Important Words from Jesus! 1-29-16

Who you are in Christ.#6

In Christ you are SALT! 

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

So what in the world does that mean we are salt. Well let’s bet a definition of salt first: to cure, preserve, or treat with salt.
In the days of Jesus, salt was a very valuable substance. It was used for many things such as preserving meat, treat wounds, season food, among many other things. So how does that relate to us being salt as followers of Jesus?

As salt we help preserve life by sharing the gospel of Jesus to the lost and dying world. It is our job to do so!

As salt we help treat the wounds of the broken hearted, the mistreated, the orphans, the widows, and the needy.

As salt we bring seasoning (joy) to the world because of the hope we have in Jesus Christ the Savior to aw world that is unhappy and has no peace!

Do you get the picture? If we lose our flavor as the verse says, who is going to bring the seasoning???? No one! We thus become useless!

I don’t know about you but I want to useful to the kingdom go God because Jesus gave his all for me and He deserves my all in return!

I am SALT in Christ! How about you?

Tom

Are you an enemy of God? 1-28-16

Who you are in Christ.#5

I am a representative of Jesus here on this earth, because He is my life! 

Colossians 3:4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

1 Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

AS a follower of Jesus we are his representatives, we are to imitate Him, He bought us upon that cross, so we are to glorify Him in all we say and do! So here is the question, how is your representation of Jesus to this lost world going? It;s not easy, but it is our duty as followers. As they say you may be the only Jesus others may see.

The word Christian means “little Christ’s”. Are we being a little Christ in this world? Take time this day to think about that. Think about how you represent Jesus on a daily basis. May we all represent Him in a way that brings honor and glory to the precious name of Jesus!

Tom

Let God tame your tongue. 1-27-16

Who you are in Christ.#4

When you become a follower of Jesus, you become a slave to God.

Romans 6:22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

In today’s day the word slave has a negative thought process to it which is easy to understand why when you think about world history. But when it comes to God and being His slave it is completely different. Think of it as a slave who gives life to God but is treated with respect, love, compassion, and all needs met! Who in their right mind would not want to be a slave in that manner????
When you become a slave of God you are not forced, it is a choice. He desires voluntary slaves to follow Him! Forced slavery is not love, but my God is all about love. He is the very definition of love!

It is interesting to know when you become a slave of God you are actually set free from bondage, the bondage of sin! We obtain a path to holiness and have obtained eternal life with God in heaven! 

I am a slave of God in Christ Jesus!!! 

Tom

Do you really desire to come after Jesus? 1-26-16

Who you are in Christ.#3

When you are follower of Jesus you need to know you are conqueror! Jesus has defeated Satan and because of that fact you have too!!! Praise the Lord!!

Romans 8:37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Most people like to win, I know I do, as a follower of Jesus we have the ultimate victory! Satan has been defeated and heaven awaits. Can we ask or anything more than that??? No!

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

So remember brothers and sisters we are conquerors this morning for Jesus has brought us the victory! So live in praise, honor, and glory of our King Jesus!

Tom

Who you are in Christ.#2

The second truth of who we are in Christ is this, I am a son of light and not of darkness! 

1 Thessalonians 5:5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

So what does that mean? We do our best to live sinless lives! We want to represent Jesus as closely as possible. Does your life show light or darkness? Remember what Jesus said:

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

A very simple teaching from Jesus but yet so hard sometimes to do in this world we live in. However when we are followers of Jesus we need to know who we are in Christ and we are light. Let that light shine in everything we say and do.

You may be the only light someone sees in a day, does it reflect Jesus??? Think on that!

Tom

You are a Saint if you are in Christ! 1-22-16

Who you are in Christ.

When we become followers of Jesus the bible tells us we have many traits. Today we will start a series on who we are in Christ. These are truths. Many followers of Jesus struggle with their identity as a follower and it causes all kinds of problems in life and in their walk with God. It is of great importance we KNOW, not think, who we are in Christ and then live like it. It is an essential part of our faith! So here we go:

1. I am a child of God! John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

You may have been born to parents here on earth but when you give your life to Jesus, you are born again and become a child of God. Do you live as a child of God? Think about what that means. Father God loves and takes care of His children. He also will straighten us out if we get out of line. He gives us what we need. He listens to us. He blesses us. He even gave His life for us through His Son Jesus!!! Wow what love! God loves you, you are His child! Look at this promise:

Romans 8:17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

As children we inherit the Kingdom of God.....WHHOOO HOOOO! Think on that! What an awesome Father we have!

