Tag Archive | Jesus Christ

You can count on Jesus!

Question: I find it hard to trust people these days, Too many people are dishonest and just out for self gain. Do you think this is why I find it hard to trust in Jesus?

Answer: Yes, this is probably at least part of the reason. But, unlike people who are all born in sin, Jesus Christ never committed any sin. (2 Corinthians 5:21) That is why Jesus Christ is our one and only sinless Savior. We can’t go to Heaven with our sin. The wages of our sin is death (Romans 6:23). But, because God loved us so much (John 3:16) He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross in our place. Jesus took the punishment we deserved for our sins. He died but rose to life again on the third day! He now sits at the right hand of our Heavenly Father! Based on His ultimate sacrifice for us and being sinless, we know that He is honest and we can trust Him.

For those of us who accept Jesus Christ as our only Lord and Savior, there is everlasting life in heaven one day. Accepting Christ as our Savior is the only way to Heaven (John 14:6). We can’t do enough good works to earn our way there. We are saved by the grace of God through our faith in His Son Jesus! We can put our trust in His plan of salvation for us.

Since Jesus never sinned that means He never lied. Therefore, you can count on everything He says to be true. You can trust in His Holy Word. And, as Jesus said of Himself and God, “I and My Father are one.” (John 10:30 NKJV) When we read about Jesus, we are also reading about God. So when we read that ”All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16), we know that we can trust the Scriptures to be God’s words to us.

Included in God’s Word are many promises to those of us who are Believers. He promises to stay by our side and never forsake us. He promises to bring us peace. In fact, His Word says, “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 Jesu.” (Philippians 4:6-7) We can trust that He will help us and comfort us.

So, by these promises, we know that we can depend on Jesus to do what God’s Word says He will do. And, His Word says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). That means we can always count on Jesus to be there for all of us who believe!

A Family Needs a Firm Foundation

Mar5

*** Praising God for blessing me to be celebrating my 10th year anniversary as a Christian Living Blogger! What an honor it has been to be able to share the importance of God’s word and tell people about salvation through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior! My blog has been read by people from 98 different countries. God is good! I’m re-posting my very first blog post below. It’s just as relevant today as it was when I first posted it in March 2012. *** ( 98 Countries listed at bottom of this page.)

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Question: In these challenging social times, how do I help my children be strong Christians?

Answer: It’s true that traditional Christian values are being challenged from every direction. If your son or daughter attends public schools or universities, they are most likely being taught to believe ideas and ways that are contrary to God’s biblical teachings…in addition to the regular reading, writing, and math. Most parents are not aware of this. That’s why parents need to be very active in keeping up with what’s going on in their child’s school. However, the bottom line is that parents cannot be with their child every minute. Therefore, it becomes even more important that parents are teaching their children from a very early age what exactly their family believes. Proverbs 22:6 tells us to train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it. This training will be their firm foundation.

Sadly, too many Christians today don’t even know themselves what God teaches us in His Word-The Holy Bible. As Christians, we need to read and study the Bible for ourselves. Plus, it is extremely important to attend a true Bible believing, Bible teaching church. Be aware that many places call themselves a church, but they don’t even teach that the Bible is true. If you are in a church like this, you and your family need to leave NOW! Learn God’s Word! Being strong in the Lord starts with you and your children understanding that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, is that Savior. Once we ask Jesus to forgive us our sins, repent, and accept Him as our Savior, we can go on to grow in our faith in the Lord! Know that we cannot strive in this world by our own strength. God gives us His Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us through this life…until we die from this world, and move on to eternal life in Heaven!

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Reaching 98 Countries….and counting! Amen!

Are you being pulled away from your true love – Jesus?

Feb5

Question: My life has been so busy lately; I haven’t been able to fit in going to church or even reading my Bible! What should I do?

