Psalm 34
1 I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of glorifying God on purpose!!!!!
Matthew 5
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Soldiers of God
Ever ready for the Charge
Friday, July 1, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
To Glorify God Volume 1, Issue 4
A life dedicated to glorifying God is not a perfect person who is without sin. Jesus Christ already fulfilled the requirement of the perfect lamb to be sacrificed for the sins of the world. "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit", (John 19:30). We are not called to be perfect in order to glorify our Father in heaven. We glorify our Father by the submission of our hearts to His Will. Our heart is what glorifies the Living Christ, in that when we do sin we show the world a repentant and humbled vessel seeking reconciliation with our Father. For many generations the world has been lead to believe in order to be Christian you have to live a life of perfection, which Satan uses as another tactic to keep mankind far off from God. How many of us said before we came to God, "I just got to get these certain things in order, then I will be ready to give my life to God", how many people do we know today that use that same idea. Christ did not come for the "perfect" folks. "On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners”, (Mark 2:17). "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us", (Romans 5:8). The world has to see our lives; the good, the bad, and the ugly so they may identify with the fact that God accepts all of mankind in our brokenness to come to His thrown by way of His Son Jesus Christ.
We all can agree on the fact that our Apostle Paul lived out his life to glorify God. "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death", (Philippians 3:10). He authored almost half of the New Testament and set a blaze what we know to be the modern world with the Gospel of Christ. Yet, this was Paul's sober perception of his life; "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen", (1 Timothy 1:15-17). A life that glorifies God, has to be lived out in the open for people to see. Our response cannot always be "blessed and highly favored or I'm good". We have to live out our life sharing our struggles and victories. Paul lead many to Christ because he became all things to all men so that some may be saved. "To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some", (1 Corinthians 9:22). That means our hearts have to want to glorify God more than to be protected from what people may think or say about us!!! Today, let your light shine before men, even if that means sharing our struggles and weaknesses, so that we may glorify our Father in Heaven. Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of glorifying God on purpose!!!!!
Matthew 5
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
We all can agree on the fact that our Apostle Paul lived out his life to glorify God. "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death", (Philippians 3:10). He authored almost half of the New Testament and set a blaze what we know to be the modern world with the Gospel of Christ. Yet, this was Paul's sober perception of his life; "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen", (1 Timothy 1:15-17). A life that glorifies God, has to be lived out in the open for people to see. Our response cannot always be "blessed and highly favored or I'm good". We have to live out our life sharing our struggles and victories. Paul lead many to Christ because he became all things to all men so that some may be saved. "To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some", (1 Corinthians 9:22). That means our hearts have to want to glorify God more than to be protected from what people may think or say about us!!! Today, let your light shine before men, even if that means sharing our struggles and weaknesses, so that we may glorify our Father in Heaven. Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of glorifying God on purpose!!!!!
Matthew 5
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
To Glorify God Volume 1, Issue 3
Our Champion and Savior Jesus Christ has set the bench mark for us to follow. His whole life was dedicated to bringing glory to His Father!!! "Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word", (John 8:54-55). As we have been commanded by our Lord in verse 16 of Matthew chapter 5, we are to shine His Light so that the world would see the good deeds and glorify our father in Heaven. How can we bare this light and perform these good deeds? "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other", (John 15:12-17).
When Jesus left this command, He did not leave it as a boss on our job would leave a command. We receive commands daily in which the authority never lays hand to plow, so they can never sympathize or empathize with what we go through in order to follow that command. "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need", (Hebrews 4:14-16). Not only do we have an authority who knows what we are going through to comply to the command, He also wishes us to rest and allow Him to do the work through us!!! "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus", (Philippians 1:4-6). Not only did Jesus Christ live a lifestyle of glorification, He called us to live that same lifestyle. He knows what it takes to follow this lifestyle so He can empathize and sympathize with us as we bare our cross. Then on top of all that, He gives us the promise that He will do the work through us, who is like our God??? “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”, (Matthew 11:28-30). Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of glorifying God on purpose!!!!!
Matthew 5
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
When Jesus left this command, He did not leave it as a boss on our job would leave a command. We receive commands daily in which the authority never lays hand to plow, so they can never sympathize or empathize with what we go through in order to follow that command. "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need", (Hebrews 4:14-16). Not only do we have an authority who knows what we are going through to comply to the command, He also wishes us to rest and allow Him to do the work through us!!! "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus", (Philippians 1:4-6). Not only did Jesus Christ live a lifestyle of glorification, He called us to live that same lifestyle. He knows what it takes to follow this lifestyle so He can empathize and sympathize with us as we bare our cross. Then on top of all that, He gives us the promise that He will do the work through us, who is like our God??? “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”, (Matthew 11:28-30). Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of glorifying God on purpose!!!!!
