Month: March 2018

Wednesday 3/7 ~ Even if they do it over and over?

On By In forgiveness, humility, sin1 Comment

The Scripture for today, March 7 (3/7), is Titus 3:7 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-1st Century Worship KINDLE-COVER-Thumbnail“So that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”

Being “just” means being correct, being law abiding, being perfect. No one is. Romans 3:23 says “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

But God wants you to live in his home so much, he was willing to overlook your sins and pretend you are correct, law-abiding, perfect ~ just. When you follow God and obey the few commands he has for you in the New Testament to become a Christian and stay a Christian, in his eyes, you become just.

Not only just, but God has put you in his last will and testament, what we call the New Testament. It contains his guidelines and what you will inherit. Your inheritance is explained in large part in Revelation ~ God’s heaven. And what an inheritance!

But, back to the overlooking part.  God does so to the same extent you overlook the sins others commit against you.  Yes, even if they do it over and over, just like you commit the same sins over and over and expect God to forgive you.  Now, where is your inheritance?

.

This book is FREE if you are willing to read it and pass it on:  https://1st-century-christianity.com

 

Tuesday 3/6 ~ Twists and turns, shortcuts and detours

On By In Bible, Heaven, problems, SatanLeave a comment

The scripture for today, March 6 (3/6), is Proverbs 3:6 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Mefiboset-KINDLE Thumbnail“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Is your life full of twists and turns, shortcuts that never work out, detours, mountains to climb and valleys to make your way through?  Welcome to the human race. Life on earth can be hard.  Did you know the Bible calls Satan the god of this world (2nd Corinthians 4:4) and ruler of this world (John 12:31)?

Your path to heaven is another matter. Your path to heaven is straight. God has done everything in his power to straighten your path and make it easier for you to reach him. How? By providing his Son to die in your place for our sins, and by providing you with His Word to read anytime you see trouble ahead (Psalm 119:105).

Do you see a mountain ahead of you that is impossible to climb or valley so full of darkness you cannot bear the thought of entering it? Do you see a curve in the road ahead of you and dread knowing where it will lead you to?

Colossians 1:13 says God can rescue you from Satan’s domain of darkness and transfer you to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. There God takes control. There God says, “Hold on a minute, Christian, while I lower than mountain, brighten that valley, straighten that curve.”

The path to heaven ~ thanks to our merciful God ~ is straight. What path are you on?

Monday 3/5 ~ God took care of the hard part

On By In Death of Jesus Christ, faith, Saved from hell, sinLeave a comment

The scripture for today, March 5 (3/5), is Titus 3:5 in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-Thumbnail“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

God is perfectly good and cannot dwell with imperfection. How, then, could we ever live with him in his heaven?  After all, as hard as we tried, we could not be perfect. Mankind was held hostage by Satan.

God loved us so much that he solved our dilemma. He sent his Son to live that perfect life that is impossible for us to live. Then, his perfect “Lamb of God” took our punishment for our sins by paying the ransom to get us out of the clutches of Satan.

Romans 3:23 says the earnings of sin is death ~ physical death (separation from this world) and spiritual death (separation from God). Jesus took it all for us. And that included being completely separated from God. At the worst of it, Jesus cried out to God, “Why have your FORSAKEN me?” That’s when Jesus died spiritually for a while. It was we who deserved to be forsaken by God.

Sin and its power now destroyed, God said if we go “through the washing of rebirth” we will be renewed by the Holy Spirit.  

But how? God did not leave us guessing, for in Acts 22:16 he said through Peter, “Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins” and in Romans 6:4 he said through Paul, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism in order that…we too may live a new life [rebirth].”  Then we could start over pure and washed.

God took care of the hard part. He gave us the easy part. And so we worship him.

Sunday 3/4 ~ Are we giving up paradise?

On By In forgiveness, humility, judgingLeave a comment

(Since we did today’s yesterday, we shall do yesterday’s today. Hmmm…  No one caught it. Usually, someone does.)

The scripture for today, March 3, is Genesis 3:3 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00-LUKE-KINDLE Cover-Thumbnail” ‘But God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it or you will die.’ “

This is a conversation Eve is having with Satan in the Garden of Eden. She was a little put out by God that he would withhold even one item from her. So she misrepresented God. What God actually said was…

“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Eve had added to what God had said: “You must not touch it.”

