Much of “Christianity” today has digressed from a commitment to follow Christ to an “everything goes” attitude that gives false spiritual security. It’s a “new age religion” that says we can do our own thing and know that God loves and accepts each one of us just as we are now. It’s no wonder that this deception is growing so rapidly! Continue reading
Holy Spirit
How Will They Hear if we Don’t Tell Them?
This world is moving speedily toward its end and there is a lot going on around us that confirms things are changing—just as Jesus said they would in the last days. We are surrounded in escalating crime, horrendous acts of anti-Semitism, growing starvation and poverty, and uncontrollable immorality that is sponsored and promoted in every facet of the media around us. If ever there was a time when the gospel of Jesus and His hope of salvation needed to be heard, it’s now! But how will the people hear it if we don’t tell them? Continue reading
Don’t Let the Mockers Deceive You!
The Bible warns us that in the last days there will be mockers who will come at us from every resource to make fun of Jesus and His deity, and that if the Christians who profess to love Him don’t really know Him, even they will be deceived. Don’t let the mockers deceive YOU!
“These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.” … Jude 1:16-19
Hollywood has reaped its successes by portraying every type of life scenario to draw in a global viewing audience. And what better way to include the millions of so-called Christians than to make a religious movie that depicts the truth about their Savior?
Unfortunately, not even Hollywood with all of its modern technology can reveal the truth about Jesus to anyone. Why not? Because the Bible tells us that only the Holy Spirit will reveal God to us, and when we watch a so-called “Godly” movie and it’s different from the truth, we know that the Spirit wasn’t involved. It’s produced by mockers who are led by money, success and box office reviews.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” … 2 Timothy 3:16
The movie, Son of God, has just been released in theatres and the hype that has gone ahead of its debut has made Christians and non-Christians alike curious about what it entails. Non-Christians, who have no idea who Jesus is or what His purpose is or what He has done for us, will view this movie and think, “What a great guy!” But Christians who watch this movie and who know Jesus will see that it’s just another Hollywood attempt to mock God.
There is only one way to learn about Jesus, to know who He is and what He’s done for us. There is only ONE way! That is to read the Bible and pray that the Spirit of God reveal Him to us. There is no other way. The only way to Heaven is through Jesus, not through a film that has changed the truth to adamant lies to deceive its viewers.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” … John 14:6
Peter walked with Jesus and knew that He was special, but it wasn’t until the Holy Spirit revealed the truth to him that he knew who Jesus really was.
“’ Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’” … Matthew 16:17
If we are truly searching for the truth about Jesus, then we have to go to the source – the Bible! And we have to study it. We cannot go to the world and expect that they would know anything about God, and if we go there then we have to realize that what we’ll see are lies and deception. God does NOT lead us into temptation and we have to be mature enough to stay away from it.
“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” … Matthew 6:13
Sunny Shell, author of the Christian blog, Abandoned to Christ, recently viewed the movie, Son of God, and published her observations. She compares the movie to the Bible and notes that this film does NOT represent the truth about the Bible, about Jesus or about events that took place during His earthly ministry. It’s an emotional deception that shows Jesus to be a “nice person”, but without purpose, deity or power, and the events have been changed enough to shock those who do know their Bible. Read her review and learn what changes were made and how the truth has been distorted to produce a new age Jesus, and not the Jesus of the Bible it claims to represent.
Sadly, though, many people will be baited by the actors’ performances that will convince them otherwise, and they will be lost in the hype and the emotions of the movie’s deception. As Christians, we need to encourage other believers to read the Bible if they want to know Jesus and to leave Hollywood to do their thing of entertaining idle minds.
Jesus is Lord and He won’t be mocked. Beware and don’t let the mockers deceive YOU!
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” … John 10:27
Being Thankful for the Greatest Gift of All
Today many of us will sit down to a festive turkey dinner with family and friends as we give thanks for all we have. We will thank God for our home, our family, our job, our health and our physical blessings, but these are only the effects that we get from the greatest gift of all.
