The revivalists of history-- both, great and small-- and their people would spend two hours a day in prayer during their fruitful lives, a little-known fact. That type of commitment to God from His children is what it will take for America to experience a much-needed revival and awakening. This is one of the keys to revival. We must be so connected with the Father that His works follow us wherever we go!
I want to empower the prayer warriors, intercessors and prophetic voices in this hour to double down in prayer and warfare.
Though we do not like to admit weakness, there are times when we can grow weary in praying and interceding. Whether it be for family members, our region, our nation or the nations of the earth, every issue matters to the Lord. As we press in to God and partner with the Lord in prayer and intercession in bombarding the kingdom of darkness, things can seem to intensify and to worsen in the natural. It can seem as if our prayers are agitating the atmosphere, and they are, because we are agitating the darkness with the hosts of heaven and the presence of God. While the darkness appears to be thickening and gaining momentum, we should not shy away because it is in that time we are to double down in our prayer and intercession.
"My face is set like flint. I will not be moved." This is what double down means. Merriam Webster defines double down as, "to become more tenacious, zealous or resolute in a position or undertaking."
Much of the church prays with microwave expectations; we give up after a few "travailing" minutes. Prayer meetings are not exciting to the flesh and sadly, because of this, they are vacant of fleshly bodies. There is an unspoken rhetoric among believers that someone else will pray. I would dare say that most believers are of the mindset that prayer is boring.
If prayer and intercession are boring, you are doing it wrong.
Jesus withdrew from His disciples and the crowds to pray and to intercede. It was a facet of His relationship with the Father(Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34).
Jesus has provided a blueprint for you and me as co-heirs with Him. We are to be a praying people, a royal priesthood. Priests pray! Priests stand in the gap as tears soak their faces and His fiery Spirit captures their tongues to loose the declarations in accordance with the Word of God. Intercessors do not come off of their post and their decrees until they see the manifestation of their prayers. Time does not move them off the promises of God, and when the devil raises the stakes, prayer warriors double down.
Prayer is not unspoken. The devil would love nothing better than to downplay prayer and strip it of its power. Prayer is an arsenal all by itself. Ephesians 6 assures us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
The Lord is encouraging His intercessors and prophets to not only engage in prayer and warfare, but to double down on what we are declaring by faith. Refuse to come off the wall, and refuse to be silent. Get louder with your prayers and your warfare as the darkness tries to intensify. Double down on lost family members and seemingly hopeless situations, and do not give in or give up. Get excited about prayer, set your face like flint, and tell the devil, "I ain't budging!"
The author of this exerpt is unknown.
9.28.2020
8.26.2020
Spurgeon On Intercessory Prayer
The memory of Charles Haddon Spurgeon has been cherished among evangelical Christians for over the past 100 years. Many Christian leaders consider him to be the greatest preacher ever. He is commonly hailed as the "Prince of Preachers". Over 63 volumes of published sermons still bear witness to the richness and success of C. H. Spurgeon's ministry. Though he is known as a great preacher, it was not preaching that made Spurgeon great. It was prayer. Spurgeon himself repeatedl attributed his success to he and his congregation's faithful prayers.
It has often been remarked that the whole church helped produce Spurgeon. When visitors would come to Spurgeon's church he would take them to the basement prayer-room where people were always on their knees interceding. Then Spurgeon would declare, "Here is the powerhouse of this church."
In a sermon delivered on August 11, 1861 titled “Intercessory Prayer” , Spurgeon says:
First, then, by way of commending the exercise, let me remind you that intercessory prayer has been practiced by all the best of God's saints. We may not find instances of it appended to every saint's name, but beyond a doubt, there has never been a man or woman eminent for piety personally, who has not always been pre-eminent in his anxious desires for the good of others, and in his prayers for that end.But further, while we might commend this duty by quoting innumerable examples from the lives of eminent saints, it is enough for the disciple of Christ if we say that Christ in His holy gospel has made it your duty and your privilege to intercede for others.
When he taught us to pray, he said, "Our Father," and the expressions w hich follow are not in the singular but in the plural—"Give us this day our daily bread." "Forgive us our debts"; "Lead us not into temptation"; evidently intending to set forth that none of us are to pray for ourselves alone, that while we may have sometimes prayers so bitter that they must be personal like the Saviour's own—"Father, if
it be possible, let this cup pass from me"; yet, as a rule, our prayers should be public prayers, though offered in private; and even in secret we should not forget the church of the living God.
Intercessory prayer has stayed plagues. It removed the darkness which rested over Egypt; it drove away the frogs which leaped upon the land; it scattered the lice and locusts which plagued the inhabitants of
Zoar; it removed the murrain, and the hunder, and the lightning; it stayed all the ravages whic God's avenging handdid upon Pharaoh and his eople
. Intercessory prayer has healed diseases; —we know it did in the early church. We have evidence of it in old Mosaic times. When Miriam was smitten with leprosy, Moses prayed, and the leprosy was removed. It has resored withered limbs. When the king's arm was withered, he said to the prophet, "Pray for me," and his arm was restored as it was before. Intercessory prayer has raised the dead, for Elias stretched himself
upon the child seven times, and the child sneezed, and the child's soul returned.
As to ho many souls intercessory prayer has instrumentally saved, recording angel, thou canst tell! Eternity, thou shalt reveal!
