Tag Archive | Jesus Christ

God is speaking! Are you listening?

Aug10

Question: How do I make sure I’m listening to God?

Answer: You can know that you are listening to God. You can start by being faithful in praying for God to give you clear direction, and regularly reading God’s Word to see what He wants us to know! When Believers pray for direction, God will hear and answer our prayers according to His will for us. For example, in Psalm 32:8, God says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go…”(NKJV) So, as He instructs us, we need to listen.

Also, in Proverbs 3:5-6, God tells us to, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” By praying we show that we are listening to God. We can trust Him to do what He says He will do and to give us guidance.

We also show that we are listening to God when we regularly read and study the Bible and when we pray for understanding as we read. The following are just a few of the Scriptures that reveal why this is important. Listen to what God is saying to us.

“But He (Jesus Christ) answered (Satan) and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” (Matthew 4:4)

“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

When we study God’s word and pray for understanding, we learn what God has to say to us. Once we listen to what God has say, we as Believers, need to do what He tells us to do. As we learn in James 1:22, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only…”

So, for example, when you hear in God’s word that we all need to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior (John 14:6, Acts 16:30-31, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:9), do you listen and accept Christ as your one and only Savior? Or, do you continue to reject God?

When you hear in God’s word that He has made promises to those who believe – to save them, forgive their sins when they ask, help them, and be with them always (John 3:16, Jeremiah 29:11, 2 Corinthians 2:19-20), do you listen and believe Him? Or, do you doubt Him?

When you hear in God’s word that He wants His believers to live their lives to please Him and to spread the good news of the Gospel to everyone in the world (Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 28:18-20), do you listen? Or, do you choose not to prioritize living according to God’s instruction? Do you not tell others about Jesus?

Remember, God will speak to us when we are faithful to pray and study His word. So, make sure you’re listening!

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Be careful who you listen to for the truth!

Jul5

Question:  One of my college religion professors told us that we should not interpret the Bible as being literally given by God. Is he right?

Answer:  No. Your professor is wrong! That’s another reason why we should read God’s  Holy Word for ourselves, so we can learn the truth. According to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (NKJV)

Therefore, your professor can be added to a list of people you must be careful of, when you listen to them, if you are a Believer.  The Apostle John warns Christians not to believe everything they are told about matters pertaining to their faith. For there will be many claiming they are speaking moral truths, but in reality, they are lying!  (Read 1 John 4:1-6) If they are telling you things that agree with what the Bible says, they are speaking the truth.  But if they say other things that go against what the Bible says, they are not speaking God’s truth.

Sadly, instead of using this standard as their moral guide, too many people tend to blindly believe people simply based on the person’s likeability or popularity.  That’s why you can find even Believers turning their back on God’s teachings to support the sinful teachings of their favorite celebrities and politicians. These famous people may be intelligent, beautiful, talented, and rich.  So people admire and want to support them.  And, in the case of the politicians, people may like the promises they make to them and just ignore it when those same politicians are clearly supporting sin.  Jesus warns us about these “false teachers.”  (See Matthew 7:15-19) Don’t be fooled into listening to their sinful teachings.

The Bible also tells us that people may prefer to listen to those who simply tell them what they want to hear.  For example, 2 Timothy 4: 3-4 says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”  In other words, they don’t want to listen to God.

So, Believers, be careful who you listen to for the truth. Know whether or not you are hearing the truth according to God’s Holy Word. Study the Bible for yourself and pray that God’s Holy Spirit will help you discern the difference between when you are hearing the truth and when you are hearing a lie.  Only follow God’s truth!

(Reposted from my March 12, 2017 Blog Post.)

Is your home spiritually secured?

Jun8

Question: How do I “spiritually secure” my home?

Answer: You must make sure your household is standing on the word of God! Declare as Joshua did, “…But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15 NKJV)

Teach! Start by making sure the members of your household have heard the Gospel message! They need to hear that we are all sinners in need of a savior and that God gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, as our one and only Lord and Savior! Pray that God’s Holy Spirit will touch each one of their hearts, so they will accept Jesus as their Savior. Pray that they ask Him to forgive them of their sins, repent of their sins, and start living their lives to please God. (Read John 3:16, Romans 6:23, John 14:6, Acts 2:38, and other Salvation Scriptures)

