QUESTION: Imagine you have been invited to speak about God’s faithfulness to a group of prison inmates. What would you tell them about their situation? What hope do they have? Write an outline for a one-hour message including Scriptural references and personal experiences you may have had.


· God is faithful. Man is not faithful.
· God is also able, so He is faithful and able.
· There are many men who are able, but only a remnant are faithful.
· God will use a faithful man and make him able.

Ability can be fostered and practiced, but character is built. It is built on faithfulness. In order to be successful, we must have good character. What I believe in my heart will always determine my conduct because my beliefs determine my choices. The choices that I make will lead to actions on my part. What I choose to act on is what I have faith in. My faithfulness will determine my character. Why is that? Well, we only believe what we do and faith is belief in action!

Many of you can look at your situation and think that it’s hopeless. “I’m stuck in this prison and I can’t do nothing! My family needs me and here I am all because I did something foolish!”

There is hope. The Word tells us that God can use for good what the devil meant for evil, if He be glorified (Romans 8:28). We must recognize our need for a Savior, humble ourselves before God and repent of our sins. Believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who paid the sacrifice for those sins that we may receive forgiveness from the Father, begin to obey His Word and submit our will to Him. He will turn it around. James 5:19-20 tells us, “My dear brothers and sister, if someone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.” To whom much is forgiven, much forgiveness is required!
Let’s look at an example in Scripture…

Acts 9:1-27
We read the account of Saul, a devout Jew who was persecuting Jesus’ followers. He was dragging people out of their homes and throwing them in prison, men and women alike, for believing in the Good News that Jesus, the Messiah, has come. He had the approval of the authority over him to do this. He went to great lengths to get that approval, all the way to the high priest! So, in Saul’s eyes he was doing what was right and justified.

And then God steps in…

Saul had an encounter with the Living God! Jesus shined His Light from heaven and surrounded Saul. He fell on his face. The Word tells us that every knee will bow on heaven, earth, and below the earth and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord (Phil 2:10-11). Jesus gave Saul an order. Saul obeyed. Humility precedes blessing. Obedience brings blessing. Saul obeyed.

When we are lost and running on self-will, our vision is cloudy and limited. We tend to justify our actions based on what culture, tradition, or society says is acceptable. Saul was doing just that, but God chose him. God starts on a positive, never a negative, and He finishes on a positive. Dr. Ed Cole tells us that constancy, loyalty, and strength mark faithfulness. Saul had each of these attributes; they were just misdirected. So, God intervenes and decides He can use Paul for His purpose by giving him NEW VISION. He blinds him. Saul becomes dependent. Ananias, chosen by God, prays for Saul. He laid hands on Saul and he was healed, regaining his sight. He was filled with the Holy Spirit and made new. The Word tells us that immediately he got up and was baptized, which was an external sign that he was changed.

What God found in Paul was the boldness, zeal, and confidence that he had all along. God gave him new vision. God directed his sights toward His Son and Saul became Paul. He immediately began preaching the Good news and testifying to the Glory of God. He wanted to meet with new believers and gather and fellowship, but they were afraid. They just didn’t believe that he had changed! Paul was the Saul that was dragging Christians from their homes wanting to kill them. Who is he to profess that he is changed? Who is he to teach me about ‘good news’? But Paul had a witness to his witness, a man named Barnabus. Each of us who has lived a life full of addictions, crime, anger, sexual exploits, curses and other evils will need an ambassador, someone who can account for us. We need someone who has witnessed our transformation, who was there when we were transfused in our anemic soul with the Blood of our Savior. Because family, the hood, play cousins, friends, and the like will not believe it until it’s proven. We first put our trust in Jesus Christ. Manhood and Christlikeness are synonymous. Be discipled! Be accountable! Trust a mentor! Someone’s life depends on it…not just yours, but those you care about.




God starts with the positive:
Saul WAS:
1. Proud, bold, and zealous
2. A man of discipline
3. A man of order
4. Believed in authority and obedience

God TRANSFORMED him:
1. Humble (on his face before the Light of the Lord)
2. Obedient (to Jesus’ command to go and wait in the city)
3. Blind (to the world)
4. Dependent
5. Chosen (for His Glory)
6. Touched (Ananias, transfer the Holy Spirit)
7. Made new (healed)
8. Strengthened
9. BOLD, ZEALOUS; His pride became CONFIDENCE

GOD FINDS GOOD IN EACH OF US AND WILL USE IT FOR HIS PURPOSE! STARTS ON A POSITIVE AND ENDS ON A POSITIVE!

The Bible reminds us of His faithfulness time and time again. This same Paul who was killing Christians later writes in Philippians 1:6, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” God is faithful!

“The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live! …Then you will again obey the Lord and keep all his command that I am giving you today. The Lord your God will then make you successful in everything you do…” (Deuteronomy 30:6-9) Don’t miss out on God’s Promises because of disobedience. We can never gain through sacrifice what we have lost through disobedience. God is faithful. He wants us to turn to Him. He created us to love Him. Won’t you do that today?

Our household (my husband and I) had been dysfunctional for years. I mean YEARS! We struggled with addictions and past hurts. I got sober in April 2004 and my husband (we were not married at the time) lived in Texas. Even though I got “clean” I still felt dissatisfied, irritable, and discontent. There was a void and an unrest in me that presented itself as misguided anger and anxiety.

My husband returned in 2005, we married 2 months later and life was “peachy” for a season. Circumstances were ‘under control’ and our life was running fine, as everything was going just as WE planned. Then, BOOM! He falls back into his sin and I found new temptations. The next few years were filled with anger and resentment. I tried to control and babysit and manipulate every situation to suit the time. “If I let him drink beer in the house then maybe he won’t disappear.” “If I just let him smoke marijuana, then maybe he won’t seek out the hard stuff.” “If I hold all the money and hide my purse and the keys, then he can’t run away.” I HELD HIM HOSTAGE!

We moved to Texas in 2009 knowing that something had to change. I knew that MY attitude was not right. I knew that I was wrong and I was not capable of changing my husband. Honestly, I didn’t believe that what he was doing was any way directed at me. I knew he was miserable and I didn’t want him to feel like that. I wanted to help him and I tried everything…EVERYTHING. I began going to church after his cousin kept asking me and asking me and I kept saying NO, “but don’t stop asking!” One day, I said yes. The teaching was on order…order in the home. I recognized immediately that my home was not in order. I began to repent to God for sins that I didn’t even know were sins! I cried and travailed over being prideful, controlling, disobedient, unfaithful, fearful, rebellious, self-reliant, independent, murmuring, provoking, and much more. I recognized that I needed a Savior. I had truly done everything I KNEW to do, right AND wrong (I realized now!), and my life was still a mess. I gave my heart to Jesus Christ. I gave Him every piece of my broken heart and He gave it back to me new, softened and permeable, ready to receive what He poured out for me at the Cross: GRACE. The Bible tells us that it is the Truth that sets us free. But, if no one tells us that Truth then we remain in bondage. We cannot change people, only God can do that. What we can change is our response to God and to people. There is freedom that comes when we surrender our lives completely to Jesus Christ, giving Him full authority over every aspect of our being. We are completely in the will of God and obedient to His Word, and that brings security. With that Promise, there is no guarantee that pain, trials, tribulation, temptation, persecution, and troubles will not come. Resistance builds strength. He promises us that He will not give us more than we can bear. He promises that what we go through is no different that what others have experienced. He promises that He will show us a way out! When we keep our eyes on the things of heaven and not earth, the eternal and not the temporal, the matters of life that we once found to be devastating is now sandpaper that refines us.


