September 14, 2024

Walking in the Spirit-Part 3

Cut off the deeds of the body with the help of the Holy Spirit

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Romans 8:12-13

The desires of the flesh are strong. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome. I try to avoid eating sugar and things that become sugar in my body. It affects me both mentally and physically. If I give into my fleshly desire for sugar and go on a binge, I pay the price with weight gain and my ability to think clearly. Though most of the time I persevere, for me, overeating sugar is a sin; when I overdo it, I confess, and through the grace of God, I’m forgiven. We are accountable for our actions if we ignore the cues of the Holy Spirit. If you know, and everyone knows their kryptonite, that sinful desire that takes you out of fellowship with God, then you must stop that activity. We do not belong to ourselves; God purchased us for Himself, and because we are His, we must mortify our desire for anything that feeds our flesh. That said, remember, there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. He paid the price for all our shortcomings, and there is forgiveness if we make a mistake. To walk in the Spirit requires that we ignore our fleshly desires. If you pay attention, you will feel God rejoicing over you when you overcome your flesh and set your mind on Him.

September 13, 2024

Walking in the Spirit

Part 2

Think about the things of the Spirit rather than the things of the flesh.

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. Romans 8:4-5

Keeping the law won't save you; it's weak at best. Because of the grace of God and our Savior Jesus, we can count ourselves worthy of redemption. If my salvation depended on me, I wouldn't have it because sin is in my nature. Now that you know the law won't save you, nor can you save yourself, let's focus on walking in the Spirit. If you are not saved by Jesus, this won't work for you because you need the Holy Spirit to be able to walk in his ways; you get his indwelling at salvation. 

I must confess that after I study, pray, and write in the morning, my focus tends to be on other things; we must still endure our flesh and do whatever it takes to care for it. Aside from that, I sometimes get caught up in browsing through social media. It's not all bad news; some people I follow are great teachers. However, I tend to focus on the latest worldly happenings. Am I walking in the Spirit? He never leaves me, but my focus during that time is fleshly. So, yesterday, I decided that it was vital for me to prepare to write this post. I listened to two of my pastor's sermons on Romans 8:1-4 and then read a chapter in the book I'm using as a guide. I spent so much time doing that that I barely had time to browse the internet. I filled my head with the good things of God rather than the junk and felt very fulfilled. So, it works! Set your mind on things above and let the Holy Spirit be your guide, and before you know it, you will be walking in the Spirit.

September 12, 2024

Walking in the Spirit

Part 1

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

I decided to start a series on walking in the Spirit. I prayed for God to help me with the direction He wants me to go in, and that's what I came up with through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We shall see where this leads. What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? Together, we will learn what that means. I found a book By Kenneth Berding called Walking by the Spirit that might help us become aware and give us focus so we can become intentional in our walk. This series will not be a book review; I'm merely using it as a guide to get all the key points.

One of the things I do when at the beach is walk on the shore. I spend an hour walking about two miles, looking for patterns in the treasures I find, talking to God, singing hymns, and enjoying the atmosphere. My mind is clear, and it helps God to fill it with things He wants me to learn. Sometimes, I express my desires and pray for the people He brings to my mind. You can see that it's a two-way conversation. Now, remember, I am not that holy, and my mind wanders if I don't focus on Him, but He gets a lot more out of me when I’m submersed in his beautiful creation. I expect we will learn to fill ourselves with the Spirit so that we will be so full of Him that we will hunger for nothing else. Maybe I will learn to walk and keep my eyes on Him without my mind wandering. Let's take this spiritual journey together and see where it leads.

September 11, 2024

Marks of a true Christian

Part 11

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

I couldn’t conclude this series without covering this verse. Even though the world may be in turmoil and our lives hard, do you possess the fruits of the Spirit? These are the qualities of having the Spirit of the living God within you, that wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit that Jesus gave us when he ascended to the Father as a placeholder until he comes again. These qualities naturally emanate from us as proof of our being bought and paid for by Jesus. Every now and then, our flesh will rear its ugly head, and we act out of character of the One who lives in us and feel guilty when that happens, but for the most part, we possess these attributes of the Holy Spirit as our way of life. If you lack in one of these areas, ask the Holy Spirit to help you work on that particular attribute. For the most part, these should come naturally, but if one seems to be holding you back, hone in on it and make a conscious effort to remedy it. The world will notice a difference in you compared to others who live by the flesh, and they will want what you have, but sometimes that makes them jealous of you. I can’t blame them; