As a nation, the United States just celebrated Thanksgiving Day. Many of us were blessed enough to sit down with our families, enjoy a tremendous amount of good food, and watch some good football games.
America is a free nation. We are not perfect, but we enjoy many freedoms that a lot of other people around the world do not enjoy.
The message of the Bible is that we should always give thanks - not just once a year, but everyday.
Consider the following Scriptures:
1. "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18
2. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name." - Psalm 100:4
3. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." - Philippians 4:6
As Christians, we have a lot to be thankful for. God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins, and was resurrected from the dead for our justification (Romans 4:25). We have a hope of spending an eternity with God in heaven, and we have a mission of trying to get as many people on earth to join us in this ultimate victory.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
The Rewards of Rest
I am enjoying rest from graduate school for a few weeks. Rest is a gift from God. It is a time to relax, reflect, refocus, and renew commitments to fulfilling goals.
The Bible has much to say about rest for God's people.
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." ~ Psalm 62:5
"The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble." ~ Proverbs 19:23
“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." ~ Matthew 11:28-29
"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his." ~ Hebrews 4:9-10
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” ~ Revelation 14:13
The Bible has much to say about rest for God's people.
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." ~ Psalm 62:5
"The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble." ~ Proverbs 19:23
“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." ~ Matthew 11:28-29
"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his." ~ Hebrews 4:9-10
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” ~ Revelation 14:13
Saturday, June 18, 2011
The Benefits of Being a Child of God
God is my Father - Galatians 1:3-4
Jesus Christ is My LORD and Brother - Romans 5:1; Hebrews 2:10-12
The Holy Spirit is My Counselor and Intercessor - John 14:16; Romans 8:26-27
My Sins are Forgiven - Ephesians 1:7; Revelation 1:5
I am an Heir of God and a Co-Heir with Christ - Romans 8:17
I am a Slave of Righteousness - Romans 6:18
I am in the Kingdom of Light - Colossians 1:12
God Hears My Prayers - 1 Peter 3:12; 1 John 5:14
I have been Raised with Christ and Seated in the Heavenly Realms - Colossians 3:1; Ephesians 2:6
I am a New Creation - 2 Corinthians 5:17
I have Direct Access to God - Ephesians 2:18
I am in the Body of Christ - 1 Corinthians 12:27
I am Part of the Royal Priesthood - 1 Peter 2:9
My Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit - 1 Corinthians 6:19
I am a Citizen of Heaven - Philippians 3:20
I have Eternal Life - 1 John 5:13
Jesus Christ is My LORD and Brother - Romans 5:1; Hebrews 2:10-12
The Holy Spirit is My Counselor and Intercessor - John 14:16; Romans 8:26-27
My Sins are Forgiven - Ephesians 1:7; Revelation 1:5
I am an Heir of God and a Co-Heir with Christ - Romans 8:17
I am a Slave of Righteousness - Romans 6:18
I am in the Kingdom of Light - Colossians 1:12
God Hears My Prayers - 1 Peter 3:12; 1 John 5:14
I have been Raised with Christ and Seated in the Heavenly Realms - Colossians 3:1; Ephesians 2:6
I am a New Creation - 2 Corinthians 5:17
I have Direct Access to God - Ephesians 2:18
I am in the Body of Christ - 1 Corinthians 12:27
I am Part of the Royal Priesthood - 1 Peter 2:9
My Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit - 1 Corinthians 6:19
I am a Citizen of Heaven - Philippians 3:20
I have Eternal Life - 1 John 5:13
Monday, April 18, 2011
The Warrior's Prayer
Based upon the Holy Bible verses found at Ephesians 6:11-17, this prayer is for spiritual warriors.
The Warrior's Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Your warrior prepares for battle.
Today I claim victory over Satan by putting on the whole armor of God!
I put on the Girdle of Truth!
May I stand firm in the truth of Your Word
so I will not be a victum of Satan's
and his demons' lies.
I put on the breastplate of Righteousness!
May it guard my heart from evil
so I will remain pure and holy,
protected under the blood of Jesus Christ.
I put on the Shoes of Peace!
May I stand firm in the Good News of the Gospel
so Your peace will shine through me
and be a light to all I encounter.