Through reverence, there can be restoration. When a home is restored, the first thing that has to happen is the walls are torn down and many times a new foundation has to be laid. The same must happen to us. Walls must come down, and a new foundation must be laid. Many of us have a cracked foundation. We’ve been taught the wrong way and led in the wrong direction. It’s okay to turn around and start over! We don’t have to do today what didn’t work yesterday. It’s okay to say, “I don’t know!” Or “I’m wrong!”

Paul wrote much of the New Testament and was on fire for the things of God. He talks of what he calls a ‘thorn in his flesh’, a messenger from Satan that kept him from becoming proud. Here is what he says in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10:

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My Power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.



Amen.

The Almighty One



When I am weak
When I am tired
When I am weary
When I am worn
You are a pillar of strength
You are the foundation
A Rock
You make the mountains that I can’t climb;
the rivers that rage that I can’t cross.
You rise and set the sun, placing it where you like.
You allow the moon to share the spotlight.
You sprinkled the stars in the sky like fireworks captured.
You fluff the clouds to veil the sun.
You breathe the wind as softly or swiftly as you like.
You calm the same seas that bring about tsunamis.
You command the hurricanes, volcanoes, and earth to quake.
You are God alone: Maker, Creator, Healer, Guardian, Protector, Father, Almighty and Glorious.
AMEN

~Pamela Whitehead~

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Burden my heart and give me passion to pray
Beyond a need to breathe,
Beyond a want for things;
On my heart, the pain of others lay
That I might be provoked and stirred to a tremble
Beyond these walls,
Beyond it all;
May Your Spirit reside in this temple.
Make me into the instrument that You need
Beyond my mind
Beyond the enemy’s line
Show me how to bleed
Break my body; break my spirit to travail
Past the daylight
Past the night
Make me feel the ache of the nails

~Pamela Whitehead~

Prayer, repentance, and faith: What's the condition of YOUR heart today?

· Preaching affects time; prayer affects eternity. ~ Leonard Ravenhill
· The secret of praying is praying in secret.
· A sinning man will stop praying and a praying man will stop sinning.
· He who kneels before God will stand in ANY situation.

Sometimes our light shines so brightly that it begins to expose the darkness in the lives of others and they feel threatened or offended. Darkness and light can not coexist; good and evil are not partners, but enemies. Once you turn the light on in a dark room, the darkness is consumed by the light and exists no more. So they try to snuff out your light and put you “in the dark”. How do we keep our lamp burning? How do we keep our vessel full? Fill it with oil (FAITH) daily and ask for a refill when necessary.

· Short, powerful public prayers are the outcome of long secret intercession. ~ E.M. Bounds

It requires NO FAITH on our part to do what is possible, and only a mustard seed of faith is required for God to work the impossible to miraculous.

O, Lord let my actions speak loudly and let my words be few. I pray that others who don’t know Jesus can see His love and light in me and like a magnet be drawn to it. Help me to spread the Message. Help me to draw others to You. This salvation is not for me, Lord. I long to see the lost come to You, to love You, to praise You, to worship You longingly, fervently, and without ceasing. I pray for revival that draws out the roots and shakes off that filth, where repentance is to the point of death – fleshy deaths where we want to RISE only when the Spirit of the Lord is breathed into us. Help us, O God, to walk and speak and worship you in Spirit and in Truth. Help us to fight these principalities. Impart FAITH and courage to us, O God, that we can be soldiers in the fight and restore lives, reconciling Your people to You. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN

If we are truly born-again and are made to multiply the glory of God to the ends of the earth, then each of us regenerated should be birthing disciples. Everything that has Life brings forth a likeness of itself. We are made to reproduce that which is in us…

The thing that keeps us from being BOLD in our prayers is our heart ♥. Knowing that He shed His blood for us, what will He withhold? If we are not pure of heart in coming to Him (repentant), we will not ask boldly – for we know the response…

· If, according to Oliver Wendall Holmes, a man’s mind, stretched with a new idea, can never go back to its original dimensions, then what shall we say of a soul that has heard the whisper of the Eternal Voice? ~ Leonard Ravenhill

Our battleaxe: THE WORD
Our strength: FAITH in that WORD

“The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” ~ JESUS (John 6:63)

“I cried out to you, O Lord. I begged the Lord for mercy…You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing…” ~Psalm 30:8,11

Are we praying that we might DANCE when we have yet to MOURN? There shall be great sorrow for our sins…godly sorrow that brings freedom, not human sorrow that brings bondage…

“For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.”
~ 2 Corinthians 7:10-11

X-CHANGE ...it's not what u think

X change
(EXCHANGE)

X = MULTIPLY

MULTIPLY CHANGE

This happens when we give…we are exchanging our time, talent, and treasure…we are multiplying change.

Conformity...(I don't wanna be like...)

From the beginning, God's plan has been to make us like His Son, Jesus.
" Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us..." ~ Genesis 1:26

Only human beings are made in God's image. We are special and selected for a purpose. He uses us and created us for His pleasure. We carry His attributes.
We are:
spiritual beings - (immortal)
intellectual beings - (think, reason, solve problems)
relational beings - (give and receive real love)
morally conscious - (we can discern right from wrong, which makes us accountable to God)

What does the full image and likeness of God look like to me? JESUS CHRIST

"Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God." ~ 2 Corinthians 4:4

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation " ~Colossians 1:15

"The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God..."~ Hebrews 1:3

God wants US to bear His image and likeness, too! Christlikeness is all about being TRANSFORMED. It's not about changing your personality, but changing your CHARACTER.
Dr. Edwin Louis Cole stated, “You can pitch personality, but you must build character.”

God wants us to develop character like this:


“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. " ~Matthew 5:3-12
(The Beatitudes of Jesus)

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! ~Galatians 5:22-23 (The fruit of the Spirit)

1 Corinthians 13 (Paul's Chapter on Love)

In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~1 Peter 1:5-8
(Peter's list of characteristics for an effective and productive life)


Earth is not heaven and life is HARD. If it was easy, we would not rely on God's strong hand and His glory would not be multiplied, for we would be glorifying ourselves in our prosperity. We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit's work in our life. The moment we take a step forward in faith, the Holy Spirit releases power. Obedience unlocks the power of God. As we move ahead in our weakness and do what is right, God moves in His strengths and opens doors for us to walk through.
Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ~2 Corinthians 12:9

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There are 3 responsibilities that we have to becoming Christlike:

1. Let go of old ways. "throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception." ~Ephesians 4:22

2. Change the way we think. " Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes." ~Ephesians 4:23

3. Develop new, godly habits. "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. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." ~Romans 12:2
Just as in the metamorphosis of a butterfly, we are changed from the INSIDE out, becoming more beautiful.



How does God mold us to be who He wants us to be?

1. His Word ~ the Truth we need to grow. STUDY it and APPLY it.



2. People ~ Provide support we need to grow; connect regularly with other believers. God uses people. He wants us to grow together.



3. Circumstances ~ Provide the environment we need to PRACTICE Christlikeness. We learn to trust God most in difficult circumstances.

