Radical change - Part 2
THE FINAL JUDGMENT
31 "But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'
37 "Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?'
40 "And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,* you were doing it to me!'
41 "Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, 'Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.42 For I was hungry, and you didn't feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn't give me a drink.43 I was a stranger, and you didn't invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn't give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'
44 "Then they will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?'
45 "And he will answer, 'I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.'
46 "And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life."
We are still looking at giving, not only giving something but giving a little or a lot of yourself. It is clear that Jesus wants us to take care of those in need and those seeking help. We must not be fooled by this world in thinking ourselves more important than God. We must humble ourselves before God and seek His will.
Let us seek God's will and help those around us.
To God be all the glory forever and ever.
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Monday, 27 June 2011
Monday 27 June 2011
Radical living - Part 1
We are looking at eternal life and the things that we must do to receive this amazing gift. Today we will look at possessions and how Jesus described it to the rich young man.
Possession can become an idol and this can cause distance between you and God. Wanting something that you do not need is placing yourself ahead of God. Possessions and the need for it can make you self centered, and this is bad for your faith.
Remember: It is not about you, it is all about God and for Him.
Hand in hand with this is giving to the poor and helping others. Let us look at what John wrote.
1 John 4 verse 7
Dear friends, let us continue loving one another, for love comes form God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God - for God is love.
To love other is also to help other. Try to make a difference from this day on.
To God be all the glory forever and ever.
| THE RICH MAN 16 Someone came to Jesus with this question: "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?" 17 "Why ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep* the commandments." 18 "Which ones?" the man asked. And Jesus replied: "'You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely.19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.'*" 20 "I've obeyed all these commandments," the young man replied. "What else must I do?" 21 Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.24 I'll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!" 25 The disciples were astounded. "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked. 26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible." 27 Then Peter said to him, "We've given up everything to follow you. What will we get?" 28 Jesus replied, "I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man* sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. | |
We are looking at eternal life and the things that we must do to receive this amazing gift. Today we will look at possessions and how Jesus described it to the rich young man.
Possession can become an idol and this can cause distance between you and God. Wanting something that you do not need is placing yourself ahead of God. Possessions and the need for it can make you self centered, and this is bad for your faith.
Remember: It is not about you, it is all about God and for Him.
Hand in hand with this is giving to the poor and helping others. Let us look at what John wrote.
1 John 4 verse 7
Dear friends, let us continue loving one another, for love comes form God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God - for God is love.
To love other is also to help other. Try to make a difference from this day on.
To God be all the glory forever and ever.
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Thursday 23 June 2011
Who is your DADDY?
A seminary professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg , TN. One morning, they were eating breakfast at a little restaurant, hoping to enjoy a quiet, family meal. While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and whispered to his wife, 'I hope he doesn't come over here.' But sure enough, the man did come over to their table.
'Where are you folks from?' he asked in a friendly voice.
'Oklahoma ,' they answered.
'Great to have you here in Tennessee ,' the stranger said.. 'What do you do for a living?'
'I teach at a seminary,' he replied.
'Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I've got a really great story for you.' And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with the couple.
The professor groaned and thought to himself, 'Great, Just what I need ....another preacher story!'
The man started, 'See that mountain over there? (pointing out the restaurant window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because every place he went, he was always asked the same question, 'Hey boy, Who's your daddy?' Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would ask the same question, 'Who's your daddy?'. He would hide at recess and lunch time from other students. He would avoid going in to stores because that question hurt him so bad. 'When he was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. He would always go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, 'Who's your daddy?'.
But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast that he got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher, not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, 'Son, Who's your daddy?'
The whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in the church looking at him Now everyone would finally know the answer to the question, 'Who's your daddy?'.
This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and using discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the following to that scared little boy.. 'Wait a minute! I know who you are! I see the family resemblance now, You are a child of God.'
With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said, 'Boy, you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.'
