Get it? Got it? Good!

Get it? Got it? Good!

"Those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view...Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." ~ 2 Corinthians Chapter 5 ~

Let's break this down.

1. We should no longer live for our own passions and pleasures, instead live for Christ. And what is the essence of Christ? Everything he did, he did for others. Got it? Good. No more self!

2. We should not judge and condemn people by the way they look, what they have or don't have, or how they act. Instead look at people through the eyes of Christ. And how did Christ see people? He was a man of great sorrow, with a hurting heart for the lost, he loved people. He said, I did not come to condemn, but to save. Got it? Good. No more judging!

3. We are ministers of reconciliation...Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ...and how can they hear unless someone preaches it? We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors. So act like it, people are watching you. Got it? Good. Be holy! 

God desires us to have the best in life as long as we are able to keep things in perspective...

God desires us to have the best in life as long as we are able to keep things in perspective...

Deuteronomy Chapter 8. Moses is recounting the days of the Israelites over the last 40 years reminding them of where they came from, how God rescued them, and the miracles He performed. The Israelites are about to go in and posses the promised land, a land full of milk and honey. In other words, a place of wealth, luxury, good food and more, a life most people today still work hard to obtain, but be careful...

 

Deuteronomy 8:10-19 is a warning of forgetting God in our wealth, (the very wealth that God provides) this is why Jesus said in Mark 10:25, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Deuteronomy 8:10-19, "When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God"

Not forgetting God in your wealth doesn't just mean remembering what He did for you, it means remembering to obey Him! You might say, "but I'm not rich" If you live in America, have a home, food in the fridge, a car, a job, a t.v., a closet full of clothes, and other luxuries...Your Rich!

So remember these Words...

Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God,

failing to observe his commands...

Rules for Holy Living

Rules for Holy Living

Since, you have been raised with Christ, Set your Hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your Minds on things above, not on earthly things.

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory

~ Colossians 3:1-4 ~

 

The earth has nothing I desire But Jesus. Let your heart and your mind be so fixed on Jesus that you desire nothing but Him. Then, as God provides your means you will be overwhelmed with gratefulness for you did not even desire it, and yet He gave it to you anyway.

Is the Old Testament still Relevant to us Today?

Is the Old Testament still Relevant to us Today?

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life

John 3:16 is probably one of the most shared verses in the entire Bible and rightly so. But do you know what precedes it? Can you quote John 3:14 &15?

Jesus said in John 3:14-15, "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.^"

Jesus is quoting Old Testament, specifically Numbers 21:9 but let's look at verses 6-9. Prior to these verses the Israelites were complaining of being in the desert, without water, and saying they detested the miserable food. (this was the very food God was providing them) in other words, there hearts had turned away from Him, forgetting what God had done in the past, and not appreciating what He was currently doing in the present.

Now let's read 6-7 "the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.”

So Moses prayed for the people" (an intercessor)

Interesting, they sinned and were bitten by a snake (the serpent) they confessed, repented, had an intercessor, and God came to their rescue. Verses 8-9 tell us, " The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived"

The Snake or serpent, is a symbol of sin and God had Moses put it up on a pole. "Although Christ was sinless and knew no sin, (upon a pole, a Cross), he became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (1 Corinthians 5:21)

The snake lifted up, was a foreshadow of Christ becoming sin for us. It is the faith placed in this God man (Jesus) who became sin for us, that makes us well. Jesus uses this in John 3:14-15 when he tells us, "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.^"

Jesus was made sin for us and hung on a cross, lifted up. If we fix our eyes upon Him and believe, we will live. Jesus is our banner, the healer of our our souls. He took MY sin, upon Himself.

Sin bites like a serpent, it is by faith that we look unto Jesus to save us, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" Romans 5:1

Jesus used Old Testament to give foundation for the New Testament, and so should we. Let us not forget our past, so that we may have a foundation, for our present and future

The Message of the Gospel...Is Grace.

APOSTLE; a disciple of Christ commissioned to preach the gospel.
 

SEAL; fastening, confirming, closing, fixing in place

  

1 Corinthians 9:2 "Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?...You are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord"

Are you teaching and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ? If so, there should be evidence, and that evidence should be changed lives. If what your preaching is only condemning people and not changing lives then it is imperative you examine yourself. Jesus preached many messages, not just fire and brimstone, He also taught love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. The warning of the gospel is wrath, but...
the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is Grace.
Make sure you're preaching the whole Gospel, and that the Word of God which you deliver, by the power of the Holy Spirit, is changing lives, for this is your seal as an apostle.
 