There is nothing which intercessory prayer cannot do. Oh! believer, you have a mighty engine in your hand, use it well, use it constantly, use it now with faith, and thou shalt surely prevail.
And, O God, lend us thy strength now, that this duty may come forcibly home to our conscience, and we may at once engage in this exercise!
Brethren, I have to exhort you to pray for others. Before I do it, I will ask you a personal question. Do you always pray for others? Guilty or not guilty, here? Do you think you have taken the case of your children, your church, your neighbourhood, and the ungodly world before God as you ought to have done? If you have, I have not. For I stand here a chief
culprit before the aster to make confession of the sin; and while I shall exhort you to practice what is undoubtedly a noble privilege I shall be most of all exhorting myself."
Let's make an effort to intercede for others. It is our secret weapon to seeing the miracles, the salvations, the transformations, the peace, blessings, and goodness of God in the lives of others around you!
7.30.2020
ACTS Prayer Process
How often do we sit down to pray, and this happens: we think of our family; we pray for our family; we think of all we have to do that day; we pray God would bless all we do; we sit some more, and then we say 'Amen'. Our prayer life should be more than a laundry list of prayer requests. This prayer plan gives us more structure and more holistic themes for prayer.
ADORATION
Revere and Exalt, Approaching a Holy God
...Sets the tone for the entire prayer
...Reminds us of God's identity and inclination
...Can purify the one who is praying
...God is worthy of adoration
...Thank God for his specific attributes, character, or personality
Scriptures
...God is love
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
1 John 4:8-10
...God is merciful
“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.”
Titus 3:5
“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.”
Ephesians 2:4-5
...God is our Creator
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by Your will they were created and have their being.”
Revelation 4:11
...God is faithful
“Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22-23
“Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples. For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.”
Psalms 117
...God is holy (perfect, sinless, altogether ‘other’)
“Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was, and is, and is to come.’”
Revelation 4:8
“Let them praise Your great and awesome name - He is holy. Extol the Lord our God and worship at His footstool; He is holy.”
Psalms 99:3,5
CONFESSION
Naming Your Faults
...Try not to lump them together, but confess them specifically
...Then pray, “Please give me your strength to put this sin behind me and live more righteously.”
Scriptures
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:9
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."
Psalms 103:12
THANKSGIVING
Expressing Gratitude
...There are four kinds of blessings to thank God for:
......Answered prayers
......Spiritual blessings
......Relational blessings
......Material blessings
...Look at Luke 17:11-19, where Jesus heals the lepers. All of those who were healed were undoubtedly grateful to Jesus, but only one came back and directly thanked him.
Scriptures
"Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits"
Psalms 103:2
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thes 5:18
SUPPLICATION
Asking for Help
...Areas of supplication:
......People: authorities, the lost, the sick, etc.
......Family: parents, siblings, household issues or decisions, marriage, children, etc.
......Personal: character growth, fruit of the Spirit, personal needs, direction, purpose, etc.
......Ministry: the things God wants you to do or people to invest in, your church, your Christian fellowship, etc.
Scriptures
"You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God."
James 4:2
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7
To start, try spending 3 minutes in each of the four sections. Notice which sections were easiest and most difficult for you. With practice, each area will become easier and more natural.
ADORATION
Revere and Exalt, Approaching a Holy God
...Sets the tone for the entire prayer
...Reminds us of God's identity and inclination
...Can purify the one who is praying
...God is worthy of adoration
...Thank God for his specific attributes, character, or personality
Scriptures
...God is love
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
1 John 4:8-10
...God is merciful
“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.”
Titus 3:5
“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.”
Ephesians 2:4-5
...God is our Creator
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by Your will they were created and have their being.”
Revelation 4:11
...God is faithful
“Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22-23
“Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples. For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.”
Psalms 117
...God is holy (perfect, sinless, altogether ‘other’)
“Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was, and is, and is to come.’”
Revelation 4:8
“Let them praise Your great and awesome name - He is holy. Extol the Lord our God and worship at His footstool; He is holy.”
Psalms 99:3,5
CONFESSION
Naming Your Faults
...Try not to lump them together, but confess them specifically
...Then pray, “Please give me your strength to put this sin behind me and live more righteously.”
Scriptures
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:9
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."
Psalms 103:12
THANKSGIVING
Expressing Gratitude
...There are four kinds of blessings to thank God for:
......Answered prayers
......Spiritual blessings
......Relational blessings
......Material blessings
...Look at Luke 17:11-19, where Jesus heals the lepers. All of those who were healed were undoubtedly grateful to Jesus, but only one came back and directly thanked him.
Scriptures
"Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits"
Psalms 103:2
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thes 5:18
SUPPLICATION
Asking for Help
...Areas of supplication:
......People: authorities, the lost, the sick, etc.
......Family: parents, siblings, household issues or decisions, marriage, children, etc.
......Personal: character growth, fruit of the Spirit, personal needs, direction, purpose, etc.
......Ministry: the things God wants you to do or people to invest in, your church, your Christian fellowship, etc.
Scriptures
"You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God."
James 4:2
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7
To start, try spending 3 minutes in each of the four sections. Notice which sections were easiest and most difficult for you. With practice, each area will become easier and more natural.