Pray! Regularly pray for the spiritual growth, safety, good health, wisdom, and happiness of each member of your home including yourself. Not only should you pray for those in your household, you should often pray together with them. Also, stress the importance of prayer by showing them the many Scriptures where God tells us that we need to pray in both good times and hard times. For example, the Word says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Model! Ask yourself if you are living your own life according to God’s Word. Are those in your home seeing you model the behavior of a faithful Believer? For example, do they see you treating others in the loving way God says we should? Do they see you reading and studying God’s Word? Do they see you going with them to church instead of sending them there while you stay home? Do they see you allowing unrepentant sinful living to take place in your home? Remember, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Now be warned! Our enemy Satan will not be happy that you are trying to “spiritually secure” your household! The Word reminds us that the devil is a thief. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus Christ) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Therefore, stay strong in the Lord! Each day you must pray for God’s Holy Spirit to provide those in your household with physical and spiritual protection. (Read Ephesians Ch. 6:10-20) Know that God loves us, and He has made many promises to those of us who are Believers. Among His promises is to be there with us always. (Matthew 28:18-20) That’s why we “…can say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God, in Him I will trust” (Psalm 91:2)

So, stand firm in the Lord! Continue to pray, serve, and trust God. Keep your home secured– the Lord’s way!

Do you have your priorities straight – Jesus first?

May4

Question: How do I know if I’m keeping Jesus first in my life?

Answer: It’s very important that Believers remember to put Jesus Christ first in their lives! Start by praying for God’s Holy Spirit to help you. Pray that as you go about your day you will be mindful of the things you do and say. Ask yourself if your words and actions are reflecting the love and teachings of God’s Word.

To know what God has to say to us, Believers should regularly read and study God’s Word — the Bible. It says we are to, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)

In doing so, we learn so many important things. For example, we learn about how God wants us to live our lives to please Him. We learn about the gift of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Read John 3:16). Plus, we learn about the many wonderful promises God has made to us if we obey His Word (Read Jeremiah 29:11). We also learn of the deadly consequences we face if we are disobedient to Him and don’t turn from our sins and accept Jesus as our Savior.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 (NKJV)

God also understands how difficult our enemy, Satan, tries to make our lives. Satan definitely does not want us to put Jesus first. In fact, he’s a thief who wants to rob us of our faith. One way he may try to do this is by making us doubt God loves us. Or he makes us think God is no longer around to help us. Satan makes us have these feelings when we have to deal with hard issues like sickness, money problems, relationship troubles, or crime.

But remember not to believe Satan’s lies! “The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Also, remember that God said, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

So, know that there will be times when you find yourself facing difficult situations. You will face social pressures, rejection, or even retaliation for choosing to reject sin and instead follow the teachings of God. When this happens, don’t be afraid or discouraged — stand strong for the Lord! Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to help you through these challenging times. Live your life to please the Lord.

Keep Jesus first!

What excuses are you making to God today?

Apr5

Question: How do I do a better job of living my life for God?

Answer: The first step to living our lives to please God is to understand that we are all sinners. We can’t enter Heaven in our sin, so we need a Savior to take away our sin. Because God loves us, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to be our one and only Lord and Savior. (Read John 3:16) God gave His Son to die on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. Jesus rose to life again three days after His death and lives with God in Heaven. When we have accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord, have asked Him to forgive us, and have repented, He cleanses us of our sins.

But know that Salvation only comes through Jesus Christ! “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4: 12 NKJV)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new…. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (Read 1 Corinthians 5:17-21)

Once we are saved, the next step to living our lives for God is to know God’s words to us through the Holy Bible. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness….”

In knowing the importance of the Scriptures, we can understand why Believers must stay in God’s word. We can understand why we should regularly read and study the Bible. Through these Scriptures, we also learn of our need to pray regularly. We learn that we need to pray for God’s Holy Spirit to bless us, to guide us, to comfort and help us as we deal with life’s challenges.

A third important step in living to please God is to understand that living for God is not merely a suggestion. It’s also not something you apply to one area of your life but not to another. It’s not something you do just on Sundays. And it’s not something you make excuses not to do because of the unfair actions of others towards you.

You can’t tell God you are making decisions in your life that go against His word because you want to be accepted by those in the sinful culture. You can’t even blame your life choices on the fact that there are some hypocrites in the church.

God already knows about everything that’s going on in the world. He is still in control and will deal with all these things in His own time! He wants us as Believers to love and trust Him and to live according to His word. In part of what’s known as The Great Commission (See Matthew 28: 18-20), Jesus instructs His disciples to “make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” His word expresses His desire for how He wants us to live!

So, as you talk to God today through prayer, see to it that you are not making excuses for why you are not living to please Him! Instead, follow the instructions of Jesus and live your life according to God’s word. Ask His forgiveness and repent when you fall short. He loves you and will forgive you.

Show your love for Him by choosing to live your life to please God. No excuses!

(Re-posted from my June 2022 Blog Post.)

Do you know what God says about revenge?

Mar12

Question: Does God say anything about revenge?

Answer: Yes! God clearly says we should leave the revenge taking to Him! It’s not that God does not care about us. In fact, He loves us! He understands how we can be upset and want revenge when others mistreat or harm us or our loved ones. He is also grieved by the injustice, assaults, and murders that are committed by evildoers around the world. He understands why we would want these evil people to pay for their crimes.

Our Heavenly Father also knows that those committing these injustices are allowing themselves to be used to do the evil work of Satan. Jesus Christ told us that “The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” Jesus goes on to say, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10 NKJV)

Therefore, we know that Jesus wants the opposite of what Satan wants for our lives. Satan supports those who mistreat us and do evil. Jesus wants those of us who follow Him to be protected from the evil one and have an abundant life! He does not want us spending our time trying to figure out how to harm others who harm us. This would not be living abundantly.

God wants us to know that He is looking out for us. He will take care of bringing revenge against those who are doing evil against us. He tells us this many times in His word. For example, in Deuteronomy 32:35, God says to His people, “Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.”

Also, in his letter to the Romans (Chapter 12:17-20) the Apostle Paul instructs the people about what God has to say concerning revenge, saying:

“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. ‘Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; If he thirsts, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.'”

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (v.21)

Also, Paul writes to the Ephesians, “And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.”

Leave the revenge to God. He will take care of it for you!

Do you know which is the greatest commandment?

Feb10

Question: Which is the greatest commandment?

Answer: Jesus said: ”… you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There are no other commandments greater than these.” (Mark 12: 30-31 NKJV)

So, based on these commandments, how should Believers live to please Jesus? Start with asking yourself, “Do I truly love the LORD?” Usually, what we truly love, we prioritize in our lives. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”(John 14:15) Ask yourself, “Is it my priority to follow God’s word in every aspect of my life? Am I truly putting God first?”

If your answer is yes – and if you are a Believer, your answer should be yes – how are you showing your love for Jesus? For example, are you reading His word to know what He has to say to you? Throughout the Bible, from the beginning in Genesis to the end of Revelation, you learn what God has to say about how He wants us to live to please Him. Believers, remember that we are to, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV) This is what the Apostle Paul told Timothy to teach the people of his day, and studying God’s word is what we should do as well.

Also, are you seeking the help of God’s Holy Spirit to guide you in your daily decision-making? Or, do you make decisions based only on what pleases you- even if it goes against the directions of God and supports sin? If so, you need to repent of your sins, ask forgiveness, and do what God says is right.

The Apostle Paul warns the Galatians to, “…Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16 NKJV) Paul goes on to list examples of the works of the flesh versus the “fruit of the Spirit.” (Read Galatians 5:19-26)

And, what about loving your neighbor as yourself? Are you showing love to others like God would want you to? For example, do you look down on or dislike people who are a different race than you, or who are poor, or who are rich, or who have little education? If so, this is not showing love for one another. You need to repent and ask forgiveness of these sins.

You should seek ways you can show the love of Christ to others. For example, you could help out those in need and “…through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13). In your dealings with others, remember to treat them with fairness, kindness, and respect. But, you should show others love without tolerating their sin. “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” (Romans12:9) And remember to pray for one another!

Even though we all fall short in showing the love of Christ sometimes, know that God still loves us. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Loving God and loving your neighbor. So, how are you doing with following these commandments?

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Do you know if you’re being deceived?

Jan15

Question: Can Believers still be deceived by Satan?

Answer: Yes! In fact, when His disciples asked, “And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” Jesus begins His answer to them by saying, “Take heed that no one deceives you.” (Matthew 24:4 NKJV) Jesus does not want us to be deceived by Satan!

    Since the time of Adam and Eve, Satan has worked to deceive God’s people. Satan wants us to disobey God and serve him instead. For example, when he presented himself in the form of a serpent to deceive Eve, he started by challenging what God said. Satan said to Eve, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?'” (Genesis 3:1)

    “And the woman (Eve) said to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'” (Genesis 3:2-3) Note here that Eve, like many Believers, knows God’s words. We, like Eve, know what God says is the right way to live. Also, like Eve, we sometimes choose to do the opposite of what we know is right.