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Jesus did not die a tortured death on the Cross for me to "live comfortably, well adjusted to the world". He died that I may be RESTORED to the image of God for the purpose of magnifying His Glory to the ends of the earth.

Restoration requires some demolition, brokenness...PAIN. There is tearing down walls, laying new foundation, peeling away "old paint", some sanding - sounds painful when related to our everlasting soul. We are all in a process of metamorphosis...conformity and transformation. The question remains: who or what is transforming us: Jesus or the world? There's only one way to heaven...

Witnessing Tools...(I use them...Will you?)

How to Witness to Mormons

There are at least two approaches to use in witnessing to Mormons. We can either debate the doctrines of Mormonism (baptism for the dead, "burning" in the bosom, Joseph Smith as a prophet of God, the validity of the Book of Mormon, the Trinity, "God was once a man," "protective" underwear, etc.), or we can present the gospel biblically. One creates an atmosphere of contention and often leaves the Christian feeling frustrated, while the other creates an atmosphere of concern for the eternal welfare of the Mormon. Our goal should be to win a soul to Christ rather than merely win a doctrinal argument.

One point of frustration for the Christian is that Mormons often agree when they hear words such as "salvation," or Jesus as "Savior." The problem is that their understanding of the words differs from the biblical revelation of the words. "Salvation" for a Mormon can mean the salvation of all humanity—when the "Savior" will eventually raise everyone from the dead. Rather than speak of "going to heaven," the Christian should ask what the Mormon has to do to be at peace with the "heavenly Father." This is language they can understand, and will reveal the basis for their salvation. Are they trusting in self-righteousness, or solely in the righteousness of Christ?

Mark J. Cares writes: "Although Mormons commonly appear self-assured and self-righteous, many are undergoing great stress. This is because Mormonism holds up perfection as an attainable goal. The one Bible passage the Mormon church constantly holds up before its membership is Matthew 5:48: ‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’ They then expound on it with numerous exhortations to strive for perfection. Spencer W. Kimball, for example, wrote: ‘Being perfect means to triumph over sin. This is a mandate from the Lord. He is just and wise and kind. He would never require anything from his children which was not for their benefit and which was not attainable. Perfection therefore is an achievable goal’ (Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

"This emphasis on perfection permeates every aspect of a Mormon’s life. Its most common form is the unending demand on them to be ‘worthy.’ Every privilege in Mormonism is conditioned on a person’s worthiness. Kimball wrote: ‘All blessings are conditional. I know of none that are not’ (Remember Me, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

"Christians need to recognize that this constant striving for perfection—and the resultant stress it produces—offers an excellent opening to talk to Mormons about Jesus and the imputed perfection we receive through Him.

"Reinforce their predicament. Average hard-working Mormons view this striving for perfection as a heavy but manageable burden. They can cultivate illusions of perfection because the Mormon church has greatly watered down the concept of sin. Consequently, the Christian witness needs to show Mormons both the severity of their predicament and the impossibility of their becoming perfect. In other words, they need to have a face-to-face confrontation with the stern message of God’s Law, because ‘through the Law we become conscious of sin’ (Romans 3:21).

"The Law must first convince Mormons of the severity of their predicament. The best way to accomplish this is to tell them, lovingly but firmly, that they are going to ‘outer darkness.’ (Outer darkness is the closest concept in Mormonism to an eternal hell.) Most Mormons have never been told this, nor have they ever considered that possibility for themselves, since Mormonism teaches that nearly everyone will enter one of Mormonism’s three kingdoms of heaven. Therefore, until you introduce the thought of eternal suffering, they will not feel any real urgency to take your witness to heart. On the contrary, most, if they are willing to talk at all, will view any religious conversation as nothing more than an interesting intellectual discussion.

"Christians often hesitate to be this blunt. They feel that if anything will turn Mormons off, telling them that they are going to outer darkness surely will. I shared that fear when I began using this approach. To my amazement, however, rejection wasn’t the reaction I received. Most have been shocked, but they were also eager to know why I would say such a thing. The key is to speak this truth with love, in such a way that our concern for their souls is readily apparent.

"Alerting Mormons to the very real danger of their going to outer darkness opens the door to telling them the basis for that judgment —which is, they are not meeting God’s requirement for living with Him (they are not presently perfect). The key to explaining this is the present imperative, be perfect, in Matthew 5:48." See Luke 18:20 footnote for how to go through the Law, and 1 Corinthians 15:58 footnote on how not to be discouraged in witnessing.
(http://www.livingwaters.com/witnessingtool/howtowitnesstomormons.shtml)

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"How do I reach my neighbors with the gospel?"

Neighbors are like family. We don’t want to offend them unnecessarily, because we have to live with them. We need to be rich in good works toward all men, but especially our neighbors. The Bible reveals that this is a legitimate means of evangelism. Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). It is God’s will that "with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men" (1 Peter 2:15).

Sinners may disagree with what you believe, but seeing your good works makes them think, "I don’t believe what he believes, but he sure does. He certainly is sincere in his faith." A friendly wave, a gift for no reason, fresh- baked goods, etc., can pave the way for evangelism. Offer to mow your neighbors’ lawn or help do some painting. Volunteer to pick up their mail and newspapers while they’re on vacation. Compliment them on their landscaping and ask for gardening tips. Invite them over for a barbecue or dessert. Pray for an opportunity to share the gospel, and be prepared for it when it comes.
(http://www.livingwaters.com/witnessingtool/howdoireachmyneighbors.shtml)

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"I know I’m a sinner, but I confess my sins to God daily. I tell Him that I’m sorry and I won’t sin again."

If you find yourself in court with a $50,000 fine, will a judge let you go simply because you say you’re sorry and you won’t commit the crime again? Of course not. You should be sorry for breaking the law and, of course, you shouldn’t commit the crime again. But only when someone pays your $50,000 fine will you be free from the demands of the law. God will not forgive a sinner on the basis that he is sorry. Of course we should be sorry for sin—we have a conscience to tell us that adultery, rape, lust, murder, hatred, lying, stealing, etc., are wrong. And of course we shouldn’t sin again.

However, God will only release us from the demands for eternal justice on the basis that someone else paid our fine. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for the sins of the world. His words on the cross were, "It is finished!" In other words, the debt has been paid in full. All who repent and trust in Him receive forgiveness of sins. Their case is dismissed on the basis of His suffering death.
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How to Witness to Muslims

In Acts 17:22–31 the apostle Paul built on areas of "common ground" as he prepared his listeners for the good news of the gospel. Even though he was addressing Gentiles whose beliefs were erroneous, he didn’t rebuke them for having a doctrine of devils— "The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God" (1 Corinthians 10:20). Neither did he present the great truth that Jesus of Nazareth was Almighty God manifest in human form. This may have initially offended his hearers and closed the door to the particular knowledge he wanted to convey. Instead, he built on what they already knew. He first established that there is a Creator who made all things. He then exposed their sin of transgression of the First and Second of the Ten Commandments. Then he preached future punishment for sin.

