I once went on a men's retreat in Mexico. It was so hot that summer and the water felt like boiling water. I and others got caught in what we know now as a rip current. No matter what we did we could not get free. The fear of not being able to free ourselves and not control the situation was unbelievable and scary. Finally, there were some reefs and some rocks that saved us.

 

Have you ever been in something you couldn't control. Where it is so strong and scary and your so scared that you think you're going to die. Have you ever been under some force that you just can't beat no matter what?

 

Well, that's how we are under the law! Even worse the curse of the law is such a force that we all will lose and can't ever when. Now the curse of the law is death!  Paul tells us in

AND

AND JAMES SAYS... 

GUILTY OF ALL! WOW! Therefore, we would have to be perfect according to the law! And since NO one can be perfect under the law, death is our reward!

Jesus has redeemed us from the curse by becoming that curse! He died for us and that one act of love has freed us from that curse! He has freed us from death! Now His death was physical, but our death would have been spiritual as well as physical. We were heading to hell but just as important we would not have any life in our spirit TODAY! We would be lost and just as we were born spiritually dead, we would have stayed spiritually dead! 

 

Jesus has REDEEMED US! Redeemed means to pay a price, a ransom for us! He has paid the ultimate price with His life to free us and if we believe and trust in His death for our sins, we will have life and freedom from that curse of death!

 

YOU are REDEEMED dear Saint! You mean so much to our Lord that He was willing to pay the ultimate price for you!

So be THANKFUL and GRATEFUL and give HIM THE GLORY!!!! 

I once heard a guy tell a story about a man who needed firewood and went to his neighbor's house so he could talk him into selling his big tree. Well, the old neighbor said I sell it to you for $500.00 and the guy said that's pretty high, so the old man replied well see that shadow there I'll sell it for $250.

 

You see the shadow isn't worth much even though it resembles the real thing. In the book of Hebrews, the writer says the law was a shadow of good things to come but not the real thing! 

 

Paul says this in Colossians 2  

"Col 2:16  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."

 

You see while the law, festivals, diet and sacraments may seem important they are just shadows. Today we have so many different teachings from so many different people and churches that confuse this, but it is clear ALL of theses "things" are NOT JESUS! ONLY JESUS MATTERS!!!!

 

Remember what Paul says when he says in Col 2:16 and that is don't let any man or church judge you by these things. Live in the freedom that you have in Christ for you are COMPLETE IN CHRIST ALONE! 

 

 

Adam said he was afraid when God asked him where he was. Adam hid because he knew he did something wrong. He was guilty and therefore wanted to hide. This is when fear began and started that emotional bondage!

 

Have you ever done something wrong and feared the consequences, I know I have. The fear was so great that we panicked and worried constantly. When we were little, it may have been small thing, and the punishment was a spanking which seemed big then. As we get older though that wrong thing can turn out to cost us a lot more than a spanking. It could cost us in the way of a ticket or a fine or perhaps prison time. It could cost us relationships that we wish we could reconcile in back some way.

 

Now while fear is an emotion that comes from sin and walking by our flesh, it can be a great tool to tell us and bring us to Christ. 

 

You see we have the power and love of God within us. That power gives us a sound mind so that we can walk by faith and not by fear! We always walk by one or the other, fear or faith. Actually, fear is faith in the wrong thing. Fear is faith in the thing that can put you back into bondage again. Spiritually we are free from that bondage and do not need to be afraid of whatever the consequence may be.

 

How do we deal with fear? It is a constant battle to Renew our minds and to keep focused on Christ love. It is Christ love that drives out fear. We are comforted by His Love and no matter what, even death we are with Him!!!

 

 

Next time you feel that great fear coming on you, start renewing your mind that you are deeply loved and allow God's love to comfort you. Now this doesn't happen immediately because the emotions are high and the fear is boiling but as you begin to turn off the heat by renewing your mind eventually the boiling stops and Victory comes! 

 

Have you ever opened the door for someone, and they just walk through like they deserved it and never say thank you? Do ever say to your spouse "I love you" but never hear it back? While these may be a small-scale type of thing you still feel the sting of rejection from their demanding, self-centered response back don't you!  

 

While the world is selfish and says, "me first" and "I deserve", believers are told to give to others first. This is a big part and first thing that is taught after becoming a believer. 

 

We receive from Christ and give to others but so often those who receive don't give back anything. This then becomes a burden as mentioned in the scripture above. When the person who keeps receiving never gives back to the giver it can become a burdened and they will be dishearten, lose interest or become needy themselves when there is nothing in return. They give materially, financially or edifying them in some way, but what comes back is not even a thank you. This can and will were on the giver mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The rejection is subtill and usually delayed but it still hurts!