6.26.2020
Plead & Declare the Blood of Jesus Christ
The most powerful plea before God, the devil and the world is the blood of Jesus Christ.
We overcome the devil and his works when we testify to what Jesus' blood has accomplished. We become like those believers who are already in heaven, having followed Him faithfully all the way: "They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death" (Rev. 12:11).
Jesus' triumph over the powers of darkness is reinforced whenever we agree with and declare the benefits of His precious shed blood.
Even when you proclaim it within the privacy of your prayer closet, the enemy gets blinded with the glory of heaven!
We call out for God's mercy, knowing that, because of His blood, "mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13). When we pray like this, our prayers strike the mark without fail.
So we overcome Satan when we testify personally about what the Word of God says the blood of Christ does for us. Therefore, "let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary" (Ps. 107:2).
Yes, there's power in the blood of Jesus! Praise the Lamb of God for what He has done on the cross! The blood of Christ avails for you and for me! Let's each declare with thanksgiving what the blood of the Lamb has accomplished for each of us!
For more, visit God Encounters Ministries.
We overcome the devil and his works when we testify to what Jesus' blood has accomplished. We become like those believers who are already in heaven, having followed Him faithfully all the way: "They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death" (Rev. 12:11).
Jesus' triumph over the powers of darkness is reinforced whenever we agree with and declare the benefits of His precious shed blood.
Even when you proclaim it within the privacy of your prayer closet, the enemy gets blinded with the glory of heaven!
We call out for God's mercy, knowing that, because of His blood, "mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13). When we pray like this, our prayers strike the mark without fail.
So we overcome Satan when we testify personally about what the Word of God says the blood of Christ does for us. Therefore, "let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary" (Ps. 107:2).
Yes, there's power in the blood of Jesus! Praise the Lamb of God for what He has done on the cross! The blood of Christ avails for you and for me! Let's each declare with thanksgiving what the blood of the Lamb has accomplished for each of us!
For more, visit God Encounters Ministries.
5.30.2020
The Most Important Thing
What is the most important thing you can do in this life? Michael Snyder walks us through the concept.
Do our lives have meaning? Why were we put here? What is going to happen to us when we die? Below I have addressed those questions. I encourage you to read on, because this is the most important page on this website. The following material has been adapted from my new book which you can find right here. What follows is the most valuable thing that I could possibly share with you.
I feel like I would be doing a disservice if I didn’t explain to you the most important thing that you could take away from this website. If I had not given my life to the Lord Jesus Christ, I would probably be dead today. He has taken the broken pieces of my life and has made them into a beautiful thing, and He can do the same thing for you.
If you would like to know how you can become a Christian, I encourage you to keep reading. A lot of the time people find Christianity to be very confusing. In the following pages, I have tried to explain the core of the Christian faith in a way that hopefully just about everyone will be able to understand.
Fortunately, the Christian gospel is very, very simple to understand, and the stakes are incredibly high.
If Christianity is true, then it is possible to have eternal life.
I am not just talking about living for millions of years or billions of years.
I am talking about living for eternity.
If you had the opportunity to live forever, would you take it?
Many people would respond by saying that they are not sure if living forever in a world like ours would be desirable, but what if you could live forever in a world where everything had been set right?
What if you could live forever in a perfect world where there is no more evil or suffering or pain?
Would you want that?
The truth is that is exactly what God wants for you. He loves you very much and He wants to spend forever with you.
If you could, would you want to spend forever with Him?
If God is real, and there really is an afterlife, who wouldn’t want to spend eternity with Him?
To be honest with you, if eternal life really exists, there is not a single issue of greater importance to every man, woman and child on earth.
Who would not be willing to give up everything that they own to live forever in paradise surrounded by people that love them?
All over the world people perform all kinds of religious acts, desperately hoping that they will gain favor with God. Some religious nuts even blow themselves up during suicide attacks, hoping that their “sacrifices” will earn them favor with God. But are those really ways to get to heaven? What does the Bible have to say?
The truth is that the plan of salvation described in the Bible is very simple.
It starts with God.
The Bible tells us that God created humanity and that He loves us very much.
In fact, God loves you more than you could possibly ever imagine. The Scriptures go on and on about how great the love of God is and about how deeply He cares for each one of us individually.
But there is a huge problem.
The problem is that humanity is in deep rebellion against God.
Humanity has rejected God and is continually breaking His laws.
Most people like to think of themselves as “good” people, but the truth is that none of us are truly “good”. Each one of us has broken God’s laws over and over again. We are lawbreakers and criminals in the sight of God. The Scriptures call us sinners.
Perhaps you think that you are a “good person” and that God should let you into heaven based on how good you are.
If that is what you believe, ask yourself this question…
Have you ever broken God’s laws?
Posted below is a summary of the Ten Commandments. Are you guilty of violating His rules?…
#1) You shall have no other gods before Me. (There is only one true God – the Creator of all things. Have you ever served a different God? Have you ever expressed approval for a false religion just because you wanted to be polite? Have you ever participated in activities or ceremonies that honor other religions?)
#2) You shall not make any idols. You shall not bow down to them or serve them. (The Scriptures tell us that we are to love God with everything that we have inside of us. Even if you have never bowed down to an idol or a statue, you may have created a “god” in your own mind that you are more comfortable with. That is sin. In fact, we are not to have any “idols” in our lives that we love more than God.)