With that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out the door a changed person. He was never the same again. Whenever anybody asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd just tell them , 'I'm a Child of God''
The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said, 'Isn't that a great story?'
The professor responded that it really was a great story!
As the man turned to leave, he said, 'You know, if that new preacher hadn't told me that I was one of God's children, I probably never would have amounted to anything!' And he walked away..
The seminary professor and his wife were stunned... He called the waitress over & asked her, 'Do you know who that man was -- the one who just left that was sitting at our table?'
The waitress grinned and said, 'Of course. Everybody here knows him. That's Ben Hooper. He's governor of Tennessee !'
Someone in your life today needs a reminder that they're one of God's children!
'The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of God stands forever.' ~~Isaiah
YOU'RE ONE OF GOD'S CHILDREN!!!
HAVE A GREAT DAY!
For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever
believed in him would not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
A seminary professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg , TN. One morning, they were eating breakfast at a little restaurant, hoping to enjoy a quiet, family meal. While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and whispered to his wife, 'I hope he doesn't come over here.' But sure enough, the man did come over to their table.
'Where are you folks from?' he asked in a friendly voice.
'Oklahoma ,' they answered.
'Great to have you here in Tennessee ,' the stranger said.. 'What do you do for a living?'
'I teach at a seminary,' he replied.
'Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I've got a really great story for you.' And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with the couple.
The professor groaned and thought to himself, 'Great, Just what I need ....another preacher story!'
The man started, 'See that mountain over there? (pointing out the restaurant window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because every place he went, he was always asked the same question, 'Hey boy, Who's your daddy?' Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would ask the same question, 'Who's your daddy?'. He would hide at recess and lunch time from other students. He would avoid going in to stores because that question hurt him so bad. 'When he was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. He would always go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, 'Who's your daddy?'.
But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast that he got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher, not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, 'Son, Who's your daddy?'
The whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in the church looking at him Now everyone would finally know the answer to the question, 'Who's your daddy?'.
This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and using discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the following to that scared little boy.. 'Wait a minute! I know who you are! I see the family resemblance now, You are a child of God.'
With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said, 'Boy, you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.'
With that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out the door a changed person. He was never the same again. Whenever anybody asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd just tell them , 'I'm a Child of God''
The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said, 'Isn't that a great story?'
The professor responded that it really was a great story!
As the man turned to leave, he said, 'You know, if that new preacher hadn't told me that I was one of God's children, I probably never would have amounted to anything!' And he walked away..
The seminary professor and his wife were stunned... He called the waitress over & asked her, 'Do you know who that man was -- the one who just left that was sitting at our table?'
The waitress grinned and said, 'Of course. Everybody here knows him. That's Ben Hooper. He's governor of Tennessee !'
Someone in your life today needs a reminder that they're one of God's children!
'The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of God stands forever.' ~~Isaiah
YOU'RE ONE OF GOD'S CHILDREN!!!
HAVE A GREAT DAY!
For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever
believed in him would not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Wednesday 22 June 2011
Grace
Ephesians 2 verse 8
God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this, it is a gift from God.
Colossians 1 verse 27
For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
Colossians 2 from verse 6 to 15
6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.7 Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
11 When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
Jesus lives in you and you in Him. With Him everything is possible. You are saved by grace, your sins are taken away by Him and with Him you now have a new life, a new confession and a new beginning. A new story of hope. This world can not have any effect on you anymore - ever.
To God be all the glory forever and ever.
Ephesians 2 verse 8
God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this, it is a gift from God.
Colossians 1 verse 27
For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
Colossians 2 from verse 6 to 15
6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.7 Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
11 When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
Jesus lives in you and you in Him. With Him everything is possible. You are saved by grace, your sins are taken away by Him and with Him you now have a new life, a new confession and a new beginning. A new story of hope. This world can not have any effect on you anymore - ever.
To God be all the glory forever and ever.
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Tuesday 21 June 2011
Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.
3 You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, LORD.
5 You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!
7 I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave,* you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night—
12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me,* O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can't even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!