 

Paul encourages the gentiles to give back to the Jews that gave them Christ! To give back to them in some way that helps them and also to say thank you. 

 

If someone edifies you or ministers to you in some way tell them, you appreciate it. If your able to give back, do it for you never know how much it means to them. There is an equality between believers that means we minister to one another when one needs help. Don't be afraid to ask for help either for that is good for you and bless others also.

 

While the world's way is buying and selling, giving and receiving is Gods way! 

 

It sems we all make some kind of New Year resolutions. Most of us want to lose weight or get back in shape. Some go way overboard on their resolutions but most fail anyway.

 

There is nothing wrong with making a new resolution especially if has to do with God's word. If you haven't read the word for a while it would be good to make some goals for yourself. 

 

 

Start with small attainable goals first than add as you go along. Small attainable goals get you started and complete therefore successful. Perhaps start by reading the book of Ephesians. This may only take a few days to a week to read. Then Philippians and again only a few days. Then Colossians and that would make tree books in one month, not bad and GOOD JOB!!!

 

 

Then Start Romans and try reading a chapter a day. There are 16 chapters so that will take you a little more than 2 weeks. Just remember these are guidelines. If it takes a little longer so, be it but start reading as much you can when you can.

 

I used to read at lunch and any breaks I could even if it was just a few verses. After a while I had a whole chapter over a day of breaks or lunch time. Don't limit yourself to only mornings or nighttime but read as much as you can when you can. I find reading during breakfast, lunch and dinner is a good way to stay grounded throughout the day.

 

 

The best way to get over not doing something is to just do it regardless of your feelings. Stay disciplined and do short things first and go from there. One more point is to remember to start over after doing long books with short books or if you find yourself getting tired of reading. Accomplishing small things matures us to handle more and more.

 

Happy reading and have a GREAT NEW YEAR IN GOD'S WORD!!! 

While the world celebrates Christmas with Santa and gifts the Christian world celebrates the birth of Christ, YET I say to you that it is not the birth but the Conception that is the TRUE miracle!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE!!!

AMEN AND ALLELUIAH!!!

  

While the world celebrates Christmas with trees, presents and Santa we believers KNOW why Jesus was born! Jesus was born to SAVE sinners! 

AND God's desire was that ALL men would come to Christ! 

 

Dear Saints, we want to never lose sight of what Christmas really is about. Tell your kids, grand kids, friends and family what Christmas is really about. Teach them and read the scriptures to them. Tell them How to be saved by grace through faith alone! Tell them Christ died and rose again because He loved them. Tell the WORLD, share the GOSPLE and always remember that Christmas is about SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD!!!!!

 

Here is a short version of my teaching for this Sunday.

The world celebrates Jesus's birth in December! I have taught over and over that His birth was not in December, but the world celebrates, so let's go with it for now. 

 

Now Christmas is supposed to be about Christ and His birth, not trees or presents or Sants Clause! 

 

But Jesus was born into this world to save the world.

 

BUT nowhere after His birth do we see the Word of God saying to celebrate this event!!! That's right No where, Not in Acts or in Paul's epistles, NO where!!!

 

The reason we are not to focus on His birth but rather on these things are simple!

1. We are to focus and walk by faith in His works! His cross work and salvation! His death, burial and resurrection!

 

2. We are to focus on sharing the gospel of grace! We are to share and preach Jesus according to the mystery and make all men know the fellowship of the mystery!

3. We are to find comfort in the rapture!

 

4. We are to love others especially those of the Body of Christ!  

 

And finally, while the world celebrates Christ birth let us celebrate His Life, Works and Future In Him!

LET US.... 

 

There are MANY reasons children go bad as the saying goes. Even the best parents have children that do not come to the Lord and choose a life of drugs or worse. There are times though that parents do play a role in the child going bad! 

 

The bible says 

When parents choose to believe, think and behave in ungodly ways they will pass this on. Sometimes they will be way to liberal or way to strict! Liberal thinking allows the child to do whatever they want without consequences and to strict will make them bitter and angry at the world, and both will rebel and reject authority. Most parents fall into the liberal stage and allow the kids to believe and behave however they want.

 

This last week, Rob Riener's son stabbed and killed both of his parents. He had a long history of drug abuse. Rob Reiner was an actor and known for his far-left typical Hollywood liberal beliefs, which I believe seeped into his parenting skills. Did you ever notice how many kids in Hollywood end up in that same place. 

 

How we think comes out one way or another. Now there are many reasons kids go bad and sometimes but NOT always it is the parents' fault, so we do need to look at ourselves and see how our beliefs and behavior match up to the righteous discipline and love of our Lord Jesus!

 

By the way here are a few verses that tell us how to deal with our children at times. 