"For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction...The Lord’s message rang out from you" (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, 8)
 

The message we share, should by the Holy Spirit, convict of sin & lead to repentance without regret, resulting in a holy life set apart for the Lord. It should also be a seed fallen on good soil that produces fruit, fruit that will last, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self control, and that they too would go and create more disciples of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

(VIDEO)

What is the result of your work? Is it people feeling condemned? or is it changed lives given over wholly to the Lord?
 

"Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God’s grace" ~ 1 Corinthians 1:12 ~

Ever wonder why the Israelite suffered for forty years in the desert? The answer is in the word and you might be surprised how it relates to you and me today!

Reading Numbers today, specifically, an account of the Israelites suffering in the desert. Despite all the miracles God performed in rescuing them out of Egypt and providing for them, they still grumbled, complained, and doubted. Numbers 14:11 Says's, "The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?" God had Moses send scouts to explore the land of Milk and Honey that He promised to give to them. The Scouts were gone for forty days and saw that it was good, it was everything God said it would be, however they were afraid because of the people who occupied the land at the time, the Scouts, instead of trusting God, in their own minds thought they were to small and weak to succeed. Because they were afraid, they came back and gave a false report, they said the land was bad, they deceived the people into believing it was not what God had promised and the people in turn grumbled, complained, and sinned.

Moses intercedes for them in Numbers 14:13-19. God answers in 14:20-24, 33-34 & 36 -37 "The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times, not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it "..."Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’

Here, we see God being faithful in salvation as they were forgiven. Salvation is a gift of grace, not of works, but because of their constant complaining, dis-obedience, & lack of trust, they were unable to experience many blessings God wished them to have. Also they were to wander the desert for forty years, one year for every day they scouted the promised land. You see, they Scouts were the ones to go out ahead of the others, they were to bring back the good news of God's promise and grace. Instead they deceived people, instead of believing God, they looked through their own eyes and were afraid. Their deception caused people to complain, grumble, and sin in disbelief.


As Christians we are to go out ahead of those who are either non believers or new believers. When we experience a trial, difficulty, or problem in our life, it should serve as an opportunity to witness God's faithfulness to people, before the deliverance, this way when it happens they will know it was of God. We are to believe God's promise of providing for us and bring the good news of God's promise back to people. Often though, like the Israelites, we, in our fear, complain, doubt, and worry, and in doing so, bring bad news, deceiving people that maybe God won't keep His promises, and cause others to stumble in doubt too.

Hebrews 11:1 tells us, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidencee of things not seen" The substance of your faith in believing God will provide for you and take you through the storm, is praise, the evidence is not worrying, not complaining, it is lifting hands in worship.

Be Joyous always, Pray continually, Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ~

Don't wander in the desert for forty years...Get found...Trust Jesus... & share the Good News! 

Believe it or not, God is not religious.

A friend and I were having dinner tonight and someone we were witnessing to told us, "I'm not religious" My first thought was, "Great! Neither is God"

When some people think of God they think of religion, fasting, being oppressed, going to church, doing things that are, well, religious. But the Bible in James 1:27 tells us this..."The only Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

 

Concerning fasting it says's...Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here I am. ~ Isaiah 58:6-9 ~

 

* Loose the chains of injustice - Do not withhold from others

 

* Set the oppressed free - Help those who are in bondage

 

* Share your food with the hungry - Don't be greedy

 

* Provide the poor with shelter - Have compassion

 

* Clothe those without - Do more than wish someone well

 

* Provide for your own - Take care of your own family

 

Then...God will answer your cry for help. Because you are dying to self, and living to intercede for others, just like Jesus did when He died on that Cross, He will intercede for you in your needs.

 

In other words... Turn from a wretched, self centered life, and Turn to a life of trusting Jesus as your Lord, Get rid of the filth in your life, Love God, Love people, Help those who can't help themselves, and Put others needs above your own. Then you are fulfilling the commandments. Matthew 22:37-40 tells us, "Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

That doesn't sound like religion to me,

it's sounds like Love!