19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked!
Get out of my life, you murderers!
20 They blaspheme you;
your enemies misuse your name.
21 O LORD, shouldn't I hate those who hate you?
Shouldn't I despise those who oppose you?
22 Yes, I hate them with total hatred,
for your enemies are my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Monday, 20 June 2011
Monday 20 June 2011
Living in the light
2 Peter 3 verse 17 - 18
I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends, so that you can watch out and not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people. I don't want you to lose your secure footing. But grow in the special favor and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Peter warns us not lose our secure footing, our stability and our focus. Jesus is our secure footing and in Him we will be stable. I see a mountain climber, after climbing a difficult section, he finally finds a place with secure footing. This will give him stability to move higher, but if he so decides to keep moving side ways and look for another secure place he could lose his footing and stumbles. He could even fall. This is Jesus, let us keep our secure footing and not look around to find another, but instead, place our trust in Him and grow in our knowledge of Him.
1 John 1 verse 1
The one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw Him with our own eyes and touched Him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ, the Word of life.
1 John 2 verse 1-2
My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. He is the sacrifice for our sins, He takes away not only our sins, but the sins of all the world.
1 John 2 verse 6
Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.
He is our sacrifice. Jesus came to take away all our sins, and still pleads for us every day. He is our Word of life and we should strive to live our lives as He did.
2 Peter 3 verse 17 - 18
I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends, so that you can watch out and not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people. I don't want you to lose your secure footing. But grow in the special favor and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Peter warns us not lose our secure footing, our stability and our focus. Jesus is our secure footing and in Him we will be stable. I see a mountain climber, after climbing a difficult section, he finally finds a place with secure footing. This will give him stability to move higher, but if he so decides to keep moving side ways and look for another secure place he could lose his footing and stumbles. He could even fall. This is Jesus, let us keep our secure footing and not look around to find another, but instead, place our trust in Him and grow in our knowledge of Him.
1 John 1 verse 1
The one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw Him with our own eyes and touched Him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ, the Word of life.
1 John 2 verse 1-2
My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. He is the sacrifice for our sins, He takes away not only our sins, but the sins of all the world.
1 John 2 verse 6
Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.
He is our sacrifice. Jesus came to take away all our sins, and still pleads for us every day. He is our Word of life and we should strive to live our lives as He did.
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Wednesday 15 June 2011
Looking ahead
2 Peter 3 verse 11 - 15
Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! You should look forward to that day and hurry it along - the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and the new earth He has promised, a world where everyone is right with God.
And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and blameless life. And be at peace with God.
And remember, the Lord is waiting so that people have time to be saved.
Let God guide you today to live a life that is blameless, so that we can endure in this world and finally be united with God in heaven.
You should look forward to that day, a day when everything will be perfect.
Oh Father, let your kingdom come.
2 Peter 3 verse 11 - 15
Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! You should look forward to that day and hurry it along - the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and the new earth He has promised, a world where everyone is right with God.
And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and blameless life. And be at peace with God.
And remember, the Lord is waiting so that people have time to be saved.
Let God guide you today to live a life that is blameless, so that we can endure in this world and finally be united with God in heaven.
You should look forward to that day, a day when everything will be perfect.
Oh Father, let your kingdom come.
Monday, 13 June 2011
Monday 13 June 2011
The day of the Lord is coming
2 Peter 3
First, I want to remind you that in the last days there will be scoffers who will laugh at the truth and do every evil thing they desire. This will be there argument: "Jesus promised to come back, did He? Then where is He? Why as far back as anyone can remember, everything has remained exactly the same since the world was first created."
They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of His command, and He brought the earth up form the water. Then He used the water to destroy the world in a mighty flood. And God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgement, when ungodly people will perish.
But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about His promise to return, as some people think. No He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so He is giving more time for everyone to repent.
The day of the Lord is coming, and it is ever so important that we change our ways and live our life's for God. If we can change our ways, we can influence other to do the same. Then more and more will be saved.