While the book of Matthew is about Israel's Earthly Kingdom and King, the book of John has some interesting things to say about "the King" also! Jesus is and was to be the "King of Israel! 

 

He came for that purpose, and we celebrate His birth at this time of year even though He was not really born at this time This baby that was born was really the King, Priest and Prophet of Israel! This baby was God in the flesh and yes is King of kings!

 

YET Israel rejected Him! They even were going to force Him to be King with no authority. They did not believe in Him but wanted to use Him for their own self-centeredness, power and gain. 

 

It just goes to show how far mankind can go in their wickedness and at the same time show us how Righteous Jesus is. He could have said OK I'll do it and then wiped them off the earth, but He didn't! His character is flawless and so we too should follow His example.

 

Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords rather you believe it or not, but in order to have eternal life, freedom and security we must always believe, trust and come by faith in order to receive all the benefits this Great King has to offer!

Grace to You, and 

Let us Praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! 

Paul calls the Galatians foolish for constantly trying to work their way into God's good graces. They were trying to do the works of the law instead of walking by the Spirit! 

 

Sadly, this is what so many believers do today! "O FOOLISH GENTILES" TODAY I SAY! How do they do this you ask, by constantly living in the instructions given to Israel. The books of Matthew-John as well as Hebrews -Revelations are all written for Israel.

On posts or in counseling I often say we are saved by grace through faith alone but what comes back so often is the same old rhetoric "faith without works is dead" from James.

AND then to add to this is 

 

So, if Paul says we are saved by grace through faith and that we are justified by faith alone,

then something is wrong. 

These two teachers are opposite of one another. Either one is wrong or both are right! Is this a contradiction or WHAT!!! This is why Paul says, "O FOOLISH GALTIANS"!!

The answer always lies in 

RIGHTLY DIVIDING the WORD OF TRUTH! All the bible is true, but we must learn to divide what is written to us and what is written to Israel. Our instructions verse Israels instructions! JAMES clearly says in verse 1:1 to the twelve tribes of Israel!!! 

STOP being confused or walking by law and works. Live and walk by the Spirit because were the Spirit lives there is LIBERTY!

 

It is easy to think of Mary as a young woman who was so faithful and innocent like. I sometimes think of her as being a young and beautiful young woman, but I don't know that for sure. I do know she was not perfect or sinless but young and faithful. The angel came and said to her 

 

God chose her because of His great "favor' toward her. It was not anything she had done or anything that was outstanding about her nor was she "sinless or "holy", but that God desired to bless her.

 

Now the word "favor" is the same word we enjoy today. That word is "grace", and it means favor. It is by God's favor to bless us with the opportunity to be saved without Israel, law or works. It is by God's grace that we are blessed by Christ death and resurrection! It is by grace that He looked down from heaven and said, "I will put my favor, or my grace will extend to the gentile world"!

 

Israel lost that favor when they rejected Christ but by God's Great Love for the world, He extended that "favor, that grace" to the gentile world! He did this while we were Still Sinners! While we were lost and dead in sin. Oh, What great "favor"!

 

YOU are highly favored dear Saint! God loves you so much and desired to have you that He sent His Son to die for your sins! Let us be so thankful for God's Great FAVOR!!!

 

 

 

I recently saw a post about this verse and the guy was saying we need to Re-fill ourselves with the spirit. He was saying as he quoted Spurgeon saying, "he leaked" and that is why we need to re-fill ourselves with the Spirit. That we somehow lose the Spirit and can lose our salvation and must be saved and regenerated over and over. This is not true and puts the believer on a running wheel like mice that never stops. We are never secure, so we lose hope, try harder and as we desperately try to keep being filled with the Spirit!!!

 

You will notice that the word Spirit is capitalized! That means The Holy Spirit and that The Holy Spirit is within us ALWAYS if we are saved. We are sealed in Christ by the Holy Spirit! 

 

So you see we are already "full" of the Spirit because we cannot worship God without the Spirit! 

 

The Holy Spirit lives in our Spirit permanently, so Eph 4:18 is talking about the SOUL! The Soul is where our mind, will and emotions are and where we struggle the most. It is saying to renew our mind by what is true in our spirit and THAT is by the HOLY SPIRIT! We are to PUT ON what is true and righteous and godly for that is what is IN our spirit! The Holy, Righteous and Godly Spirit is within us ALREADY

 

What Eph 5:18 is saying is that we need to do exactly what Paul says in Eph 4

 

Renew your mind with the truth that is already IN YOU! You are a child of God who is deeply loved, totally accepted and completely forgiven in Christ! You are a New Creature that is SEALED, SECURE AND SAVED IN CHRIST!!!