Answer: There are certainly many things in our lives that can demand a great deal of our time like our jobs, schooling, and family obligations. But there are other things that we do where we can be more flexible when it comes to our time, like socializing, participating in our favorite hobbies, or volunteering in various community activities. While all these things can be good to do, you can’t say that you have time for them, but you can’t find time to devote to God!

The truth is, Satan can use our busyness to pull us away from God. Even as Believers, we could be blinded to this truth. We’d continue to say we love God and we love His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, but fail to put God first in our lives.

When this happens, we need to acknowledge our sinful neglect of God and pray to Jesus for forgiveness of our sins. “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 NKJV) God’s willingness to forgive us is one way He shows His love for us. Believers must always remember that God also showed us His love when He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins and raised Him to life again on the third day. Jesus took the punishment we deserve for our sins. That’s true love!

We are reminded of God’s love in many verses. For example:

-“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

-“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” (1 John 4:9)

-“And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16)

-As Believers, “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

So, make time to attend church regularly (Hebrews 10:25), study your Bible (2 Timothy 3:16), and live every aspect of your daily life to please God. Don’t let anything pull you away from your true love – Jesus!

Stop trying to handle life’s challenges on your own! You need Jesus!

Jan1

Question: How do I stop feeling overwhelmed from trying to deal with all the challenges in my life right now?

Answer: Stop trying to handle everything on your own! As Believers, we must remember that we need to
lean on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God already knows we are going to face difficult situations in life. We will face situations that will make us feel everything from troubled and depressed to anxious and overwhelmed. Knowing this, He guides us to His Son Jesus through His Holy Word.

For example, Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to "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." (NKJV)

Therefore, we need to start refocusing our minds and hearts on Jesus. We need to carry all our burdens to Him in prayer. Pray for His Holy Spirit to comfort and guide you. Pray that He gives you wisdom to know how to deal with every situation in a way that pleases God. And remind yourself of Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Also, know that "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear..." (Psalm 46:1-2a) Remember this as you deal with your own physical illnesses, or with strained relationships with family and friends, or with facing other troubles in our world.

Just turn it all over to Jesus. He loves and cares for us. He says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Amen!

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas!

Dec4

Question: In the hustle and bustle of the season, how can I make sure I’m keeping Christ in Christmas?

Answer: Even dedicated Christians can sometimes find themselves consumed with every tradition of the holiday season except what’s most important. They can forget that Jesus really is the reason for the season! Christians know that this is the time of the year we choose to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we should make the time and make the effort to keep Christ in our Christmas! But, if we know this, then why don’t we do it?

Unfortunately, some Christians can get as consumed with creating the picture-perfect Christmas experience as the world does. They fill themselves with anxiety trying to get the best super sales on the most popular gifts. Adults get worked up over seeing their peers gifting themselves with the latest “must-have” gadgets and new technology. They wear themselves out trying to keep up with the trends of the crowd. They forget to pause, reflect, and be thankful for the greatest gift – Jesus Christ.

Likewise, many Christian families find themselves in turmoil during this season. Married couples fight over which in-laws they are going to spend Christmas Day with. Parents argue over how much money they are going to spend to make sure their children have this year’s hottest toys. They fill the family calendar with so many seasonal activities that they find themselves exhausted. Yet, they fail to make time for the most important things – reading, meditating on, and discussing God’s Word.

Most importantly, during this season of spending extra time with family and friends, too many Christians fail to include in their discussions talk of their walk with the Lord. They tend not to share with their family and friends how God has brought them faithfully through this year. They are willing to talk about everything else but Jesus. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas! See that you and your family are keeping Christ in Christmas. There are many ways you can do this. For example, plan to take your family to a church Christmas program that tells the story of Christ’s birth. While decorating the tree, play or sing Christmas hymns that give praise to our Lord. Make sure to share with your family and friends how God has blessed you this year. And, always make sure your family knows the story of the birth of our Savior. Luke 2: 1-20 spells out in detail how Jesus was born in Bethlehem. This Bible passage may be one you’d even want to read aloud together. Listen to a reading of this account by clicking here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCKpwaRxIww&feature=youtube_gdata .