Let the light of the our Heavenly Father shine out of your heart today, and let us change the world.
2 Peter 3
First, I want to remind you that in the last days there will be scoffers who will laugh at the truth and do every evil thing they desire. This will be there argument: "Jesus promised to come back, did He? Then where is He? Why as far back as anyone can remember, everything has remained exactly the same since the world was first created."
They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of His command, and He brought the earth up form the water. Then He used the water to destroy the world in a mighty flood. And God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgement, when ungodly people will perish.
But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about His promise to return, as some people think. No He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so He is giving more time for everyone to repent.
The day of the Lord is coming, and it is ever so important that we change our ways and live our life's for God. If we can change our ways, we can influence other to do the same. Then more and more will be saved.
Let the light of the our Heavenly Father shine out of your heart today, and let us change the world.
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Wednesday 08 June 2011
Transformers
For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need
(Philippians 4 verse 13)
For me to become a transformer I need to undergo three phases of transform:
1. Transforming
2. Transformed
3. Transformer
In each of these I will let the Lord tell you more and confirm the processes. Father open our hearts to hear you voice and receive your message today.
1.Transforming
1 Peter 2 verse 2 - 4: Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries out for milk, now that you have tasted the Lord's kindness. Come to Christ who is the living cornerstone of God's temple.
Romans 12 verse 2: Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
Ephesians 4 verse 17: With the Lord's authority let me say this: Live no longer as the ungodly do, the are hopelessly confused.
Romans 10 verse 9: For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 3 verse 22: We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins.
James 1 verse 21: So get rid of the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your souls.
Titus 3 verse 7: He declared us not guilty because of His great kindness. And now we know that we will inherit eternal life.
2. Transformed
1 Peter 2 verse 10: Once you were not a people, now you are the people of God. Once you have received none of God's mercy; now you have received His mercy.
1 Peter 1 verse 14: Obey God because you are His children. Don't slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better then.
James 4 verse 7: So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.
Hebrews 12 verse 25: See to it that you obey God, the one who is speaking to you.
Hebrews 12 verse 14: Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.
Hebrews 2 verse 1: So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.
2 Timothy 2 verse 4: And as Christ's soldier, do not let yourself get tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in His army.
1 Timothy 5 verse 8: Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.
1 Thessalonian 5 verse 9 - 10: For God decided to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us. He died for us so that we can live with Him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of His return.
Philippians 1 verse 29: For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him.
Ephesians 2 verse 8 - 10: God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.
Galatians 5 verse 16: So I advise you to live according to your new life in the holy spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.
3. Transformers
Colossians 3 verse 16: Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use His words to teach and council each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through Him to God the father.
Ephesians 6 verse 10: A final word: Be strong with Lord's mighty power.
2 Corinthians 5 verse 20 - 21: We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, "Be reconciled to God!". For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
1 Peter 3 verse 8: Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds.
Matthew 28 verse 18 - 20: Jesus came and told His disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
And then lastly I would like to give you a glance at who God is from the words of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 51 verse 15 - 19:
He made the earth by His power,
and He preserves it by His wisdom.
He has stretched out the heavens
by His understanding.
When He speaks, there is thunder in the heavens.
He causes the clouds to rise over the earth.
He sends the lightning with the rain
and releases the wind from His storehouses.
Compared to Him all people are foolish
and have no knowledge at all!
They make idols, but the idols will disgrace their makers,
for they are frauds.
They have no life or power in them.
Idols are worthless, they are lies!
The time is coming when they will all be destroyed.
But the God of Israel is no idol!
He is the creator of everything that exists,
including His people, His own special possession.
The Lord Almighty is His name!
For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need
(Philippians 4 verse 13)
For me to become a transformer I need to undergo three phases of transform:
1. Transforming
2. Transformed
3. Transformer
In each of these I will let the Lord tell you more and confirm the processes. Father open our hearts to hear you voice and receive your message today.