#3) You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. (Have you ever used God’s holy name as a profanity or as a curse word? Have you ever failed to give His holy name the honor it deserves?)
#4) Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. (Is there anyone alive that has kept this commandment perfectly?)
#5) Honor your father and mother. (Have you ever been rebellious or disrespectful to your father or your mother even one time? If so, you have broken this commandment.)
#6) You shall not murder. (Even if you have never killed anyone, it is important to remember that Jesus considers hatred to be very similar to murder.)
#7) You shall not commit adultery. (Sexual promiscuity is absolutely rampant in society today, but you don’t even have to sleep with someone to break this commandment. In Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus said that “whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart”.)
#8) You shall not steal. (Have you ever stolen anything from someone else? It doesn’t matter if it was valuable or not. If you stole something, you are a thief.)
#9) You shall not lie. (Have you ever told a lie? If so, you are guilty of breaking this commandment.)
#10) You shall not covet. (Have you ever jealously desired something that belongs to someone else? This sin is often the first step toward other sins.)
The first four commandments are about loving God. In the Scriptures, you are commanded to love God with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind and all of your strength.
The final six commandments are about loving others. In the Scriptures, you are commanded to love others as you love yourself.
Have you always loved God and loved others like you should have?
Sadly, the truth is that we are all guilty of breaking God’s laws.
In fact, if we took an honest look at how guilty we truly are we would be horrified.
Take a moment and imagine the following scenario…
One of the biggest television networks has decided to do a huge two hour prime time special about your life. It is going to be heavily advertised, and tens of millions of people are going to watch it.
Doesn’t that sound great?
But instead of a two hour documentary about how wonderful you are, the network has discovered all of the most evil and horrible things that you have ever thought, said or did and they are going to broadcast those things to tens of millions of people all over the world for two hours during prime time.
What would you do if that happened?
Sadly, the truth is that whoever that happened to would be utterly ashamed and would never want to be seen in public again.
Why?
Because we have all done, said and thought things that are unspeakably evil.
We are sinners in the eyes of God, just as the Scriptures tell us…
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
God created us to have fellowship with Him, but He also gave humanity the ability to choose. Unfortunately, humanity has chosen to be in deep rebellion against God and we have all repeatedly broken His laws. When we broke God’s commandments, our fellowship with God was also broken. By breaking God’s commandments, we decided that our will would be done instead of God’s will. And if you look around the world today, you can see the results. Evil and suffering are everywhere. God hates all of this evil and suffering very much. In the Bible, our rebellion against God is called sin.
As a result of our sin, the Scriptures tell us that we are separated from God…
“The wages of sin is death” [spiritual separation from God] (Romans 6:23).
So what can be done about this separation from God?
Why doesn’t God just forget about our sins?
Well, the truth is that God cannot just sweep our evil under the rug. If God did that, He would cease to be just.
For example, how would you feel about a judge that decided to issue a blanket pardon for Hitler and all of the other high level Nazis for the horrible things that they did?
Would that be a “good” judge? Of course not.
There is a penalty for evil, and because God is just, that penalty must be paid.
Fortunately, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins by dying for us on the cross. He took the punishment that we deserved…
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).
We were guilty, but the Son of God, Jesus Christ, died in our place.
Being fully man, Jesus could die for the sins of mankind.
Being fully God, Jesus could die for an infinite number of sins.
He was mocked, he was beaten, he was scourged ruthlessly and he was nailed to a wooden cross. He was totally innocent, but He was willing to suffer and die because He loved you that much.
Jesus paid the penalty for your sins and my sins so that fellowship with God could be restored.
Not only that, but Jesus proved that He is the Son of God by rising from the dead…
“Christ died for our sins…He was buried…He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
You see, if there was any other way for us to be reconciled to God, Jesus would not have had to die on the cross. He could have just told us to follow one of the other ways to get to heaven. But there was no other way. The death of Jesus on the cross is the only payment for our sins and He is the only way that we are going to get to heaven. In the Scriptures, Jesus put it this way…
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).
But it is not enough just for you to intellectually know that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins.
The Scriptures tell us that we must individually commit our lives to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. When we give our lives to Jesus, He forgives our sins and He gives us eternal life…
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9).
So exactly how does someone do this?
It is actually very simple.
The Scriptures tell us that it is through faith that we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ…
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9).
If you are not a Christian yet, then Jesus is standing at the door of your heart and He is knocking. He is hoping that you will let Him come in. He loves you very much and He wants to have a relationship with you…
[Jesus speaking] “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him” (Revelation 3:20).
Jesus asks that you give Him control of your life. That means renouncing all of the sin in your life and making Him your Savior and Lord. Just to know intellectually that Jesus died on the cross and that He rose from the dead is not enough to become a Christian. Having a wonderful emotional experience is not enough to become a Christian either. You become a Christian by faith. It is an act of your will.
Are you ready to make a commitment to Jesus Christ?
If you are ready to invite Jesus Christ into your life, it is very easy.
Just tell Him.
God is not really concerned if you say the right words. What He is concerned about is the attitude of your heart.