Do we do that? When we get put out by someone, do we embellish a little and add a few little things to an event in order to make the other person look worse than s/he really is? Are we in the habit of making ourselves a victim so we can get other people’s sympathy and maybe get other people to act on our behalf? Or perhaps we do it to “brag” how great our adversity it over and above all others’ adversity, thus gaining admirers?

1st Corinthians 13:5 says love does not keep a record of wrongs. If you have a feud going with someone, try breaking the cycle. 1st Corinthians 13:7 says love protects, always trusts, always hopes. Had Satan convinced Eve to stop loving God? 

It’s easy to do when God is made “the bad guy”.  It’s easy to stop loving others if they are always the “bad guy”.  What are we missing by not extending love even to those who are not nice to us? Who knows? Are we giving up paradise?

 

 

Saturday 3/3 ~ But how powerful it is

On By In blessings, Daily, Inspirational, Thanksgiving2 Comments

The scripture for today, March 4 (3/4), is James 3:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

04-Isaac&Jacob-KindleThumbnail.jpg“Take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.”

James, in this scripture, is talking about the tongue being a small thing, but it can get our entire lives into a lot of trouble. Once we say things, we cannot take them back.

What do you spend your day saying to people? You do have a choice. People do more good things than bad things. Do you respond to them with more good or more bad words? It is your choice.

When you compliment someone, they will take heart and try to do that good thing even more. When you berate someone, they will lose heart and probably do the bad thing again. Years ago there was a saying, “You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” Are your words honey or vinegar?

Jesus said out of our heart comes our words. If you normally say nice things to others, it shows you have a nice heart. If you normally say hard things to others, it shows you have a hard heart.  Jesus also said, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Starting now, when you launch out into a new day, go of your way to say small nice things to people.  The rudder of your tongue may be small, but oh how powerful it is. It could help guide someone through a storm you don’t even know about. How powerful your words are.

 

Friday 3/2 ~ Do you love anyone more than yourself?

On By In faith, family, good works, InspirationalLeave a comment

The scripture for today, March 2, is 2nd Corinthians 3:2 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 4-FolkHero-Cover-Kindle-thumbnail-new“You yourselves are our letter written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.”

As important as it is to read the Bible for yourself and determine for yourself what you will follow, it is equally important to put those things into your heart at the ready for practical life application on a moment’s notice. But isn’t knowledge of truth enough?  Just giving our heart to Jesus as Lord isn’t enough?

James 2:19 says that even demons believe, but they are still demons and still bound for hell. It takes more than faith. There are things to do.

Are you a letter from God to people around you? Or do you have a double standard, acting one way around worshipers and another way around non-worshipers? People read our hearts by our words and actions. What do people read in your heart?

Do you absolutely and completely believe people will go to hell without Jesus? Do you absolutely and completely believe people have to rise above demons who believe but who are still going to hell? Do you absolutely and completely believe you could be the only one in your family’s and friends’ lives who care enough for their soul that you will actually say something ~ put your heart letter into words?

Do you love them more than yourself? Do you love anyone more than yourself? Do you love them enough?

Thursday 3/1 ~ When I could stand it no longer…

On By In good works, Loss, problemsLeave a comment

The scripture for today, March 1 (3/1), is 1st Thessalonians 3:1,5 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Thumbnail“So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens…For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.”

In Thessalonica, there had been a riot, and the man who had given Paul and his helpers a place to live was hauled into court. Paul just couldn’t put his host through that so “when we could stand it no longer” he left the city and went off by himself so he wouldn’t jeopardize anyone else.

Still the great Apostle Paul ~ who went everywhere preaching non-stop for decades; who stood up under beatings, stonings, hunger, and shipwrecks; who explained to church leaders how to lead their congregation; whose letters were prophecy and became scripture ~ the powerful Apostle Paul still felt very tenderly toward his fellow Christians.

He worried about how they were getting along spiritually. And when he “could stand it no longer,” he wrote back to Thessalonica to find out how they were doing.

Tender love is a powerful love. A strong love. A love that will never, ever let go. Do you feel this way about the spiritual well-being of other people? Is there someone you need to call or write to today because you want to find out how they are?  Do you have any words of encouragement for them? Any at all?