Matthew 5
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
To Glorify God Volume 1, Issue 2
DO NO FAINT!!!
As a child of God we run a race that is heavy. We face daily persecutions, trials, tribulations, and hardships from the world we live in. Our loved ones turn their backs as we go through the transformation from slave of sin to slave of righteousness. We face an enemy that seeks to devour us by exposing our flesh to the world so that our "witness" will have no power, and Jesus Christ would be defamed. The greatest battle we face is within ourselves as we beat our flesh into submission in accordance with the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. We face these perils all for a home that we cannot see, taste, touch, smell, or hear. We run this race for a prize that we have to truly believe exist, without evidence in this life. Needless to say with the little that has been stated in this paragraph to the "reality" of the Christian walk, it is not easy!!! After 12 years of grade school you earn a diploma. After at least four years of undergraduate education you receive a bachelors degree. After at least 30 years of hard labor you receive a retirement. This is all to see that anything that is worth having, takes a hard journey to achieve. For those who wish to receive the treasures that the Word of God promises for those who live to Glorify Him, here is a little bit of encouragement!!!
Isaiah 40:30-31
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
"Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules", (2 Timothy 2:5). "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing", (2 Timothy 4:8). "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him", (James 1:12). "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away", (1 Peter 5:4). "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown", (Revelation 2:10). Today, renew your strength in the promises of God as you live to Glorify Him!!! Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of glorifying God on purpose!!!!!
Matthew 5
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
As a child of God we run a race that is heavy. We face daily persecutions, trials, tribulations, and hardships from the world we live in. Our loved ones turn their backs as we go through the transformation from slave of sin to slave of righteousness. We face an enemy that seeks to devour us by exposing our flesh to the world so that our "witness" will have no power, and Jesus Christ would be defamed. The greatest battle we face is within ourselves as we beat our flesh into submission in accordance with the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. We face these perils all for a home that we cannot see, taste, touch, smell, or hear. We run this race for a prize that we have to truly believe exist, without evidence in this life. Needless to say with the little that has been stated in this paragraph to the "reality" of the Christian walk, it is not easy!!! After 12 years of grade school you earn a diploma. After at least four years of undergraduate education you receive a bachelors degree. After at least 30 years of hard labor you receive a retirement. This is all to see that anything that is worth having, takes a hard journey to achieve. For those who wish to receive the treasures that the Word of God promises for those who live to Glorify Him, here is a little bit of encouragement!!!
Isaiah 40:30-31
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
"Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules", (2 Timothy 2:5). "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing", (2 Timothy 4:8). "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him", (James 1:12). "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away", (1 Peter 5:4). "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown", (Revelation 2:10). Today, renew your strength in the promises of God as you live to Glorify Him!!! Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of glorifying God on purpose!!!!!
Matthew 5
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Monday, June 27, 2011
To Glorify God Volume 1, Issue 1
While the world spends a lifetime trying to figure out how to glorify oneself, we as the children of God have to spend our life Glorifying God. Our passion in this life has to be consumed with fulfilling the call of our salvation. We as the children of the light are called to bare the light of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ before the world so they will glorify our Father from which the light comes. We can no longer glorify ourselves because we have learned that we are not the source of our lives. We are called ambassadors and as such we represent a national kingdom in a foreign land. "We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God", (2 Corinthians 5:20). As ambassadors, our lives no longer belong to the glorification of oneself, or the pursuit of ones satisfaction. We pursue life in a the way that God has established, so that as we take this journey, mankind will see our lives and ask us a about the source of our light. Today, let us seek to live a life that glorifies God with everything we say and do!!! Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of glorifying God on purpose!!!!!
Matthew 5
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Keeping it Real Volume 1, Issue 4
"Keeping it Real" with ourselves, our works, and each other in the body of Christ is all the manifestation of keeping it real with God. God knows our hearts and why we come to Him. God understands and love the fact that we come to Him as babes, searching to have Him provide for our needs. We had to come to an end of ourselves to realize that we could not take care of ourselves in this world. Just like a baby cries out to his mother or father for food, warmth, protection, and love, we all cried out to God for one reason or another. Spending time in this season is truly understandable and needed, for it will be the foundation of your walk with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Yet, our Father doesn't want to stay as babes, he wants us to grow to full maturity in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 4:11-16
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Our Father, has made every provision necessary for His children to gain full maturity into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. He has set mature saints in the body of Christ to equip us. He has given us all a private tutor in the form of our comforter, the Holy Spirit. He has provided us with a guide book to gain wisdom for living, in the Bible. He has opened an eternal call line through His Son Jesus Christ to where we may have access to Him 24/7. It doesn't matter if we have been in the faith for just a year or for forty years, we all can continue to grow into the perfection of faith in Christ Jesus. We cannot fool God and learn the garb of Christian speech and prayer to sound as one who is mature. God knows exactly where we are in our walks. We have to give Him our whole heart to pursue Him. What father wouldn't want to look up one day to see his son or daughter coming to him and when he asks "what do you need", their response is "I just want to hang out with you". Our maturity goes from a need of God, to a want of God!!! It goes from a place of taking, to a place of receiving!!! Nothing in your life will become real, until you get real with God!!! Everything and everyone in your life will stay at a superficial level, until you become the real YOU, which is the you God created you to be!!! Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of keeping it real on purpose!!!!!