If you are ready to become a Christian, the following is a prayer that can help you express that desire to Him…
“Lord Jesus, I want to become a Christian. I know that I am a sinner, and I thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I believe that you are the Son of God and that you rose from the dead. I repent of my sins and I open the door of my life and ask You to be my Savior and Lord. I commit my life to You. Thank You for forgiving all of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life and make me the kind of person that You want me to be. I will live my life for You. Amen.”
If you are ready to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then I invite you to pray this prayer right now. Jesus will come into your life, just as He has promised to do.
If you do invite Jesus Christ to come into your life, you can have 100 percent certainty that you have become a Christian and that you will go to heaven when you die. In 1 John 5:11-13, the Scriptures tell us the following…
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life”.
Do you understand what that means?
It means that you can know that you have eternal life.
The Bible says that if you have invited Jesus Christ into your life, your sins are forgiven and you now have eternal life.
What could be better than that?
But your journey is not done.
In fact, it is just beginning.
The Christian life is not easy – especially if you try to go it alone.
There are four keys to spiritual growth for any Christian…
#1) The Bible – If you do not have a Bible you will need to get one and read it every day. It is God’s instruction book for your life.
#2) Prayer – Prayer does not have to be complicated. The truth is that prayer is just talking with God. God wants to hear from you every day, and He will fundamentally transform your life as you pray to Him with humility and sincerity.
#3) Fellowship – The Scriptures tell us that we all need each other. Find a fellowship of local Christians that believe the Bible and that sincerely love one another. They will help you grow.
#4) Witnessing – Tell others about the new life that you have found in Jesus Christ. Helping even one person find eternal life is of more value than anything else that you could ever accomplish in this world.
If you have invited Jesus Christ to come into your life, I would love to hear from you!
Do our lives have meaning? Why were we put here? What is going to happen to us when we die? Below I have addressed those questions. I encourage you to read on, because this is the most important page on this website. The following material has been adapted from my new book which you can find right here. What follows is the most valuable thing that I could possibly share with you.
I feel like I would be doing a disservice if I didn’t explain to you the most important thing that you could take away from this website. If I had not given my life to the Lord Jesus Christ, I would probably be dead today. He has taken the broken pieces of my life and has made them into a beautiful thing, and He can do the same thing for you.
If you would like to know how you can become a Christian, I encourage you to keep reading. A lot of the time people find Christianity to be very confusing. In the following pages, I have tried to explain the core of the Christian faith in a way that hopefully just about everyone will be able to understand.
Fortunately, the Christian gospel is very, very simple to understand, and the stakes are incredibly high.
If Christianity is true, then it is possible to have eternal life.
I am not just talking about living for millions of years or billions of years.
I am talking about living for eternity.
If you had the opportunity to live forever, would you take it?
Many people would respond by saying that they are not sure if living forever in a world like ours would be desirable, but what if you could live forever in a world where everything had been set right?
What if you could live forever in a perfect world where there is no more evil or suffering or pain?
Would you want that?
The truth is that is exactly what God wants for you. He loves you very much and He wants to spend forever with you.
If you could, would you want to spend forever with Him?
If God is real, and there really is an afterlife, who wouldn’t want to spend eternity with Him?
To be honest with you, if eternal life really exists, there is not a single issue of greater importance to every man, woman and child on earth.
Who would not be willing to give up everything that they own to live forever in paradise surrounded by people that love them?
All over the world people perform all kinds of religious acts, desperately hoping that they will gain favor with God. Some religious nuts even blow themselves up during suicide attacks, hoping that their “sacrifices” will earn them favor with God. But are those really ways to get to heaven? What does the Bible have to say?
The truth is that the plan of salvation described in the Bible is very simple.
It starts with God.
The Bible tells us that God created humanity and that He loves us very much.
In fact, God loves you more than you could possibly ever imagine. The Scriptures go on and on about how great the love of God is and about how deeply He cares for each one of us individually.
But there is a huge problem.
The problem is that humanity is in deep rebellion against God.
Humanity has rejected God and is continually breaking His laws.
Most people like to think of themselves as “good” people, but the truth is that none of us are truly “good”. Each one of us has broken God’s laws over and over again. We are lawbreakers and criminals in the sight of God. The Scriptures call us sinners.
Perhaps you think that you are a “good person” and that God should let you into heaven based on how good you are.
If that is what you believe, ask yourself this question…
Have you ever broken God’s laws?
Posted below is a summary of the Ten Commandments. Are you guilty of violating His rules?…
#1) You shall have no other gods before Me. (There is only one true God – the Creator of all things. Have you ever served a different God? Have you ever expressed approval for a false religion just because you wanted to be polite? Have you ever participated in activities or ceremonies that honor other religions?)
#2) You shall not make any idols. You shall not bow down to them or serve them. (The Scriptures tell us that we are to love God with everything that we have inside of us. Even if you have never bowed down to an idol or a statue, you may have created a “god” in your own mind that you are more comfortable with. That is sin. In fact, we are not to have any “idols” in our lives that we love more than God.)
#3) You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. (Have you ever used God’s holy name as a profanity or as a curse word? Have you ever failed to give His holy name the honor it deserves?)
#4) Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. (Is there anyone alive that has kept this commandment perfectly?)
#5) Honor your father and mother. (Have you ever been rebellious or disrespectful to your father or your mother even one time? If so, you have broken this commandment.)
#6) You shall not murder. (Even if you have never killed anyone, it is important to remember that Jesus considers hatred to be very similar to murder.)