God has given us salvation through the shed blood of His Son, Jesus, on the cross. He gave His life so that we could live. He took on all of our sins so that He could drop them off in hell where they will stay forever. Jesus made us righteous so that we can be part of the family of God. For this we must always be truly grateful.
If Jesus hadn’t come down from Heaven in the first place and lived among us for thirty-three years, we wouldn’t know some of the wonderful things that He shared with us about our Heavenly Father. Jesus told us in 1 John 4:7, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” We need to know this because many of us have read the Old Testament and think that God is hard and merciless, when in fact, He loves us so much that He sent His own Son to die in our place.
We have the promise of being in Heaven with Him forever and we know this because Jesus said in John 14:2, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” What a blessed promise this is!
Jesus has given us the ability to be healed from all sickness and disease when we give them to Him, believe His Word and trust Him. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”
He has promised to give us everything that we need to live in this world 
so we can be productive Christians. We can trust Him to prosper our lives in material wealth, BUT that does not mean we become greedy and follow prosperity teaching. It means that God knows we have needs and desires and when we’re faithful to Him He will bless us. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Jesus promised that He would be with us through all the tribulations that this world will put us through. We live amongst a sinful and ungodly people and we are very susceptible to negative influence and trials that will be set against us. Jesus knew what this world was like because He lived in it and experienced first-hand the satanic oppression that comes against believers. And He has not left us to go through them alone, but rather God promised in Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Jesus warned us that life as a Christian would not be easy, but He also told us that with Him we can be over-comers. John 16:33 says, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” What a wonderful promise!
We can talk to God anytime, anyplace and as often as we want because we have His precious Holy Spirit in us. It’s like a free live telecommunication that links us directly to God. There is nothing too big or too trivial for us to talk to God about. His Spirit in us keeps the airwaves open so that we are never alone. John the Baptist spoke of this promise in Matthew 3:11 “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
This precious gift of the Holy Spirit is one that we are so thankful for because He teaches us the truth of the gospel and the big picture of God when we read the Bible. Without God’s Spirit in us to teach us, the Bible is just another book; one that’s filled with good instruction for a better life, as well as an awesome history book. And without the Holy Spirit teaching us, we will NEVER know God. John 14:26 says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
Jesus is deserving of all of our praise today and throughout eternity because He gave up His home in Heaven to live a transient life on earth, and then gave Himself as a sacrifice for us so that we wouldn’t be punished for our sins. And because of Him, we can have good health, a wonderful home, a loving family and the hope of eternity with Him. There is nothing any Christian can be more thankful for than the greatest gift of – Jesus.
Let’s take time today and every day to praise the Lord and thank Him for what He has done for us!
“I will praise You with my whole heart;
Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
2 I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name
For Your loving-kindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.”
…. Psalm 138:1-3
Thank you, Jesus!
What is love?
The Bible is all about love and it tells us that God is the epitome of love. John 3:16 says that He gave His own Son as a sacrifice for us, and although this shows what the essence of love is, it gets lost in the modern world. Even in the Christian realm love has been confused with emotions and social liberation, and too many people have lost the true meaning of the word and really wonder, what is love?
Love is the motivation within us that causes us to act and react the way we do. It’s the virtue that allows us to love others. It’s the commitment to God, the reverence and respect for Him, the appreciation for the life He has given us, and the reason for our devotion to Him. It is the most important virtue that we have and without it we are nothing but shells that exist through the natural creation of humanity.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 tells us the importance of love:
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself (does not boast), is not puffed up,
5 Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;
6 Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abides faith, hope, charity (love), these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Why is love the greatest virtue? Why is it more important than faith in God?
We can learn about God; we can accept everything we read about God; and we can understand all that He is. We can even believe that He is God and that His Word is life and that it is power. This is the knowledge that is the foundation for love and the basis for our faith in Him. But we must activate our faith to show our love because without love our actions are carnal.
