save you and then invite Him into your life to take charge of you. Then and only will you begin to think right thoughts and live the victorious life style.

I SHALL NOT WANT

God has given us so many promises in His word. Whatever you are going through take time to read these promises from His word. Meditate on them and your problems and worries will seem to disappear. You will find strength for every occasion, every situation in life. Be blessed as you read His word.

I shall not want for health, for "With His stripes we are healed."
(Is. 53:3), and Jesus "Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sickness." (Mat.8:17).

I shall not want for prosperity, for "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19).

I shall not want for security, for "God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (II Timothy 1:7).

I shall not want for faith, for "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." (Romans 12:3).

I shall not want for peace, for "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee."
(Isaiah 26:3).

I shall not want for victory, because "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Romans 8:37).

I shall not want for victory over sin because, "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Rom.8:2).

I shall not want for victory over confusion because, "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace." (! Corinthians 14:33).

I shall not want for companionship because Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." (Matthew 28:20).

I shall not want for contentment, "For I have learned in whatsoever
state (or circumstance) I am therewith to be content."
(Philippians 4:11).

I shall not want for victory over the cares of this life, for I am casting all my care upon Him who cares for me. (I Peter 5:7).

I shall not want for victory in prayer, for if we ask anything in Jesus' name we shall have it. (John 14:14).

I shall not want for strength, for "The Lord is the strength of my life." (Psalms 27:1).

I shall not want for power, for "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you." (Acts 1:8)

I shall not want as to be an overcomer because Jesus said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33).

I shall not want for victory over persecution, for "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).

I shall not want for righteousness because, "He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (1 Corinthians 5:21).

I shall not want for victory over condemnation, for "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus."
(Romans 8:1).

 Those that are God's people will never want for these things.We can claim these promises of God as Christian people. He can not lie, He will keep His word! If you don't know Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord you lack all these things and you will not make it to heaven. But you can ask Jesus to for give your sins against God and invite Him into your life to take charge of you. Then as the above scripture says, you will not be condemned by God the Father if you are in His Son. You will have eternal life!

The Next Great Event

As people look around today at the events that are happening all over the world, there is a concern about what the future holds for mankind. People read their horoscopes and go to fortune tellers, physics, and palm readers to try to find out the future and what it holds for them. We that are believers in Christ look to God's word. Our future is already determined by the Heavenly Father. God wants us to know and understand His plan for us. God's plan for us Christians follows the example of a Jewish betrothal and wedding ceremony. First, The Father would choose the bride for His son. God chose us.                                                                                   1 Corinthians 1:9
⁹ God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

The groom would come to the home of the bride with a legal covenant giving the terms of the marriage and the price He would pay to marry the bride. This is the terms for marriage to Christ. Romans 10:9-11 If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.¹¹ For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." Then the groom would pay the price for the bride. It was a costly price. It proved how much he loved her. Jesus paid the price of all He had. He left the glories of heaven and gave Himself on the cross to save us from the penalty of our sins which would lead us to Hell. His blood He shed on the cross paid the enormous price for our sins to be forgiven and gives a home in Heaven to all whosoever would believe in Him.                                                                                                       Luke 23:33-34 (NKJV)
³³ And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. ³⁴ Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."                            Lk. 23:46 (NKJV) ⁴⁶ And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "It is finished!" "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' " Having said this, He breathed His last.

After the price was paid, The bride would then agree to the terms of the covenant. After the covenant was made, they were betrothed [engaged promised] to each other until groom returns for her. 2 Corinthians 11:2 For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. The couple would seal & celebrate the covenant between each other with a cup of wine shared together.

The Lord's Supper seals and celebrates our covenant with Him. Luke 22:19-20 (NKJV) ¹⁹ And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." ²⁰ Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

Then the groom would leave saying “I go to prepare a place for you and when it's ready, I will return for you. Then the groom would go and add a bridal chamber to his father's house to be used for the honeymoon. Jesus made us a promise that He would prepare us a place and then return for us.

John 14:1-3 (NKJV)
¹ "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Jesus said the way to the Father's house comes through our marriage covenant with Him.                                                               John 14:6 (NKJV) 
⁶ Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

 There are two times when Jesus receives the believer unto Himself.

1.  There is death or the passing of the believer into heaven. Death is a private escort or a private entrance into the presence of the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8).

 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 

2. Then there is the return of Jesus Himself to gather all His true followers unto Himself. It is this return of which Jesus is referring in to in this passage of John 14:1-3. While the groom was away building the bridal chamber, The bride was to prepare herself during this time making herself as attractive as possible. Revelation 19:8 (NKJV) And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

While we wait for our Groom Jesus, we are to be making ourselves attractive by doing righteous acts.

Many people ask, When will Jesus return for us to take us to the Father's house? Here's a very interesting fact about Jewish wedding tradition: While the groom was building the bridal chamber and someone asked, “When will the wedding take place?” The groom would say “Only my Father knows.” The groom's father determined when the bridal chamber was ready and when the wedding would take place.

When the father determined the chamber was ready, he would give the command for the groom to go get his bride and bring her back to the Father's house.

When the groom came for the bride He was accompanied by His “best man” who would blow the [shofar] ram's horn and announce the groom's coming for His bride. The bride must have her things ready to go with groom!                                Matthew 25:6 (NKJV)
⁶ And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'

This is where we are in God's plan for mankind. This is the next great event in God's plan for His people.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV) ¹³ But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.
 Believers are to be glorified in the Father when Jesus returns with the souls of those who have died in Him. There will be a shout and a trumpet blast. The dead bodies will come out of their resting places and be reunited with their souls first and then we who are alive at that time will be caught up in the clouds to be with them and the Lord Jesus forever more. We are to comfort one another with these scriptures.

INVITATION: The time is drawing ever so near for Jesus' return and the catching up of God's saints will be the next great event in the history of mankind. God always lets His people know what He is going to do before He takes action. Paul wanted the believers in Thessalonica to know the truth about Jesus' return and what would happen to those who have already died. God let them and all Christians know thru His word what He is preparing to do next in His plan for mankind. Jesus will return soon! Are you ready for Jesus to return right now? Don't be left behind. You can be ready by confessing your sins to Jesus and asking Him to forgive you and inviting Him into your life. Then be baptized and live for Jesus to prove your salvation is real. Faith without works is dead. Saints, are your looking for His return or are you more concerned about the things of this world. We Christians are to be preparing ourselves as Jesus' bride by doing righteous acts, expecting His return for us soon. Remember, everything here is temporary. It will soon fade away. Only what you have stored up in heaven will count.