#7) You shall not commit adultery. (Sexual promiscuity is absolutely rampant in society today, but you don’t even have to sleep with someone to break this commandment. In Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus said that “whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart”.)
#8) You shall not steal. (Have you ever stolen anything from someone else? It doesn’t matter if it was valuable or not. If you stole something, you are a thief.)
#9) You shall not lie. (Have you ever told a lie? If so, you are guilty of breaking this commandment.)
#10) You shall not covet. (Have you ever jealously desired something that belongs to someone else? This sin is often the first step toward other sins.)
The first four commandments are about loving God. In the Scriptures, you are commanded to love God with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind and all of your strength.
The final six commandments are about loving others. In the Scriptures, you are commanded to love others as you love yourself.
Have you always loved God and loved others like you should have?
Sadly, the truth is that we are all guilty of breaking God’s laws.
In fact, if we took an honest look at how guilty we truly are we would be horrified.
Take a moment and imagine the following scenario…
One of the biggest television networks has decided to do a huge two hour prime time special about your life. It is going to be heavily advertised, and tens of millions of people are going to watch it.
Doesn’t that sound great?
But instead of a two hour documentary about how wonderful you are, the network has discovered all of the most evil and horrible things that you have ever thought, said or did and they are going to broadcast those things to tens of millions of people all over the world for two hours during prime time.
What would you do if that happened?
Sadly, the truth is that whoever that happened to would be utterly ashamed and would never want to be seen in public again.
Why?
Because we have all done, said and thought things that are unspeakably evil.
We are sinners in the eyes of God, just as the Scriptures tell us…
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
God created us to have fellowship with Him, but He also gave humanity the ability to choose. Unfortunately, humanity has chosen to be in deep rebellion against God and we have all repeatedly broken His laws. When we broke God’s commandments, our fellowship with God was also broken. By breaking God’s commandments, we decided that our will would be done instead of God’s will. And if you look around the world today, you can see the results. Evil and suffering are everywhere. God hates all of this evil and suffering very much. In the Bible, our rebellion against God is called sin.
As a result of our sin, the Scriptures tell us that we are separated from God…
“The wages of sin is death” [spiritual separation from God] (Romans 6:23).
So what can be done about this separation from God?
Why doesn’t God just forget about our sins?
Well, the truth is that God cannot just sweep our evil under the rug. If God did that, He would cease to be just.
For example, how would you feel about a judge that decided to issue a blanket pardon for Hitler and all of the other high level Nazis for the horrible things that they did?
Would that be a “good” judge? Of course not.
There is a penalty for evil, and because God is just, that penalty must be paid.
Fortunately, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins by dying for us on the cross. He took the punishment that we deserved…
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).
We were guilty, but the Son of God, Jesus Christ, died in our place.
Being fully man, Jesus could die for the sins of mankind.
Being fully God, Jesus could die for an infinite number of sins.
He was mocked, he was beaten, he was scourged ruthlessly and he was nailed to a wooden cross. He was totally innocent, but He was willing to suffer and die because He loved you that much.
Jesus paid the penalty for your sins and my sins so that fellowship with God could be restored.
Not only that, but Jesus proved that He is the Son of God by rising from the dead…
“Christ died for our sins…He was buried…He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
You see, if there was any other way for us to be reconciled to God, Jesus would not have had to die on the cross. He could have just told us to follow one of the other ways to get to heaven. But there was no other way. The death of Jesus on the cross is the only payment for our sins and He is the only way that we are going to get to heaven. In the Scriptures, Jesus put it this way…
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).
But it is not enough just for you to intellectually know that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins.
The Scriptures tell us that we must individually commit our lives to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. When we give our lives to Jesus, He forgives our sins and He gives us eternal life…
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9).
So exactly how does someone do this?
It is actually very simple.
The Scriptures tell us that it is through faith that we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ…
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9).
If you are not a Christian yet, then Jesus is standing at the door of your heart and He is knocking. He is hoping that you will let Him come in. He loves you very much and He wants to have a relationship with you…
[Jesus speaking] “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him” (Revelation 3:20).
Jesus asks that you give Him control of your life. That means renouncing all of the sin in your life and making Him your Savior and Lord. Just to know intellectually that Jesus died on the cross and that He rose from the dead is not enough to become a Christian. Having a wonderful emotional experience is not enough to become a Christian either. You become a Christian by faith. It is an act of your will.
Are you ready to make a commitment to Jesus Christ?
If you are ready to invite Jesus Christ into your life, it is very easy.
Just tell Him.
God is not really concerned if you say the right words. What He is concerned about is the attitude of your heart.
If you are ready to become a Christian, the following is a prayer that can help you express that desire to Him…
“Lord Jesus, I want to become a Christian. I know that I am a sinner, and I thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I believe that you are the Son of God and that you rose from the dead. I repent of my sins and I open the door of my life and ask You to be my Savior and Lord. I commit my life to You. Thank You for forgiving all of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life and make me the kind of person that You want me to be. I will live my life for You. Amen.”
If you are ready to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then I invite you to pray this prayer right now. Jesus will come into your life, just as He has promised to do.
If you do invite Jesus Christ to come into your life, you can have 100 percent certainty that you have become a Christian and that you will go to heaven when you die. In 1 John 5:11-13, the Scriptures tell us the following…
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life”.