James 2:20 says, “Faith without works is dead.”
Love is the feeling in our heart, the commitment, the devotion, the allegiance and constancy, the trustworthiness and the dependence that we have towards God. We can know it all but there’s only one way to get it in our heart, and that is through the Holy Spirit. He is love, God’s love in us.
When His Holy Spirit is in us, the love of God resides in us and we inherit His loving personality. We have the same heartfelt commitment and purpose as God and our reason for doing what we do is because we want to share the truth of God with others. It’s not just an emotion or an obligation as a Christian; it’s God’s love living and loving through us.
And when His love is in us we are able to love others in spite of their faults, and we are able to forgive those who hurt us and offend us, and we are able to do all that we do with a pure heart because we don’t treat others badly or the way some of them may treat us. We treat them the way that Jesus treats us – with love.
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God.” … 1 John 4:7
Why Do We Need to Love God?
Many religious denominations teach us that obedience is the key to a successful Christian life, but obedience is only one of the contributing factors; it’s not the main issue. For a healthy Christian life we need to love God.
It’s not difficult to develop a love for God when we understand who He is and what He has done for us. The Bible says in John 3:16 that He loved us so much that He sent His Son to be a sacrifice for us so that we wouldn’t have to endure the punishment of sin. Out of love Jesus took our sin upon Himself and was separated from God so that He could take that sin to hell.
This was no easy task for Jesus. He had never been separated from His father before and now He was hanging on a cross, bleeding and broken, with all of our sin and sickness raging through His body while the demons of the devil surrounded Him and waited to drag Him to hell.
A migraine headache is horrible, but He took on everyone’s migraine headaches. And the pain and sorrow of diseases like cancer and heart disease – He took them all upon Himself. Most people have no concept of the torment that ripped through Jesus’s body.
Can you imagine the pain that Jesus suffered with all our sin and sickness thrust upon Him? And this wasn’t just for the people He grew up with, His family and friends who He loved. This sacrifice was for the millions of people around the world who never met Him. All the malicious rapists and murderers that committed hideous and disgusting crimes who we cringe at and hate – Jesus had a love for their souls and took upon Himself even their sins so that if they ever repented and accepted His sacrifice, even they would be forgiven and saved.
When Jesus went to the cross He demonstrated the epitome of love. No other person on earth could ever do what Jesus did. No one would stand in the gap of a child murderer and say, “I’ll take his punishment so that he can stand before God and be clean and forgiven”. Most people have a hard time forgiving evil doers, let alone wanting God to forgive them and let them into Heaven, and no one in their right mind would ever take on their punishment for them.
But Jesus did because He is God’s Son, and He and our Father both love us with unconditional love. Jesus took our punishment before we even repented – before we even knew Him – and He’s taken the punishment for millions of people who refuse to repent and accept what He’s done. Jesus knew this would be the outcome and yet, He did it anyway. John 3:17 says that He wants everyone to be saved and He never excluded anyone from the blessing.
So, when we look to God we shouldn’t perceive Him as an idol to be worshipped, but as a spiritual being – that we all are – who loves us more than we could possibly know.
Obedience requires a constant chastening of the mind and a control over our actions, but love has no borders, no rules, and no conditions. The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:8 that love covers a multitude of sins. It doesn’t judge and it doesn’t condemn. Love is forgiving and gives the opportunity of a second chance.
When we see God as the father of love, and we see what He has done for us and we accept Him for who He is, God gives us His spirit to help us stay in touch with Him. Romans 5:5 says that the love of God is in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. It’s not through our acts of obedience but through the committment of our hearts that unites us with God through His Spirit.
Even in our natural lives it’s easy for us to love and bless our own children, but we don’t have that same feeling towards the children of the neighborhood or of other communities. Just as our children are bonded to us through our relationship with them, so are we bonded to our Heavenly Father through our relationship with Him. And His Spirit is in us and fills us with the love that God has always had for us so that we can also love Him.
“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” … 1 John 4:10