James 1
Listening and Doing
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 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.
Ephesians 4:11-16
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Our Father, has made every provision necessary for His children to gain full maturity into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. He has set mature saints in the body of Christ to equip us. He has given us all a private tutor in the form of our comforter, the Holy Spirit. He has provided us with a guide book to gain wisdom for living, in the Bible. He has opened an eternal call line through His Son Jesus Christ to where we may have access to Him 24/7. It doesn't matter if we have been in the faith for just a year or for forty years, we all can continue to grow into the perfection of faith in Christ Jesus. We cannot fool God and learn the garb of Christian speech and prayer to sound as one who is mature. God knows exactly where we are in our walks. We have to give Him our whole heart to pursue Him. What father wouldn't want to look up one day to see his son or daughter coming to him and when he asks "what do you need", their response is "I just want to hang out with you". Our maturity goes from a need of God, to a want of God!!! It goes from a place of taking, to a place of receiving!!! Nothing in your life will become real, until you get real with God!!! Everything and everyone in your life will stay at a superficial level, until you become the real YOU, which is the you God created you to be!!! Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of keeping it real on purpose!!!!!
James 1
Listening and Doing
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 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.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Keeping it Real Volume 1, Issue 3
Our heart is what God is after and what He judges. Mankind is very "good" at dressing, sounding, and looking the part of righteousness. We can dress up the tomb with a great display and trick men into thinking that we are righteous, but the truth is that there is still only deadman's bones inside. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean", (Matthew 23:27). God knows not just what we do but why we do it. Man only sees the actions and count it unto us as righteousness. Most of what is done in the body of Christ is being done out of broken motives, whether vanity, greed, pride, frustration, anger, jealousy, pleasing men, lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, coveting another's gift, or out of evil. These motives will no more store up treasure in heaven for a vessel than if the vessel never came to God through Jesus Christ. To God, works performed out of these motives will be burned up. "Each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire", (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).
"Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father", (John 14:10-12). The works that Jesus Christ performed were to show the children of Israel and the gentiles that He was indeed the Son of God. As Jesus stated in the passage above, it was God living in Him and doing His work. This is the vessel that God will use to do His works. The heart that is sold out to Jesus Christ, will give all the glory to Him as these works are being performed through them. All works performed out from the flesh will be burned up by the fire. While most saints know that they could not earn their salvation through works, nor could they keep their salvation through works, failed to realize the enemy has allowed them to settle for earning man's approval through their works. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do", (Ephesians 2:8-10). Having the approval of man may fulfill a need for acceptance now, but just like every vain thing it will be consumed. The only works that will settle you treasure in Heaven (not because you performed something great, but because you were obedient to allow the Lord to use your vessel), will be those "Real Works" performed by the Holy Spirit, all others are counterfeits!!! Today, let us check the motives of our works to insure that we are keeping it real with all in the body of Christ. Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of keeping it real on purpose!!!!!
James 1
Listening and Doing
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 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.
"Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father", (John 14:10-12). The works that Jesus Christ performed were to show the children of Israel and the gentiles that He was indeed the Son of God. As Jesus stated in the passage above, it was God living in Him and doing His work. This is the vessel that God will use to do His works. The heart that is sold out to Jesus Christ, will give all the glory to Him as these works are being performed through them. All works performed out from the flesh will be burned up by the fire. While most saints know that they could not earn their salvation through works, nor could they keep their salvation through works, failed to realize the enemy has allowed them to settle for earning man's approval through their works. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do", (Ephesians 2:8-10). Having the approval of man may fulfill a need for acceptance now, but just like every vain thing it will be consumed. The only works that will settle you treasure in Heaven (not because you performed something great, but because you were obedient to allow the Lord to use your vessel), will be those "Real Works" performed by the Holy Spirit, all others are counterfeits!!! Today, let us check the motives of our works to insure that we are keeping it real with all in the body of Christ. Be Encouraged!!! Have a wonderful life of keeping it real on purpose!!!!!
James 1
Listening and Doing
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)