Do you understand what that means?
It means that you can know that you have eternal life.
The Bible says that if you have invited Jesus Christ into your life, your sins are forgiven and you now have eternal life.
What could be better than that?
But your journey is not done.
In fact, it is just beginning.
The Christian life is not easy – especially if you try to go it alone.
There are four keys to spiritual growth for any Christian…
#1) The Bible – If you do not have a Bible you will need to get one and read it every day. It is God’s instruction book for your life.
#2) Prayer – Prayer does not have to be complicated. The truth is that prayer is just talking with God. God wants to hear from you every day, and He will fundamentally transform your life as you pray to Him with humility and sincerity.
#3) Fellowship – The Scriptures tell us that we all need each other. Find a fellowship of local Christians that believe the Bible and that sincerely love one another. They will help you grow.
#4) Witnessing – Tell others about the new life that you have found in Jesus Christ. Helping even one person find eternal life is of more value than anything else that you could ever accomplish in this world.
If you have invited Jesus Christ to come into your life, I would love to hear from you!
4.27.2020
Scriptures on Fear, Worry, and Anxiety
Fear, anxiety, and worry are common emotions. Are they prudent and responsible emotions and perspectives? Are they harmless emotions and mindsets? Or are they harmful? What do God's Scriptures say about fear, anxiety, and worry? Let's take a look at a few relevant Scriptures.
1 John 4:18
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
1 Peter 3:14
"But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats ; do not be frightened.”
2 Timothy 1:7
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
Isaiah 35:4
"...say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
Isaiah 40:31
"...but those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength. They will mount up on wings as eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Isaiah 41:10
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
John 14:1
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me."
Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Matthew 6:25-34
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Psalm 34:4
"I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."
Psalm 94:19
"When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy."
Psalm 138:8
"The LORD will vindicate me; your love, LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands."
Romans 8:38-39
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
Jeremiah 17:7-8
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Philippians 4:6-7
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
John 14:27
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
Colossians 3:15
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."
2 Thessalonians 3:16
"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."
Psalm 55:22
"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Proverbs 12:25
"Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up."
1 Peter 5:6-8
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
Hebrews 13:5-6
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Psalm 56:3
"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you."
1 John 4:18
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
1 Peter 3:14
"But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats ; do not be frightened.”
2 Timothy 1:7
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
Isaiah 35:4
"...say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
Isaiah 40:31
"...but those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength. They will mount up on wings as eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Isaiah 41:10
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
John 14:1
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me."
Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Matthew 6:25-34
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Psalm 34:4
"I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."
Psalm 94:19
"When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy."
Psalm 138:8
"The LORD will vindicate me; your love, LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands."
Romans 8:38-39
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
Jeremiah 17:7-8
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Philippians 4:6-7
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
John 14:27
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
Colossians 3:15
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."
2 Thessalonians 3:16
"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."
Psalm 55:22
"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Proverbs 12:25
"Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up."
1 Peter 5:6-8
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
Hebrews 13:5-6
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Psalm 56:3
"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you."
3.04.2020
A Prayer For Racial, Ethnic, and National Healing and Unity
Father God,
lay the axe to the root of racism, prejudice and injustice in our hearts
and minds , our communituies, and our nation. Bring down arrogance,
pride and hatred, and replace them with humility, love and
righteousness. Heal the soul of our nation from the divisions that have
infected us. Show us how to demonstrate unity and live and walk united
in the power of the Spirit. We are desperate for you! We need revival
and awakening. Come, Lord Jesus, come! Precious Holy Spirit, please
bring peace and comfort to all who have been affected by racism,
prejudice, hate, ethnic nationalism, or supremacy. What the devil
intended for harm and division, turn into healing and hope. We stand in
faith that You will turn all mourning into great joy and dancing! Hallelujah! In Christ Jesus. Amen.
2.28.2020
The Antidote for Racism, Prejudice, Hate, Ethnic Nationalism, and Supremacy
There is no form of racism, prejudice, hate, ethnic nationalism, or supremacy that is justified. None. In fact, God detests such things. Simply put, racism and hatred are sin. The devil's big lie here is that our different demographics separate us and somehow make us more or less human, when the spiritual, scientific, and biological fact is that we are one blood; one human race (Acts 17:26). The Scriptures are not devoid of this topic. When God gave the Israelites the law, He made very clear that they were not above foreigners living and worshiping among them and were to treat them well (Ex 22:21; 23:9, Lev 19:33-34, Deut 10:19). When the Israelites became ethnocentric, God rebuked them through the prophets (Jer 7:5-8). When Jesus died on the cross and rose to life again, it was for all nations, tribes, and tongues (Matt 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, Rev 7:9).
Not to mention-- recall Jesus' answer as to the question of the greatest commandment. It was to love the Lord God and your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:36-40). Racism, prejudice, and hatred are not loving your neighbor as yourself. No, racism , prejudice, and hatred are sin and the wages of sin is death. These things lead to death. These things slowly steal from, kill, and destroy those who let it fester in their hearts and minds. Racism and hatred are symptoms of the dying and hell- bound individual, culture, or nation. Do you want that for yourself, your community , and your nation? Surely not. Martin Luther King understood this effect. MLK said: "We must learn to live together as brothers [and sisters], or perish together as fools. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear". He knew hate would destroy both ourselves and our loved ones, and those we were at odds with-- and the blood would be on our own hands.