There are three main areas of common ground upon which Christians may stand with Muslims. First, that there is one God—the Creator of all things. The second area is the fact that Jesus of Nazareth was a prophet of God. The Bible makes this clear: "And He shall send Jesus Christ,…For Moses truly said to the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your brethren, like to me; him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say to you" (Acts 3:20–22). The Qur’an (Koran) says: "Behold! The angel said ‘O Mary! Allah giveth you Glad Tidings of a word from Him. His name will be (Christ Jesus) the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah’" (Surah 3:45). In Surah 19:19, the angel said to Mary, "I am only a messenger of thy Lord to announce to you a gift of a holy son." Surah 3:55 says, "Allah said: ‘O Jesus! I will take you and raise you to Myself." It is because of these and other references to Jesus in the Qur’an that a Muslim will not object when you establish that Jesus was a prophet from God.

This brings us to the third area of common ground. Muslims also respect Moses as a prophet of God. Therefore, there should be little contention when Christians speak of God (as Creator), Jesus the prophet, and the Law of the prophet Moses. Most Muslims do have some knowledge of their sinfulness, but few see sin in its true light. It is therefore essential to take them through the spiritual nature of the Ten Commandments. While it is true that the Law of Moses begins with, "I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before Me," it may be unwise to tell a Muslim, at that point, that Allah is a false god. Such talk may close the door before you are able to speak to his conscience. It is wise rather to present the Law in a similar order in which Jesus gave it in Luke 18:20. He addressed the man’s sins of the flesh. He spoke directly to sins that have to do with his fellow man.

Therefore, ask your hearer if he has ever told a lie. When (if) he admits that he has, ask him what that makes him. Don’t call him a liar. Instead, gently press him to tell you what someone is called who has lied. Try to get him to say that he is a "liar." Then ask him if he has ever stolen something, even if it’s small. If he has, ask what that makes him (a thief). Then quote from the Prophet Jesus: "Whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:27). Ask if he has ever looked at a woman with lust. If he is reasonable, he will admit that he has sinned in that area. Then gently tell him that, by his own admission, he is a "lying, thieving adulterer-at-heart." Say, "If God judges you by the Law of Moses on Judgment Day, will you be innocent or guilty?"

At this point, he will more than likely say that he will be innocent, because he confesses his sins to God. However, the Qur’an says: "Every soul that has sinned, if it possessed all that is on earth, would fain give it in ransom" (Surah 10:54). In other words, if he possessed the whole world and offered it to God as a sacrifice for his sins, it wouldn’t be enough to provide atonement for his sins. Imagine that a criminal is facing a 50,000 fine. He is penniless, so he sincerely tells the judge that he is sorry for a crime and vows never to do it again. The judge won’t let him go on the basis of his sorrow, or his vow never to commit the crime again. Of course, he should be sorry for what he has done, and of course, he shouldn’t break the law again. The judge will, however, let him go if someone else pays the fine for him.

Now tell him that Moses gave instructions to Israel to shed the blood of a spotless lamb to provide a temporary atonement for their sin; and that Jesus was the Lamb that God provided to make atonement for the sins of the world. Through faith in Jesus, he can have atonement with God. All his sin can be washed away—once and for all. God can grant him the gift of everlasting life through faith in Jesus Christ on the basis of His death and resurrection.

The uniqueness of Jesus of Nazareth was that He claimed He had power on earth to forgive sins (Matthew 9:2–6). No other prophet of any of the great religions made this claim. Only Jesus can provide peace with God. This is why He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

God commands sinners to repent and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, or they will perish. To try to justify himself, your listener may say something like, "The Bible has changed. It has been altered. There are many different versions, but the Koran has never changed." Explain to him that there are many different versions, printed in different languages and in modern English, to help people understand the Bible, but the content of the Scriptures remains the same. The Dead Sea Scrolls prove that God has preserved the Scriptures.

Tell him that the 100% accurate prophecies of Matthew 24, Luke 21, and 2 Timothy 3 prove that this is the Book of the Creator. Your task is to present the truth of the gospel. It is God who makes it come alive (1 Corinthians 3:6,7). It is God who brings conviction of sin (John 16:7,8). It is God who reveals who Jesus is (Matthew 16:16,17). All God requires is your faithful presentation of the truth (Matthew 25:21).

Wake up...in the wake of 9/11

I got ahead in my daily reading today. It got so good, I just couldn't stop...we are in Isaiah and it is so relevant to this very moment. This is what I read and heard from the Lord:

Isaiah 8:5-6, 11-13

Then the Lord spoke to me again and said, “My care for the people of Judah is like the gently flowing waters of Shiloah, but they have rejected it. They are rejoicing over what will happen to King Rezin and King Pekah.


The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said, “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them. Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble." ________________________________________________________________________
King Rezin and King Pekah teamed up to attack Jerusalem and get rid of King Ahaz (ref. Isaiah 7:1). The Lord sent a message to Ahaz and gave him comfort and told him not to fear. He even told him He would confirm His Word for him in a sign, anything he asked...and he refused! He tried to rely on his own weapons and wealth to thwart the attack...but God's will is done.

...like the gently flowing waters of Shiloah... Shiloah is Hebrew, translated in Greek it is Siloam. Shiloah is the outlet of the water of the Gihon Spring. The pool of Siloam was constructed in an underground tunnel from this spring so that water could be sent into the city and the people would have water without fear of being attacked. In the verse in Isaiah, the Lord says the people rejected it and they rejoice over the downfall of King Rezin and King Pekah.
Water? Living Water?? NO FEAR OF ATTACK???

Let's look at Luke 13:1-5. Here, we read of the Tower of Siloam:

About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”

What is He telling us here? Everyone has to die...we all have that in common. There is no explanation as to why some live and why some die in tragic accidents. The point is how did we live that we may have life eternal???

No fear...only in Him. Make Him holy in your life.

The "Lost" Word of God

I read the One Year Bible *almost* every day...I will not sin and tell you that I never miss, because I do. I catch it up and rarely miss more than one day at a time. (http://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/) Our Pastor encourages us to do this and I am grateful. A couple of weeks ago, I was reading a passage in the Old Testament that I could not get off my mind and heart. Here it is:

2 Kings 22:3-13

In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, the court secretary, to the Temple of the Lord. He told him, “Go to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money the gatekeepers have collected from the people at the Lord’s Temple. Entrust this money to the men assigned to supervise the Temple’s restoration. Then they can use it to pay workers to repair the Temple of the Lord. They will need to hire carpenters, builders, and masons. Also have them buy the timber and the finished stone needed to repair the Temple. But don’t require the construction supervisors to keep account of the money they receive, for they are honest and trustworthy men.”

Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the Lord’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he read it.
Shaphan went to the king and reported, “Your officials have turned over the money collected at the Temple of the Lord to the workers and supervisors at the Temple.” Shaphan also told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” So Shaphan read it to the king.

When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair. Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal adviser: “Go to the Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah. Inquire about the words written in this scroll that has been found. For the Lord’s great anger is burning against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words in this scroll. We have not been doing everything it says we must do.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________

We read that King Josiah (who was only 8 years old when he took the throne! WOW!AND he did what was pleasing to the Lord)sends his court secretary, Shaphan, to the Temple of the Lord. The Temple needed to be restored because it had been neglected. The previous kings were evil and led the people into pagan worship and idolatry for generations. But what kept poking at my heart was THE SCROLL

Shaphan is given the scroll, which was the written record of God's laws, His Word at the time, by Hilkiah the high priest. How does God's Word get lost in the Temple? What was the priest doing, who was the only one allowed behind the veil? Then, he reads the Law to the king and he is dismayed! He recognizes the disobedience of his ancestors and the people and immediately sends the priest to speak to the Lord for all the people, including himself.