Are you living as a child of God. If you are a follower of Jesus you are a child of God. So represent your daddy well!

Tom

How is my conduct? 1-21-16

Are you turning from sin?

"To say that we are sorry for our sins is mere hypocrisy, unless we show that we are really sorry for them, by giving them up." ~ J.C. Ryle

Saying we are sorry for sin is not true if we do not turn from them. Think about that for a moment. How many of us say we are sorry to God for a sin but continue on in that sin? Are you really sorry for anything if you continue to do it? NO!

Matthew 15:7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

8 “‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;

Saying one thing and doing another! Jesus described it!!!

God’s Word is clear we must repent which means turn to be sorry for our sin, apologize to God, and then go in the opposite direction of that sin!

Luke 5:32 “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” That is us by the way...sinners!

Luke 13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

Only way for sin to be forgiven is repent and follow Jesus!! So I ask you again are you sorry for your sin and turning from them?

Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Tom

Dead or alive? 1-20-16

Read God’s Word today?

Remember words like law, testimony, precepts, rules, and commandment in these verses all refer to God’s Word. Think about the importance of God’s Word in your life. It is very difficult if not impossible to be who God has called you to be without a firm knowledge of His Word and then obedience in following it!

Psalm 19:7-11

7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;

8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;

9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.

11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

Points to remember here:

1. God’s Word is perfect. Jesus is the Word. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2. God’s Word brings our soul back from the dead.
3. God’s Word will happen.
4. God’s Word brings pride down.
5. God’s Word is always right and will make the heart rejoice if followed.
6.God’s Word is pure and will help us see truth.
7.God’s Word teaches us to fear God which will lead to everlasting life.
8.God’s Word is true and righteous which if followed will lead to righteous living.
9. God’s Word is to be desired more than anything, yes even riches.
10. God’s Word is sweetness to the soul!
11. God’s Word warns us to keep His Word and thus be rewarded. Only way to keep God’s Word is to read and know God’s Word.

Do you see the importance of God’s Word? 

Go get the bible and read and learn everyday! Read #11 again!

Tom

It's cold! But hell is hotter! 1-19-16

God knows you!?

God knows you better than you know yourself. Thats awesome!!! Or is it? I mean God knows the good, the bad, and the ugly. Yes even what you think you are hiding from Him! Read these verses slowly and then spend sometime in prayer with God. He is wanting to work in your life but the question is do we want to surrender ALL OF OURSELVES to him not just a portion here and there. God is an all or nothing God, He is a jealous God who wants all of us!

Psalm 139

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.
13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.
19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
O men of blood, depart from me!
20 They speak against you with malicious intent;
your enemies take your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!

Tom

Can’t understand the bible?

Over the years I have had many people tell me they just don’t understand much of the bible. I was once in the same boat myself. You see the deeper things of the bible are revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in you when you give Jesus your life as Lord and Savior. That is a key point. As long as we are in the flesh (remaining in our sin) we can not understand the deeper truths of the bible. That is what Paul is saying here:

1 Corinthians 3 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh.

So where do you stand in your relationship with Jesus this morning? Are you a follower or just an admirer? The difference is huge and has a great impact on how much of the Word of God you can truly understand. Milk or Meat???

Get out of the flesh and deep into Jesus!

Tom

Show some mercy!

Need a reminder this morning?

Every once in a while we may need a reminder that God is in control and everything will work out just as He has told us in His Word.

Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

Follow Jesus, it all works out in the end brothers and sisters!

Tom

Growing! 1-14-16

To whom are you gonna go?

I want you to think about this question:

John 6:66-69 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Do you want to follow Jesus or do you want to follow something or someone else?

You have a choice. Here is the kicker, Jesus is the only One who holds eternal life, all else leads to hell. If you pick Jesus, He wants all of you, everyday! If you pick the world you can do what you want however you want, no holds barred.