"Love never fails" (1 Cor. 13:8). There is no effective and lasting secular, humanistic answer to the hatred and animousity, let alone violence, caused by racial and ethnic differences. The answer is love from the true source of love: God. For God is love (1 Jn 4:8). We must call on God to change, above all, our own hearts and minds; then, we can call on Him for
others around us and our community. He will answer every time and come dwell in our heart to the extent that we yeild to Him. As we we yeild to God, He transforms our hearts and minds and we begin to act, think, and speak differently. We begin to act, think, and speak like Jesus. The exact same Holy Spirit that Jesus had when He walked the earth will then imbue us with the exact same love, light, and life-giving virtue of God that Jesus displayed.
Today many popular thoughts, actions and words are completely counterproductive. For instance, we cannot expect to solve problems by running from others (white flight, Middle East fear), talking about others when they're not around ("Those black people across town..."), bitterness and anger (BLM, black supremacy: a.k.a. reverse- racism), or violence.
Instead, we solve difficulies by building bridges of love and understanding, believing in one another-- for God made all men-- and helping one another realize the greatness that God placed in each of us. This is only achieved by the virtue and power of God. We must see each other through God's eyes and not through our own eyes. That brings us back to the necessity that we each must call on the Lord God in Jesus' name for His Spirit to come transform us. When we do this, we enter into and walk in the Kingdom of God. There is no racial or ethnic division in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the only way to achieve true and lasting harmony and unity.
The events in recent years have shown the need for people to yeild to God and be transformed. We need true revival and awakening and it begins with caling on and yeiiding to the Lord God in Jesus' name-- even if you've done it before, it will only benefit you to do it again-- to be truly and increasingly transformed by the Holy Spirit. Then and only then will we see true and lasting racial and ethnic unity!
Not to mention-- recall Jesus' answer as to the question of the greatest commandment. It was to love the Lord God and your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:36-40). Racism, prejudice, and hatred are not loving your neighbor as yourself. No, racism , prejudice, and hatred are sin and the wages of sin is death. These things lead to death. These things slowly steal from, kill, and destroy those who let it fester in their hearts and minds. Racism and hatred are symptoms of the dying and hell- bound individual, culture, or nation. Do you want that for yourself, your community , and your nation? Surely not. Martin Luther King understood this effect. MLK said: "We must learn to live together as brothers [and sisters], or perish together as fools. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear". He knew hate would destroy both ourselves and our loved ones, and those we were at odds with-- and the blood would be on our own hands.
"Love never fails" (1 Cor. 13:8). There is no effective and lasting secular, humanistic answer to the hatred and animousity, let alone violence, caused by racial and ethnic differences. The answer is love from the true source of love: God. For God is love (1 Jn 4:8). We must call on God to change, above all, our own hearts and minds; then, we can call on Him for
others around us and our community. He will answer every time and come dwell in our heart to the extent that we yeild to Him. As we we yeild to God, He transforms our hearts and minds and we begin to act, think, and speak differently. We begin to act, think, and speak like Jesus. The exact same Holy Spirit that Jesus had when He walked the earth will then imbue us with the exact same love, light, and life-giving virtue of God that Jesus displayed.
Today many popular thoughts, actions and words are completely counterproductive. For instance, we cannot expect to solve problems by running from others (white flight, Middle East fear), talking about others when they're not around ("Those black people across town..."), bitterness and anger (BLM, black supremacy: a.k.a. reverse- racism), or violence.
Instead, we solve difficulies by building bridges of love and understanding, believing in one another-- for God made all men-- and helping one another realize the greatness that God placed in each of us. This is only achieved by the virtue and power of God. We must see each other through God's eyes and not through our own eyes. That brings us back to the necessity that we each must call on the Lord God in Jesus' name for His Spirit to come transform us. When we do this, we enter into and walk in the Kingdom of God. There is no racial or ethnic division in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the only way to achieve true and lasting harmony and unity.
The events in recent years have shown the need for people to yeild to God and be transformed. We need true revival and awakening and it begins with caling on and yeiiding to the Lord God in Jesus' name-- even if you've done it before, it will only benefit you to do it again-- to be truly and increasingly transformed by the Holy Spirit. Then and only then will we see true and lasting racial and ethnic unity!
1.31.2020
What Do the Scriptures Say About God's Word?
Check out these Scriptures:
2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
2 Peter 1:20–21
No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
On the life-giving nature of Scripture
Deuteronomy 32:45–47
And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”
Matthew 4:4
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
On the purpose of Scripture
John 20:30–31
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Romans 15:4
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
On the eternal nature of Scripture
Zechariah 1:5–6
Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers?
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
1 Peter 1:24–25
All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
On the perfection of Scripture
Psalm 19:7
The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
2 Peter 1:20–21
No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
On the life-giving nature of Scripture
Deuteronomy 32:45–47
And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”
Matthew 4:4
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
On the purpose of Scripture
John 20:30–31
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Romans 15:4
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
On the eternal nature of Scripture
Zechariah 1:5–6
Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers?
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
1 Peter 1:24–25
All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
On the perfection of Scripture
Psalm 19:7
The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
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