NOW - How may priests, teachers, megachurch preachers, pastors, motivational speakers, evangelists, "prophets and prophetesses", apostles, or Christians keep the Word "behind the veil"? How many temples need restoration? In the New Testament, the people were never again asked to build a temple. We don't read of the construction of huge, ornate, elaborate houses of worship any longer. Why? WE ARE THE TEMPLE. WE ARE THE CHURCH...the body of Christ. How many have disobeyed and KNOW the anger of the Lord is coming? How many pet the flesh of the congregation and don't feed them the whole Word of God?

The church today needs to renew the covenant with God. Too much prosperity and not enough prayer, repentance, and obedience. We have hidden the scroll behind the veil when it should be written upon hearts. Dishing out a half truth is a whole lie. It's deceitful and hurts people.

Everyone knows John 3:16 "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

Ask yourself this question: What is eternal life to ME? What does that mean?

And then, read this verse in the same chapter:
John 3:36 "And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

Reading that, what does it mean to obey? It is defined as this:
[oh-bey] –verb (used with object)
1. to comply with or follow the commands, restrictions, wishes, or instructions of

Okay...now, comply is defined as this:
[kuhm-plahy]
–verb (used without object),
1. to act or be in accordance with wishes, requests, demands, requirements, conditions, etc.; agree

In reading the Gospel, Jesus commands us to do much...to sum it up, we must be willing to give up everything to follow Him (Luke 14:33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.)

We lose our life to gain it. (Matthew 16:25 "If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.")

We go and make disciples. (Matthew 28:19 " Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.)

We pick up our cross daily and follow Him.(Luke 9:23 "Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.")

We love our neighbor as ourselves.(Matthew 22:37-29 "Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’)

We tithe, but don't forget the most important things. (Matthew 23:23 ... You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.)

We are to forgive others that we may be forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15 "“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.").

Treat others how you would like to be treated (Matthew 7:12 "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.")

Be born again (John 3:5 "Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.")

Give more than is asked of you (Matthew 5:40-42 "If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.).

These are just a few of the commands that the Lord Jesus gives us. In reading the passage from Kings, combined with the definition of obey and comply, asking myself what is eternal life and what am I seeking, knowing what the Word of God tells me to do, I repent and turn to Him in humility and anguish that I have rejected and refused to obey His Word with my whole heart. I have tears for what I have not done, for souls that burn because I had a responsibility, for the love I did not show when I could have because of my selfishness, for the Word that is in me that I keep behind the veil, for the neighbors that I don't even look at much less love...God help us all to fulfill our purpose here. We love You and we want to do Your will on earth as it is in heaven. AMEN
________________________________________________________

Our Governor, Rick Perry , is holding a Solemn Assembly on August 6th at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. It is a time of repentance and prayer for this nation and its leaders. Hmmm...what a parallel to this passage in 2 Kings. There has been much said about this assembly. Many do not agree and believe that Governor Perry is using his position to catapult a religious agenda. I say, HALLELUJAH! This is not about religion, it's about the relationship between us, the people, and God. This nation is crying out for restoration. This Temple has been neglected and the scroll is hidden behind the veil. Come, join us. Powerhouse Church will be attending. No agenda, just prayer and repentance for a lost nation. AMEN

http://theresponseusa.com/

Gov. Perry's Invitation to The Response from The Response USA on Vimeo.

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…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…

I read an article last night that has really shaken me up. The preliminary results of the 2010 US census have been released. The article, first of all, was deceptive in its heading. The headline read “Census shows whites lose US majority among babies”. This is not something to cry over! We should rejoice that we have merged and melted into a multiracial society. The true meat of this article, for me, was this alarming statistic: the share of African-American households headed by women – mostly single women – now exceeds African-American married households. My heart began to beat fast and tears welled up in my eyes. We read statistics constantly of the moral decay of the young black community. We hear of how our prisons are overcrowded and the percentage of black men in prison is nearly 7 times that of white men and 3 times that of Hispanic men. More than 20% of African American men live in poverty, twice that of whites. For African American men, young deaths are caused more by homicide than any other cause. HIV is the sixth leading cause of death. Although blacks make up only 13% of the population, they make up 50% of the diagnosed cases of HIV. Black mothers who are unwed is 72% compared to 29% white. The most recent government statistics indicated that “43% of all murder victims in 2007 were African American, 93.1% of whom were killed were African Americans.”

We blame several factors and shift the responsibility. The source of this decomposition is fatherlessness. The world is becoming a different place for children of color. Married or two-parent heterosexual households is no longer the norm for many of the children in our society. Where are the strong, godly, Spirit-filled men of color? What have we done?

I can’t put into words the feelings that I have over this information. I just know that we need to tell the Truth. How do we get this information to the people who need to hear it? I have to speak out…not just to people who look like me. It is apparent to me that the Gospel that has been spread has not reached fleshy hearts. So, what is the problem? NO REPENTANCE, which means no salvation, no regeneration, so sanctification can’t even begin, which is growth. It begins in the pulpit. When we see Bishop Eddie Long being heralded right back to the position he fell from, what does that say to a dying and burning soul? “Well, if he can do that so can I.” It angers me that there are many influential black Americans who do not stand for Truth in this dying age. What is my responsibility? How big is my voice and will it fall on deaf ears?

I know what I have been taught in the Word of God. I know what my Spirit discerns in all of this…MANY HAVE BEEN DECEIVED. We are made to complete each other, not compete. Christ is the head of every man, man the head of woman. Man is to love his wife as Christ loves the church and a woman is to respect her husband (Ephesians 5). FORNICATION IS A SIN! (1 Cor 6:9-10, 18) Repentance is a must. Recognize the sin and accept responsibility for it. James 4:17 tells us that to know to do right and choose to do wrong is sin. There is no salvation without repentance. It ALL begins with repentance (2 Cor 7:10). We must have godly sorrow for our sins…recognizing that we are bought. Not human sorrow for our sins…only realizing that we got caught. When the Holy Spirit convicts us, there is freedom. When the world convicts us, we are placed in shackles and chains. Darkness (sin) and light (holiness) can not coexist. Stop deceiving yourselves and don’t believe the lie! Obedience is what brings the blessings of God (1 John 2:3-6). We cannot continue to give in to our sinful desires and inherit the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Cor 6:9-10). It’s time to accept responsibility for the lives that we are leading and the lives of the children that are after us. Don’t stifle a generation with these lies and deception. Offer the Truth. Offer the Gospel of Jesus Christ that says that God is holy and the Creator of all things. All of His judgements are righteous and He is just in all His ways. We have been created in His image for the purpose of bringing Him glory and we are to do that whether we eat, drink, or whatever (1 Cor 10:31). The Word tells us that no one is righteous, not one of us (Rom 3:10). All of us have sinned and have not met God’s standards (Rom 3:23). John 3:19-20 says “And the judgement is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.” So, the Lord sent His only Son as an act of love toward His creation (John 3:16-17). He was both God and man and He overcame sin (John 1:14, Rom 3:25). He endured the wrath of God for OUR sake. He was crucified as a criminal and then raised to life. This enables us to be forgiven because He took on the sins of the world (1 John 4:10). He left the Holy Spirit as an Advocate, a Comforter, a Helper for us. He puts His Spirit in those who are His (Rom 8:2,9; Eph 1:13). If we accept Him as our Savior, the results are clear. We will walk in love, gentleness, self control, faithfulness, peace, and joy (Galatians 5:22-23). The time for choices is now. We will all worship Him at some point, either in Heaven and earth or below (Phil 2:10). I would rather choose Life now and fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity- the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5) In Jesus’ Name. AMEN


{SCRIPTURE REFERENCES FOLLOW}






1 Cor 6:9-10, 18
Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people- none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.