    We go on to read that the serpent then said to Eve, “You shall not surely die. For God knows in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil,” (Genesis 3-4-5). Eve chooses to disobey God and do what Satan wants her to do instead. She eats the fruit since she “saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise…” (Genesis 3: 6)

   Being deceived by Satan, not only does Eve eat the forbidden fruit, but she also gives it to her husband Adam. He eats it too, so they both commit sin! Though they tried to hide their sin from God, God knew exactly what they had done. God always knows what we do as well!

   Like Eve, even Believers can make choices or support the actions of others that we know God calls sin! Like Eve, we may find ourselves attracted to going along with what “looks good!” For example, it may look good to us to fit in with those we admire for their popularity, wealth, or intellect. Even when these people push sinful behavior, we still give them our support. We allow Satan to deceive us in to rationalizing that our support of these people is fine since we aren’t personally committing the sins they promote. In actuality, Satan is using these people to deceive us!

   The Apostle Paul warns Timothy to be aware of such people saying that “…evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13). He tells Timothy to rely on the Scriptures to help him with this and all situations.

   In 1 John 4:1, we are reminded to “test the spirits” and make sure what we are doing or supporting is in agreement with the teachings of God’s word. If it doesn’t agree with God’s word, it is of Satan.

So Believers, make sure you’re not letting Satan deceive you. Don’t fall for the devil’s lies! Study the Scriptures and pray for God’s Holy Spirit to give you clarity and strength to make decisions and live to please God!

    

   

   

   

   

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Are you following False Teachers?

Sep2

Question: What does God say about following false teachers?

Answer: Plenty! This is one more reason Believers need to read God’s Word. By studying the Bible and praying for the Holy Spirit to give you discernment, you will be prepared when you encounter false teachers.

Among the many Scriptures that talk about false teachers is Matthew 7:15-20. Jesus warns, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” He goes on to say, “You will know them by their fruits…. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (NKJV)

Also, Believers should not be fooled into following those who tell them some things that are godly while also telling them to support sinful behaviors. Read about some of these sinful behaviors in Romans 1:18-32. Jesus spoke of such people.

He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'” (Matthew 7:21-23.)

Unfortunately, some Believers choose to follow false teachers. They may admire them because they are famous or in high positions. This would include people in the church as well as people outside church in positions of influence on the national and international stage. They want to continue to give them their support because they agree with many of the things they are saying. But the problem comes when these “teachers” convince Believers to help them spread sinful behaviors to others under the guise of also doing good things. Believers simply turn a blind eye to the sin and convince themselves that giving their support is fine as long as the Believer isn’t practicing the sins themselves.

We read about the Apostle Paul’s warning about such Believers to a young pastor named Timothy. Paul warned: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you (Timothy) be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of the evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:3-5)

So, make sure you are not following after false teachers. Protect yourself by studying God’s Word and praying for His Holy Spirit to give you discernment. And look for the “good fruits!”

Repenting when it’s hard!

May7

Question: As a Believer, why do I still struggle to repent of certain sins?

Answer: Believers must recognize that as they struggle to repent, they are actually fighting a spiritual battle against Satan. Know that Satan does not want you to repent of your sins. Instead, he wants to keep you in bondage to him. But, Praise God! Our Heavenly Father is far more powerful than Satan will ever be. You must fight back by praying to God for His Holy Spirit to give you all the strength and guidance you need to repent of your sins!

Remember to stay strong by regularly reading God’s Word, The Holy Bible. It helps to remind yourself what God has to say about the need to repent of our sins: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV)

Jesus told of the need to repent. For example, in Revelation 3:19, Jesus told the Laodiceans, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” Similarly, in Acts 17:30-31 the Apostle Paul says, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man (Jesus) whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

Of course, in addition to reading God’s Word about repentance, you must also truly desire in your heart to want to turn from your sinful ways. You must want to stop desiring your old sinful lifestyle. This change is well described in Colossians chapter 3. Here the Apostle Paul reminds us that we need to “put off the old man,” participating in evil desires such as fornication, wrath, blasphemy, filthy language, and other sinful behavior.

He goes on to say that we must “put on the new man,” showing such things as kindness, humility, and forgiving one another. We must “put on love” (v. 14). “And let the peace of God rule in your heart…and be thankful.” (v. 15)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual sons, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (v. 16)

While we are never going to be perfect in this life, God’s word tells us how we can continue to grow in our Christian walk. The Scriptures tell us that in order to resist sin we should: have a sincere heart to want to change to please God, read His Word regularly, pray for help from the Holy Spirit, and stay away from those things that we know will tempt us.

God loves us and hears our prayers. He is faithful to provide us with the help we need to live to please Him. Stay strong in the Lord!