I am with Peter...where else can I go Jesus? You are eternal life!!!!! Why would I choose anything else? So many do though each day, thinking the things of this world are better that Jesus. How foolish!

So who are what are you gonna follow this day?

Tom

The truth about Homosexuality, Adultery, Fornication, or any Sexual immorality.

No condemnation for me!! 1-13-16

Do you trust Jesus?

A friend of mine posted this verse this morning and it got me to thinking:

John 13:7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”

Do I trust Jesus? I mean Yes I know He is my Savior and Lord, but do I trust Him with every area of my life? Think about that for a moment. As I live this day will I turn everything over to Him or will I still try to hold on to a part so I have some control? When craziness or goodness comes my way this day that I don’t understand do I trust Jesus has it under control and someday I will understand? Folks that is the faith we need! I trust you Jesus, no matter what comes my way!!!

Jesus reveals to us what we need to know, what we don’t know we must trust Him and live as He has taught us to live. After all He is God ya know! It is all yours Jesus....I trust you with all I have and all I am! Help me to stay out of the way but also obey!

How about you you trust Jesus with everything??? Thats a big statement!

Tom

We have power not fear! 1-12-16

Do I have salvation? Indicators. Part 2

Let’s move on in our self examination of the indicators of salvation. Remember this verse:

2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

5. God will discipline you. Just as a good father will discipline you when you do wrong, so does our heavenly Father. God is clear about this in his Word. No one likes to be disciplined but it is needed in our walk with God!

Hebrews 12:7-8 
If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

Hebrews 12:11 
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

6. The Holy Spirit dwelling in you. If are a follower of Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells in you. When Jesus went back to heaven He promised to send back Helper and He did the Holy Spirit. You receive the Spirit as soon as you put your faith and trust in Him!

1 John 3:24
The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

Having the Holy Spirit is proof you are a follower of Jesus! The Spirit will also convict you of sin:

John 16:8
And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

The Spirit also reveals what God’s Word says, this is why many don’t get the Word, they don’t have the Spirit!

John 14:26
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 that I have said to you.

The “I” in the above verse is Jesus who is the Word.

The Spirit will also overtime start to produce these traits in you if you will surrender to the Holy Spirit:

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Do you have the Holy Spirit?

7. Faith in Jesus alone to save you! Nothing you can do. It is all what Jesus did on the cross.

1 John 5:12-13 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

Plain and simple here....you have Jesus or you don’t!

So there are 7 indicators. Very important! Look over them, evaluate yourself as the Word tells us to do.

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

Tom

Do you long for God? 1-11-16

Repent! 1-7-16

Do I have salvation? Indicators. Part 1

2 Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

In the book “The Battle Plan for Prayer” by the Kendrick brothers the give seven indicators or signs that your have truly been saved. I agree with them and believe the bible supports the teachings. So evaluate yourself!

1. A lifestyle of obedience. When we follow Jesus our lives are in a sate of conforming to His will. Yes we will still fail but overall our lives should easily show who our master is....Jesus!

1 John 2:3-6

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

2. A confession of Jesus Christ as God’s Son. Do you openly confess without hesitation that Jesus is God’s son and truly believe it? There should be no question in a followers life.

1 John 2:22-23 

Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

3. A lifestyle of repentance of sin. As followers we should recognize sin and when we fall we will confess it and turn away from that sin.

1 John 3:9

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

4. Genuine love for other believers. Do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ? Even the ones who get on your nerves or have done you wrong in the past? 

1 John 3:14-15

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

These are some great indicators showing us if we are truly followers of Jesus or just a pretender. Examine yourself as the scriptures say:

2 Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Tom

Reminder! God loves you! 1-7-16

God sees you!

One thing we must remember in life is God is always watching. Yes even you. He is God and He knows all, sees all, hears all, and is everywhere at all times. We sometimes forget that and think well maybe I got away with this or that....ummmm no you didn’t!

Proverbs 5:21-23
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord,
And He ponders all his paths.
22 His own iniquities entrap the wicked man,
And he is caught in the cords of his sin.
23 He shall die for lack of instruction,
And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

On the other hand God knows when we are obedient and following him the way he desires. 

Luke 11:28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

So this day, let us be pleasing to God, He is watching, and would much rather bless us than discipline us after all He is a great Father!

Tom