Ephesians 5:23,31-33
For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

2 Cor 7:10
For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There is no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

1 John 2:3-6
And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,”” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

Galatians 5:19-21
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

1 Cor 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Rom 3:10
As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous- not even one.”

Rom 3:23
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

John 3:16-17
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”

John 1:14
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Rom 3:25
For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past…




1 John 4:10
This is real love- not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Rom 8:2,9
And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Eph 1:13
And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.

Galatians 5:22-23
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Phil 2:10
…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…

Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all 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.”

The Power of God among us

Would you recognize a miracle if it happened right in front of you?

Are you sure???

A miracle is defined by dictionary.com as this: an event in the external world brought about by the immediate agency or the simple volition of God, operating without the use of means capable of being discerned by the senses and designed to authenticate the divine commission of a religious teacher and the truth of his message (John 2:18" But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.” )

Its an occurrence at once above nature and above man.God ordinarily effects his purpose through the agency of second causes;but he has the power also of effecting his purpose immediately and without the intervention of second causes, i.e., of invading the fixed order, and thus of working miracles. In the New Testament these four Greek words are principally used to designate miracles:
(1.) Semeion, a "sign", i.e., an evidence of a divine commission; an attestation of a divine message; a token of the presence and working of God

Matt. 12:38,39 " One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.” But Jesus replied,“Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. "


Mark 8:11 "When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him. Testing him, they demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority."

Luke 11:16; 23:8 "Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority...Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle."


John 2:11,18,23"11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 18 But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.” 23 Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. "


Acts 6:8 Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.

(2.) Terata, "wonders;" wonder-causing events; portents; producing astonishment in the beholder
(Acts 2:19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below- blood and fire and clouds of smoke. )


(3.) Dunameis, " mighty works " of superhuman power.

Acts 2:22 People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.

Rom. 15:19 They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit.In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.

2 Thess. 2:9 This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles.



(4.) Erga, "works;" the works of Him who is "wonderful in working"

John 5:20, 36 " For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. 36 But I have a greater witness than John—my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me. "



Miracles are seals of a divine mission. The sacred writers appealed to them as proofs that they were messengers of God. Our Lord also appealed to miracles as a conclusive proof of his divine mission (John 5:20, 36; 10:25, 38).

Thus, being out of the common course of nature and beyond the power of man, they are fitted to convey the impression of the presence and power of God. Where miracles are there certainly God is. The man, therefore, who works a miracle affords thereby clear proof that he comes with the authority of God; they are his credentials that he is God's messenger. The teacher points to these credentials, and they are a proof that he speaks with the authority of God. The credibility of miracles is established by the evidence of the senses on the part of those who are witnesses of them, and to all others by the testimony of such witnesses. The witnesses were competent, and their testimony is trustworthy. Unbelievers deny that any testimony can prove a miracle, because they say miracles are impossible. We have shown that miracles are possible, and surely they can be borne witness to. Surely they are credible when we have abundant and trustworthy evidence of their occurrence. They are credible just as any facts of history well authenticated are credible. Miracles, it is said, are contrary to experience. Of course they are contrary to our experience, but that does not prove that they were contrary to the experience of those who witnessed them. We believe a thousand facts, both of history and of science, that are contrary to our experience, but we believe them on the ground of competent testimony.

NOW, with this being defined: have you seen a miracle? I believe it depends on your FAITH...on your perception and depth of your FAITH. See, I believe that it takes the power of the Living God to enable us to BREATHE. I am absolutely positive that it takes His power to enable me to breathe considering my depraved existence. But, for the sake of the skeptic who requires more evidence that the inhaling and exhaling of our lungs to a perfect rhythm of the heart that beats without any effort of ours...I have witnessed the power of God among us. Before my eyes, I have seen the metamorphosis of men. I have witnessed a homeless, crack addicted, woman beating, rageful, doubter fall on his face and worship Jesus, weeping in humility and reverance. I have witnessed a woman who was Muslim ask question after question about "this Jesus" and "that Bible" and she was given the promise that if she would continue to SEEK HIM, He promises that she will FIND HIM. SHE DID! And now...she is faithfully serving the Lord and loves Jesus with more passion and fervor than she knew she had! She is even dedicating her life to serving the Lord by attending Powerhouse Training Center. This believer told her to "Never stop asking questions. That's how you find Him. Keep seeking...never stop!" AND SHE HASN'T! I have witnessed a woman who was gripped with anxiety, fear, depression, alcoholism, lust, pride, rage, doubt, and paranoia be delivered and those demons cast out in the Name of Jesus. I have seen a woman who was diagnosed with endometrial cancer ask all believers that she knew to begin praying for her, she knew her faith was strong but she needed 2 or three gathered in His name for this one. So we did...she is healed and whole. The only prescription for her from the doctor is "see me once a year".

See, God gets the glory in my life. NOT MAN. My entire life is a miracle and if you have read any of this blog from the beginning then you are aware of that. Check your surroundings...look at life from an eternal perspective. Give God the glory for all good things. The Word tells us this: "Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow."

It is a miracle that we manage to avoid destruction. God places people and situations in our lives where we must choose. Deuteronomy 30:11-20 tells us that this choice is between life and death, prosperity and disaster. But in that choice can come a miracle or a nightmare...

So, in your perception, what is a miracle?

I am a SOLDIER

I AM A SOLDIER



I am a soldier in the army of God.

The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer.

The Holy Bible is my code of conduct.

Faith, Prayer, and the Word are my weapons of Warfare.

I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, and tested by fire.

I am a volunteer in this army, and I am enlisted for eternity.

I will either retire in this Army or die in this Army;

but, I will not get out, sell out, be talked out, or pushed out.

I am faithful, reliable, capable, and dependable.

If my God needs me, I am there.

I am a soldier. I am not a baby.

I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed up,pumped up, picked up, or pepped up.

I am a soldier. No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, entice me, or lure me.

I am a soldier. I am not a wimp.

I am in place, saluting my King, obeying His orders,

praising His name, and building His kingdom!

No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards, candy, or give me handouts.

I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for, or catered to.

I am committed. I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around.

I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside.

I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit.

When Jesus called me into this Army, I had nothing.

If I end up with nothing, I will still come out even. I will win.

My God will supply all my needs. I am more than a conqueror.

I will always triumph. I can do all things through Christ.

Devils cannot defeat me. People cannot disillusion me.

Weather cannot weary me. Sickness cannot stop me.

Battles cannot beat me. Money cannot buy me.

Governments cannot silence me, and hell cannot handle me!

I am a soldier.

Even death cannot destroy me.

For when my Commander calls me from this battlefield,

He will promote me to a captain.

I am a soldier, in the Army; I'm marching, claiming victory.