I take the Shield of Faith!
May I be ready for Satan's fiery darts of
doubt, denial and deceit
so I will not be vulnerable to spiritual defeat.
I put on the Helmet of Salvation!
May I keep my mind focused on You
so Satan will not have a stronghold on my
thoughts.
I take the Sword of the Spirit!
May the two edged sword of Your Word
be ready in my hands
so I can expose the tempting words of Satan.
By faith your warrior has put on
the whole armor of God!
I am prepared to live this day, in spiritual victory!
In His most Holy Name!!!
Amenwww.savedbyhisblood.com/TheWarriorsPrayer.htm
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Problem of Not Knowing God
"After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the LORD to anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. In his anger against Israel the LORD handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the LORD was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress." - Judges 2:10-15
This is a powerful text of Scripture in the Holy Bible. It underscores that an ENTIRE GENERATION of people in ancient Israel did not know God. They were His chosen people in the Old Testament. They had received the law of God from Mt. Sinai, which provided them with a whole host of instructions ranging from how to worship God to how to keep kosher with the food they ate. At some point in Israel's history, these instructions were not passed down to the next generation. The Bible is clear: "Another Generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel." Translation: they lost connection with the Creator of the universe and forgot what He had done for them throughout their own history. Does this sound familiar folks?
In the United States today there is a whole generation of people that does not know God. We have become a society of lawlessness covered under the umbrella of laws. Because we as a nation have removed God from the public and private square of our lives, it should not shock us that we see a startling and growing divorce rate, a distortion and redefining of marriage, sanctioned homosexual marriage in some states, more broken families, violence, corporate scandals manifested by stealing people's retirement benefits while CEOs receive grossly exaggerated amounts of money, an unequal justice system, and hate crimes of all kinds. I see why the kids are out of control with anger and rage. They are confused, many of them abandoned, and they think they've found love and acceptance in gangs. But at the end of the day, they, too, are accountable for their actions.
As ancient Israel forsook the LORD as recorded in the book of Judges, God gave them over to their enemies, they were no longer successful as a nation, and they reaped what they sowed. None of us is perfect by any stretch of the imagination. We all need to humble ourselves before our Maker and invite Him to bring about the kind of transformation in our lives that will bring about a greater good for not only us as individuals but for our society at large. My prayer for all of us is that we learn from history, so that we can make better decisions today, which can profoundly and positively affect tomorrow's outcome. May God help us in this endeavor.
Remember ... GOD WANTS YOU!!!!
This is a powerful text of Scripture in the Holy Bible. It underscores that an ENTIRE GENERATION of people in ancient Israel did not know God. They were His chosen people in the Old Testament. They had received the law of God from Mt. Sinai, which provided them with a whole host of instructions ranging from how to worship God to how to keep kosher with the food they ate. At some point in Israel's history, these instructions were not passed down to the next generation. The Bible is clear: "Another Generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel." Translation: they lost connection with the Creator of the universe and forgot what He had done for them throughout their own history. Does this sound familiar folks?
In the United States today there is a whole generation of people that does not know God. We have become a society of lawlessness covered under the umbrella of laws. Because we as a nation have removed God from the public and private square of our lives, it should not shock us that we see a startling and growing divorce rate, a distortion and redefining of marriage, sanctioned homosexual marriage in some states, more broken families, violence, corporate scandals manifested by stealing people's retirement benefits while CEOs receive grossly exaggerated amounts of money, an unequal justice system, and hate crimes of all kinds. I see why the kids are out of control with anger and rage. They are confused, many of them abandoned, and they think they've found love and acceptance in gangs. But at the end of the day, they, too, are accountable for their actions.
As ancient Israel forsook the LORD as recorded in the book of Judges, God gave them over to their enemies, they were no longer successful as a nation, and they reaped what they sowed. None of us is perfect by any stretch of the imagination. We all need to humble ourselves before our Maker and invite Him to bring about the kind of transformation in our lives that will bring about a greater good for not only us as individuals but for our society at large. My prayer for all of us is that we learn from history, so that we can make better decisions today, which can profoundly and positively affect tomorrow's outcome. May God help us in this endeavor.
Remember ... GOD WANTS YOU!!!!
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