And, have a very Merry CHRISTmas!

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network www.cbn.com

World Magazine http://www.worldmag.com

(Re-posted from my Dec. 2014 Blog Post)

Thank God for second chances!

Nov6

Question: I’m afraid I’ve messed up so many times God won’t forgive me again. Am I right?

Answer: No. “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 NKJV) God looks at our hearts. He knows when we are being sincere in our requests for His forgiveness or just saying words we don’t really mean. He also knows that we will keep “messing up” at times because we are all sinners. So, as we seek forgiveness, we must also pray for God to help us repent, or turn away from, our sins and live our lives to please Him.

And, just as we want God to forgive us when we sin and give us another chance to start over, God expects us to forgive others. He does not want us to be like the servant described in Matthew 18:23-35. In this story, we see how the king granted one person forgiveness of the enormous debt he owed the king. But, this same person refused to extend that same type of forgiveness to someone else who owed him a much smaller debt. This person ended up suffering punishment for his failure to forgive. In Luke 17:3, Jesus says, “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.”

However, just because we are expected to forgive, it doesn’t mean we stop being wise. God also gives us wisdom. The Apostle Paul warns us in Ephesians 5:17, “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” If someone is abusing you or committing some other sin, the Bible tells us that is wrong. That would not be God’s best for your life. You can and should forgive and pray for others without tolerating their sin.

Remember that because God loves us and extends His grace to us, He will give us another chance when we mess up. He will forgive us of our sins if we ask Him with a sincere heart. God wants us to repent of our sins and live our lives to please Him. We start to please Him when we accept His only Son, Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior. Jesus is the only One God gave us who took the punishment of death we deserved for our sins. Since sin separates us from a holy God, we can only go to Heaven by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior, asking forgiveness, and repenting of our sins.

Thank God for second chances!

(Re-posted from my June 7, 2017 Blog Post)

Follow me on Twitter : @ValClarksPlace

Gearing Up for Spiritual Warfare

Oct9

Question: How should Christians fight back in today’s spiritual battles?

Answer: Start by recognizing when you’re in one. For example, you’re in a spiritual battle when your rebellious teen refuses to stop hanging out with the crowd that’s always in trouble despite your warnings. Or, when your spouse is constantly arguing with you about every little thing and threatening to divorce you, you’re facing a spiritual battle. When your boss is telling you to lie to your clients to get them to buy your product or be fired, you’re in a spiritual battle. When you just can’t seem to stop your addiction to porn, you’re facing a spiritual battle. The way to fight back against spiritual attacks remains the same as always. As Ephesians 6:10-20 tells us, we must make sure that each day, we are putting on the “whole armor of God.” (v.11 NKJV) In other words, we must remember that our God is all-knowing and all-powerful. He can protect us and help us through any situation. Believers must be “strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (v.10) Christians must take all these battles to the Lord in prayer! (v.18)

But Believers know that the spiritual battles we face are not just confined to those we interact with every day. We are facing spiritual battles as Christians in our communities and nation as well. Our country is moving fast towards taking away our constitutionally granted religious freedoms. For example, public schools don’t want students to mention Jesus in their class assignments. (See the story here) High schools preview the speeches of their class valedictorian to make sure they don’t mention Jesus in giving credit for their success.

Spiritual battles are also being waged using our government. For example, some Christian employers, whose faith teaches that abortion is wrong, are being forced by law to pay for health insurance to cover their employees’ birth control – including those forms that lead to the baby being aborted. (Story here) Private, Christian owned businesses which service weddings are being sued if they won’t provide their services for same-sex weddings. (Story here) These Christians are being forced to support lifestyles God’s Word calls sin. The Bible teaches that God created marriage to be only between one man and one woman, as Jesus reminds us in Matthew 19:4-6. Being forced to support any other definition of marriage would be to force Christians to support sin.