I will not give up. I will not turn around.

I am a soldier, marching Heaven bound

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by Unknown Author

SIN, Justification, and Regeneration

SIN

Genesis 1:26 ~ Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like ourselves. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” {And then, man fell…}

• Hell is the eternal punishment for sin.
• Depravity = inborn or natural corruptness of human nature due to original sin.

Psalm 51:5 ~ For I was born a sinner – yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
Galatians 3:10 ~ But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under His curse, for the Scriptures say, ‘cursed is everyone who does not obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of Law’. {The law condemns – it cannot justify and save}

Romans 3:10 ~ As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous-not even one.” {We are all sinners}

Psalm 7:12-13 ~ If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. He will prepare his deadly weapons and shoot his flaming arrows. {God HATES sin. We should take God’s holy hatred of sin and use it to provoke us to grow that much closer to Him.}

Man, in his original state of sin (depravity), hates God.

God sees us as:
1. Believers
2. Unbelievers
The rest is just distraction.


JUSTIFICATION

Justification is the judicial act of God as He pardons sinners.
1. He must punish sin.
2. He is merciful

Our justification came at the cost of Jesus’ blood. True salvation will cost the believer everything!
Jesus didn’t write the check to cancel our debt – He IS the check! It’s as if we had GUILTY written on our forehead and the wrath of God was coming at us directly. Jesus steps in between God and me and erased the GUILTY from my forehead and takes it on His.



Romans 3:23-25 ~ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past.

Ephesians 2:5-10 ~ That even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God'’ grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace 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 we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
{There is not a single good thing we can do to merit our salvation. Our righteousness is as filthy as rags. There is no justification apart from Christ.}

HOWEVER: James 2:14-26 confirms that we are not saved BY works, we are saved TO work. Good deeds serve as a verification of our faith. Our lifestyle is to be a WITNESS. If we boast about anything, it should be our King.

Propitiation ~ A sacrifice that satisfies justice. Reconciles us to God, but we MUST BELIEVE IT!

Many people who call themselves Christians just change their habits – We discipline ourselves to do all sorts of things. This doesn’t mean we are saved, it just means we are a quick learner. We can change our habits, but only God can change our nature.

WHERE AM I? AM I REALLY SAVED, or DO I JUST FIT IN AT CHURCH???
AM I IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD DAILY?

REGENERATION

2 Corinthians 5:17 ~ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.
Only the Power of the Holy Spirit can regenerate a man. We should be so saturated in Christ that we don’t even notice the old things.

Ezekiel 36:22-31 reminds us that we are brought back by mercy – not because we deserve it – but to reveal the holiness of God through the Holy Spirit that is within us. He offers us a fresh start no matter what our sins are. Why clean up an old life when you can have a new one? We deserve the deepest pit of hell. It has nothing to do with us at all – He saved us for His glory! We see people all the time who call themselves Christians, but act like the hellions of the world.

James 4:7-10 tells us how to come close to God:
1. Humble yourselves
2. Resist the devil
3. Lead a pure life (purify your hearts)
4. Let there be sorrow and deep grief for your sins
5. Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up in honor.

To understand regeneration, imagine a stone being whipped with a belt. The stone will not move, will not respond, will not bruise, and will not bleed. No matter how much discipline is thrown at it, it does not respond. Replace that with a fleshy heart (or imagine a man in front of you about to be whipped with the belt). When you strike the flesh with the belt, what happens? You get a response and eventually obedience. Obedience is God’s method of protection for our lives. Once our heart of stone is replaced (regenerated) with a heart of flesh, conviction follows by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Sanctification

I am attending Foundations class at Powerhouse Church. These notes (as well as the Loyalty post) are what I have learned in this teaching. I hope that you can learn from them as well. I've been told that we need to share everything that we learn because many believers don't get this kind of meat.
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Sanctification is
• for believers only
• GROWTH

If salvation is rebirth, then sanctification is growth. Only healthy things grow.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 ~ God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor

1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 ~ God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

1. God’s will is for me to be sanctified- as long as I am a believer.
2. If I reject the Truth, then my argument is with God.
3. The Holy Spirit is our greatest helper for sanctification.

Sanctification is the process of believers becoming holy, like Jesus. Sanctification is for God’s glory and our good.

Romans 6:22 ~ But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do these things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.

• Every person submits to something: either God or sin. A Christian is not someone who cannot sin but who is not longer a slave to sin, or bound to sin. He belongs to God.

• Sanctification can be painful. Example: When a silversmith is refining silver, he must put it through FIRE to remove all impurities. Fire burns them off. Then, he must polish the piece of silver until he sees his reflection in it. That is when he knows it is ready. {When the Master can see His reflection in me, I’m ready!}

Continual repentance: Psalm 73:1-5, 12-14, 17-19
• Falling in love with God
• Turning away from sin
• Yield to God – don’t fight against the Word
• A heart change is what separates Christians from the rest of the world.

Sanctification is motivated by LOVE and ADOPTION

Romans 8:15-17 ~ So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead you have received God’s spirit when he adopted you as his own children. No we call, “Abba, Father”. For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must share his suffering.
• Adoption ~ you will receive what my son will receive {rule and reign with Christ}
• We are all appointed as kings and priests and ambassadors
• We only begin sanctification AFTER salvation

1 John 2:15-17 ~ For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions, these are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

• Worldliness ~

1. Craving for physical pleasure
2. Crave everything we see
3. Pride in achievements and possessions

• God values ~

1. Self control
2. Generosity
3. Humble service

The Pride of Life ~ education, sports, fame, money, property

• All of this is a false attempt to duplicate Jesus Christ
• It will all pass away ~ burn UP!
• **Don’t be so attached **
Proverbs 15:14 ~ A wise person is hungry for knowledge while the fool feeds on trash.

We pull together false teachers to justify and rationalize our sin. {Ex. Leaving a church because you don’t like it}

Sanctification is an act of God’s mercy.
God’s opposition of my selfishness sanctifies me. {MERCY}
When I am given my own way, it is a form of judgement. God is the author of life – just trust Him. Stop trying to “twist his arm” into giving me what I want.

Church discipline sanctifies us. {The individual and the church}

Correction sanctifies us. No one will see the Lord without sanctification.

Becoming like Jesus through grace = HUMILITY

Philippians 2:1-11
• Joy in serving
• Don’t be selfish
• Don’t try to impress others
• Be humble
• He gave up His divine privileges and became a slave
• He died a criminal’s death
• He was EXALTED
Suffering sanctifies us! Think about this: Jesus was homeless, a bachelor, had 3 years of ministry, and died. Look at what He accomplished!!! Lose your authority and identity in humility, just as Jesus did.

Psalm 119 Prayer

This is a prayer that I wrote composed of my favorite verses from Psalm 119. I added some of my own inspirations as the Holy Spirit led me. Please, pray this prayer and be filled.

Psalm 119 Prayer:

I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Guard my heart, O Lord. Open my eyes to see the wonderful Truths in your instructions. Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions. Search my heart, O God, and cleanse me of anything that keeps me from you. Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. Turn my eyes from the worthless things, and give me life through your Word and your Son, who is the bread of Life, the Truth, and the only Way. Help me abandon my shameful ways, for your regulations are good. Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope. Do not leave me Holy Spirit; abide in me that I may do Your will. I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgement and knowledge, O Holy Spirit. Father, You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands. Surround me with your tender mercies so that I may live, for your instructions are my delight! My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions. Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws. In Jesus mighty Name I pray, AMEN

Loyalty

Developing a culture of loyalty:

What is culture? The way we think and do things; a set of unique customs and values that the members are accustomed to.