1.Transforming
1 Peter 2 verse 2 - 4: Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries out for milk, now that you have tasted the Lord's kindness. Come to Christ who is the living cornerstone of God's temple.
Romans 12 verse 2: Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
Ephesians 4 verse 17: With the Lord's authority let me say this: Live no longer as the ungodly do, the are hopelessly confused.
Romans 10 verse 9: For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 3 verse 22: We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins.
James 1 verse 21: So get rid of the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your souls.
Titus 3 verse 7: He declared us not guilty because of His great kindness. And now we know that we will inherit eternal life.
2. Transformed
1 Peter 2 verse 10: Once you were not a people, now you are the people of God. Once you have received none of God's mercy; now you have received His mercy.
1 Peter 1 verse 14: Obey God because you are His children. Don't slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better then.
James 4 verse 7: So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.
Hebrews 12 verse 25: See to it that you obey God, the one who is speaking to you.
Hebrews 12 verse 14: Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.
Hebrews 2 verse 1: So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.
2 Timothy 2 verse 4: And as Christ's soldier, do not let yourself get tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in His army.
1 Timothy 5 verse 8: Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.
1 Thessalonian 5 verse 9 - 10: For God decided to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us. He died for us so that we can live with Him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of His return.
Philippians 1 verse 29: For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him.
Ephesians 2 verse 8 - 10: God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.
Galatians 5 verse 16: So I advise you to live according to your new life in the holy spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.
3. Transformers
Colossians 3 verse 16: Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use His words to teach and council each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through Him to God the father.
Ephesians 6 verse 10: A final word: Be strong with Lord's mighty power.
2 Corinthians 5 verse 20 - 21: We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, "Be reconciled to God!". For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
1 Peter 3 verse 8: Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds.
Matthew 28 verse 18 - 20: Jesus came and told His disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
And then lastly I would like to give you a glance at who God is from the words of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 51 verse 15 - 19:
He made the earth by His power,
and He preserves it by His wisdom.
He has stretched out the heavens
by His understanding.
When He speaks, there is thunder in the heavens.
He causes the clouds to rise over the earth.
He sends the lightning with the rain
and releases the wind from His storehouses.
Compared to Him all people are foolish
and have no knowledge at all!
They make idols, but the idols will disgrace their makers,
for they are frauds.
They have no life or power in them.
Idols are worthless, they are lies!
The time is coming when they will all be destroyed.
But the God of Israel is no idol!
He is the creator of everything that exists,
including His people, His own special possession.
The Lord Almighty is His name!
Monday, 6 June 2011
Monday 06 June 2011
Confirming Fear
1 Peter verse 13 - 19
So think clearly and exercise self control. Look forward to the special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ. Obey God because you are His children. Don't slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do,just as God-who chose you to be His children-is holy. For He Himself has said, "You must be holy because I am holy."
And remember the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites when He judges. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of Him during you time as foreigners here on earth. For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless lamb of God.
It is pure confirmation this morning on what we spoke of last week. And again it is so important that we bring God into perspective. We must right size Him. We must also understand what He does and did for us. Here are the highlights that we will talk about:
1. Look forward to the special blessing that will come your way - When Jesus returns He will come to take us with Him to a new world. To a new life, a better life. The world is not our home, our home is with Him in heaven. Remember Jesus said that you must not collect riches here on earth where it can be stolen or where it can decay, but we must collect our riches in heaven where it can not be touched. Home is where your heart is.
2. You must be holy, because I am holy - We must be like Him. We must be holy like God, to reflect Him to the world and be His ambassadors.
3. Live in reverent fear of Him - This is our confirmation. We must fear God and place God in the right place that He deserves in our life's. This fear must also change us to change our ways and live our life's as holy.
4. He has no favorites - This is extremely important to remember. God has no favorites, He will judge each one of us in the exact same way. But this also means that He loves each one of us in the exact same way.