Be discerning as you listen to media figures, politicians, celebrities, those in academia, and others who tell you that standing strong for your biblical values makes you a hater of others or shows your lack of intelligence. They will say that you need to “get with the times.” They may even threaten your job
like they did recently to a Marine who was convicted for failing to remove a Bible verse she found encouraging from her computer. (Story here) Don’t let them intimidate you into going along to get along! As Paul warns us in Ephesians 5:6: “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” So, don’t let them deceive you into supporting them in their sins and betraying God.

Stand strong in God’s Word and believe in the power of prayer. And be victorious over the spiritual warfare in your life!

(Re-posted from my May 29. 2015 blog post.)

Follow me on Twitter: @valclarksplace

Now, what do I do?

Sep11

Question: Does God have any expectations of us after we have accepted Jesus as our Savior?

Answer: Yes! Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15 NKJV) Once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, our lives are no longer our own. We make a commitment to live our lives for Him. We put God first!

Of course, when we first accept Christ as Savior, we are usually new to understanding God's Word. We are like "babes in Christ." The Apostle Peter tells us "as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow..." (1 Peter 2:2) That's why we need to regularly study God's Holy Word, the Bible, and pray for understanding of how He wants us to live. So, as we grow in God's Word, "we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ..." ( Ephesians 4: 14-15)

Also, as we grow spiritually, we should get stronger in walking (living life) in the Spirit, and not fulfilling the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16) We learn from the Apostle Paul that "the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication (sexual immorality), uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21)

As Believers, these things should no longer be a part of our lifestyle!

On the other hand, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22-25)

And, because God knows none of us is able to live for Him on our own ability He has provided all Believers with the Helper, God's Holy Spirit! We can pray for the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide us as we live each day for God. Jesus said His Spirit will "teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." (John 14:26)

Therefore, we know from the Scriptures that God definitely has expectations of us after we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. He has given Believers instructions through His written Word as to how we should live lives pleasing to Him. God has also provided His Holy Spirit to help strengthen and guide us in living a righteous life. Remember that God knows we are still going to fall short and sin sometimes. Only Jesus lived a perfect life. But, we can be thankful that Jesus is willing to forgive us of our sins when we confess them to Him (see 1 John 1:9).

Finally, to underscore the importance of learning and growing in God's Word, one need look no further than the final instructions from Jesus to His disciples, The Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus said, "'Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen."

What’s standing in your way?

Aug7

Question: How do I help people understand that they can’t earn their way to Heaven?

Answer: Start by clearly explaining that no one is perfect. We have all sinned. Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (NKJV). Our sin separates us from God in Heaven, who is holy. That's why we all need a savior. And God's desire is that none perish, so He made the way for us to go to Heaven. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Since the punishment for our sin before a righteous God is death, Jesus Christ, God's only Son, was sent by God to save us. Jesus Christ, Himself sinless, died on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sin! He rose to life again on the third day to go live with our Father in Heaven. He sacrificed Himself for us!

All that is left for each of us to do is to accept Jesus Christ as our one and only Lord and Savior. We need to pray and ask Jesus to forgive us of all our sins, and we need to repent of our sins. In making this change, we should no longer seek to live only to please ourselves. Instead, our desire should be to want to please God first by loving Him and following the teachings of His Holy Word, the Bible! The Apostle Paul describes this change as putting off "the old man" and putting on "the new man." (Read Ephesians 4:17-32)

Even though through His grace, God has provided us with His free gift of salvation, most people still choose to reject His Gift. Many people prefer to live by their own rules and foolishly think that they can decide on their own what are the right and wrong ways to live. Others mistakenly believe that there are many gods and many ways to Heaven. But, the truth is that God has provided only ONE way to everlasting life in Heaven. And that way is by accepting His Son Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ, Himself said, "...I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) Can it be stated any clearer than that?