I attend Powerhouse Church in Katy, Texas. It is obvious that there is a culture at Powerhouse. I remember wanting to be a part of that when I visited for the first time. I knew I was home.

Powerhouse culture is:

1. Discipleship – getting connected to someone who will mentor you, you give them permission to tell the TRUTH and to help you through it. They have to be committed. Talk to you about all major decisions. Your word is your bond. When you say something, that binds you. If you expect people to respect and trust you, keep your word. The same applies for the other person. Say what you mean and do what you say.

2. Serving – being spiritually employed (I am employed spiritually at Jordan Ranch). Commit to it once a month.
“Yes, I am a part of. I am connected and I believe in the vision of this church.”

3. Accountability – Being transparent and vulnerable. Be able to take correction and direction from your mentor. Obedience is God’s method of protection for you. This is also submitting. You can’t be in authority until you have first been under authority. You have to be a daughter of the House. When you are in the rain and someone invites you to get under an umbrella, you are protected and you won’t get wet. The moment you get under that umbrella, you are covered; and someone else is holding the umbrella. Once you step out (disobedience), you get soaked.

You must be fully convinced and persuaded to understand loyalty. “This is where my family should be” – Do you feel this way?
No one is born faithful and loyal – it has to be taught.

Spirit of loyalty:

Having a spirit of loyalty means this: Don’t allow others to speak against that person, whether it is God, your pastor, your husband, your friend, or your mentor.
We have a reverence and a genuine love for our senior pastor. We lose out on the benefits when we are disloyal. Disloyalty is betrayal.

Loyalty ALWAYS has a price. Loyalty to Christ says that I can not maintain old friendships.

Mark 8:38 ~ “If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Psalm 15:1-5 ~ Guidelines for living a blameless life
Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?
Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,
Speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
Those who refuse to gossip
Or harm their neighbors
Or speak evil against their friends.
Those who despise flagrant sinners,
And honor the faithful followers of the Lord,
And keep their promises even when it hurts.
Those who lend money without charging interest,
And who cannot be bribed to tell a lie about the innocent.
Such people will stand firm forever.

Giving

Mark 12:30-31 ~ “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
• God looks at our HEART when we give
• BEFORE we see the blessing of God, we give the tithe in FAITH
• Tithing is the primary way that we acknowledge that God is FIRST

**Judge a tree by its fruit**
Romans 11:16 ~ “And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy – just as an entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy.”

Whatever I give to God, I keep. Whatever I keep, I lose.
• God will ALWAYS give us what we need, not what we want!
• Why does it take faith to give? (It is not natural!)
• Our giving IMPACTS the Kingdom of God

2 Corinthians 9:7 ~ “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly OR in response to pressure. For the Lord loves a person who gives cheerfully.” WHY DO WE GIVE:
• Proves we are saved
• Needs of the believers get met
• Gives glory to God
• Furthers the Kingdom; proves we are Kingdom-minded

God DOES NOT need our money – we need to be BLESSED! Blessed means empowered to prosper. Don’t live under a curse by stealing from God.

Malachi 3:8-10 ~ “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you, I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”
• WOW! What a promise…a blessing that I can’t even contain!
• He almost dares us…He says TEST ME!
• The House of the Lord (the Church) is the proper place to tithe.
• Consecrated or cursed???

Malachi 3:6 ~ “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.”
• The one who says ‘I can’t afford to tithe’ is a nonbeliever. (Lack of faith)
• We can not argue that we are “under grace now”. If we were commanded under the law, then how can we justify doing any less under grace? He says here…I do not change.


Acts 20:35 ~ And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’
• Be faithful with a little so He can bless you with a lot
• It is an expression of thanksgiving for our salvation
• Human- I breathe. Christian – I give.
• How we give often reflects our understanding of our salvation

**Let’s stop seeing all we can get and comparing it with the world. We should give all we can in order to CHANGE the world!**
Whatever we have that we give back to God, the devil can not touch it. It is a treasure stored up in heaven and he has been thrown out!

God will NOT bless a mess! If we did not ask His guidance and direction before we bought it, spent it, or blew it then we can not expect Him to bless the mess we have gotten ourselves in to. Moving forward…now we know that obedience brings the blessing and God’s Word tells us to tithe our first portion, not our tenth or twentieth portion…our FIRST TENTH. PRAY before you PAY!

Choices

I looked upon my daughter this evening after I prayed her out for bed...I had a revelation and I know God spoke to me.

There are pieces of me that are lost...never to be found: OR SO I THOUGHT. I looked at this absolutely beautiful 13 year old angel and He told me, "It's you." She is the personification of my innocence lost. She is the pieces of me. I get frustrated because I don't understand her. She's nothing like me, yet everything I want to be. In a way, I envy her and I repent for that. She has everything that I forfeited because of choices. Choices determine our lot in life...

Deuteronomy 30:11-20 says this:

11 “This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is not beyond your reach. ~ [You can get this…ALL can understand this~ Isaiah 45:19 “I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the LORD, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.”]

12 It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?’ ~[No spiritual authority or angel of the Lord needs to come up to heaven to bring you this message. It is clear and it is HERE.. It is right here before you and available. “But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven’ (to bring Christ down to earth). And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart. And that message is the very message about faith that we preach” Romans 10:6-8]

13 It is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?’ ~ [It is close to you…not far away]

14 No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it. ~[ The message is within you, it is near you. His Word is before you…devour it and get it in you.]

15 “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. ~ [HEAR ME NOW! This is it, you have a choice and it is defined. Life (Christ) or death (Satan), prosperity (success) or disaster (failure). Matthew 7:13-14 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”]

16 For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy. ~ [He COMMANDS us to love Him and keep all of His regulations by doing what is right. We know right and wrong, our heart always tells us because His Spirit is in us. If we do what is right and not what is wrong, we will live and be successful. He promises to bless us. He will bless us and our home. But it is obedience that brings this blessing.]

17 “But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, 18 then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. ~[He is jealous. He warns us to listen and draw near to Him and only serve and worship Him or He will destroy us. We will not live a good life. We will be cursed if we turn our heart from Him.]


19 “Today, I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! ~ [He has given us a choice. We must decide. It requires us to DO something…keep His commands, decrees, and regulations. He knows our heart, and He knows what choice we have made. WE must reinforce this commitment DAILY. Mark 8:34-35 “Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.”]

20 You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” ~ [The choice to love Him and obey Him and commit ourselves to Him requires us to submit, not only unto the Lord but those He has called to lead us. Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit”. He tells us that this is the key to life: obedience, love, and commitment to Him. This is how we receive the promises of God. Obedience is God’s method of protection for our lives.]
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Maturity comes with the acceptance of responsibility. When we make a choice, we are accepting responsibility for that choice. The same is true when we decide NOT to do something. That is a choice and we accept responsibility for it. If we want everything that God has in store for us, it is laid out in His Word, plainly and in clear form. This is our spiritual milk, just as a baby needs milk so do we.
1 Peter 2:1-3 says “So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.”