5. He paid a ransom for you - To confirm how much God cares and loves you is this amazing ransom that He paid to set us free. Your freedom was bought with the precious lifeblood of Jesus Christ.
God loves us, He wants us to be happy. He wants us to know that we are free. He has already defeated the world for us. Our place is not here but our place is in heaven with Him. Live to be holy so that other will see God's hand in your life. Live as free people and worship the King and creator of all and remember, we are His children. He will take care of us.
To God be all the glory forever and ever.
1 Peter verse 13 - 19
So think clearly and exercise self control. Look forward to the special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ. Obey God because you are His children. Don't slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do,just as God-who chose you to be His children-is holy. For He Himself has said, "You must be holy because I am holy."
And remember the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites when He judges. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of Him during you time as foreigners here on earth. For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless lamb of God.
It is pure confirmation this morning on what we spoke of last week. And again it is so important that we bring God into perspective. We must right size Him. We must also understand what He does and did for us. Here are the highlights that we will talk about:
1. Look forward to the special blessing that will come your way - When Jesus returns He will come to take us with Him to a new world. To a new life, a better life. The world is not our home, our home is with Him in heaven. Remember Jesus said that you must not collect riches here on earth where it can be stolen or where it can decay, but we must collect our riches in heaven where it can not be touched. Home is where your heart is.
2. You must be holy, because I am holy - We must be like Him. We must be holy like God, to reflect Him to the world and be His ambassadors.
3. Live in reverent fear of Him - This is our confirmation. We must fear God and place God in the right place that He deserves in our life's. This fear must also change us to change our ways and live our life's as holy.
4. He has no favorites - This is extremely important to remember. God has no favorites, He will judge each one of us in the exact same way. But this also means that He loves each one of us in the exact same way.
5. He paid a ransom for you - To confirm how much God cares and loves you is this amazing ransom that He paid to set us free. Your freedom was bought with the precious lifeblood of Jesus Christ.
God loves us, He wants us to be happy. He wants us to know that we are free. He has already defeated the world for us. Our place is not here but our place is in heaven with Him. Live to be holy so that other will see God's hand in your life. Live as free people and worship the King and creator of all and remember, we are His children. He will take care of us.
To God be all the glory forever and ever.
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Wednesday 1 June 2011
Fear
Exodus 20 verse 18 and 19
When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the horn, and when they saw the lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear.
And they said to Moses, "You tell us what God says, and we will listen. But don't let God speak directly to us. If He does, we will die!"
God is not like us. He is much bigger that we think, He is beyond your imagination. Can you for a moment think what it will be like standing in front of God on judgement day, and you did not chose Jesus and gave your life to Him. Can you imagine standing there full of sin.
When you see Him, you will tremble with fear.
James 4 verse 10
When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on Him, He will lift you up and give you honor.
This amazing God and creator of the universe wants you just to need Him. He wants to be your everything. He wants you to be dependent on Him, then He will lift you up.
Today, give God the right place He deserves. Know that He is bigger that you can ever imagine, and place your dependence on Him. Give Him all the glory He should get.
To God be the Glory forever and ever.
Exodus 20 verse 18 and 19
When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the horn, and when they saw the lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear.
And they said to Moses, "You tell us what God says, and we will listen. But don't let God speak directly to us. If He does, we will die!"
God is not like us. He is much bigger that we think, He is beyond your imagination. Can you for a moment think what it will be like standing in front of God on judgement day, and you did not chose Jesus and gave your life to Him. Can you imagine standing there full of sin.
When you see Him, you will tremble with fear.
James 4 verse 10
When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on Him, He will lift you up and give you honor.
This amazing God and creator of the universe wants you just to need Him. He wants to be your everything. He wants you to be dependent on Him, then He will lift you up.
Today, give God the right place He deserves. Know that He is bigger that you can ever imagine, and place your dependence on Him. Give Him all the glory He should get.
To God be the Glory forever and ever.
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