Still, many people will try to change God's plan for salvation to make it sound more complicated. They might make salvation sound like it is for people who must live without any joy in their lives. This tends to make the young postpone or outright reject salvation because they think they won't have any more "fun" in their lives. But they need to know the truth. If by fun they mean sinful living, they will be living only to please Satan. Satan's ultimate goal is to harm you. Jesus said, "The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

Also, this false teaching that you must already be living righteously to accept Christ can make the older unsaved feel that it is too late for them. This is not true! In fact, as long as you are alive and in your right mind, you can choose to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior! But since you can die at any age from many different causes, it's better to accept Christ sooner than waiting until it is too late! Once you die, you don't come back. There are no second chances.

And, as far as trying to earn your way to Heaven, put simply, you can't! Because you are not perfect like God you will mess up or fail to do right --at least sometimes. Plus, you could never do enough good deeds or man-made rituals (superstitious actions never given by God) to earn your way to Heaven. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

So stop letting excuses stand in your way. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today! Pray for God's Holy Spirit to guide you as you live by putting Him first. And Enjoy your new life in Christ!

One Nation Under God?

Jul9

Question:: What should Christians do to get our country out of its moral decline?

Answer: Pray! Christians know that prayers do, indeed, change things. The Bible tells us in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If My people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (NKJV) As Christians, we must make sure that we are living our own lives to please God. We need to repent from our own sins before we seek to witness to others about their need to turn from their sins. Unbelievers can often spot a hypocrite, and they are understandably turned off by them.

Plus, as Christians, we need not despair as we see evil gaining ground by way of the new laws that are being made in this country which go against the Word of God. Stories about politicians and others, who are trying to gain voter support as they pledge to pass sinful laws, are regularly in the news. Believers need not feel defeated as we witness polls that show the majority of people favoring what God’s Word clearly calls sin. The Bible tells us that God will not be mocked (Galatians 6:7). He is still in control. When a nation continues to be disobedient to God, it invites the wrath of God upon it. Each person will have to stand before Him one day to account for his or her deeds. God does not want us to reject Him and be lost. Therefore, be thankful that, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The Bible says our sin separates us from God, who is holy. He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us, taking the punishment we deserve. We only need to accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, ask God to forgive us our sins, and repent by turning from our sinful ways. Only by doing these things will we be saved and go to Heaven. So, pray for repentance and revival across our nation!

Additionally, America’s founding fathers were wise to include recognition of God in such places as the Declaration of Independence. Dr. Harold Pease, an expert on the US Constitution, wrote about the five references to God found in the Declaration of Independence. Most famous is the following reference about our Creator, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” (See http://www.libertyunderfire.org/2011/07/five-references-to-god-in-the-declaration-of-independence/). Also, in 1954, US President Dwight Eisenhower was wise to get Congress to add the words “under God” to the Pledge Of Allegiance. ( See http://www.ushistory.org/documents/pledge.htm). There are even carved images of the story of Moses in the building of the US Supreme Court. Despite the many wrongs this country has participated in like the awful sins of slavery and segregation, this country has done many other things right. For example, this country remains one of the nation of Israel’s closest allies. This country continues to be the one that gives the most to address the world’s humanitarian needs. This nation continues to be considered the most powerful in the world. America has been blessed. America has a history of acknowledging God in its historical documents, national buildings, and patriotic songs. Most of its citizens call themselves Christian.

Therefore, America needs to remain a country which recognizes the existence of Almighty God. America’s people would be wise to remember the part of the Pledge that says we are “one nation under God.” We need to remember to rely on God’s teachings in the Bible when making laws for our country. We should not support those who want to govern our country in ways that go against God’s word. We need to pray that the people of this country will put God first in their lives! For the Bible tells us in Psalm 33:12, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…”

Amen!

(Re-posted and updated from my July 23, 2013 Blog.)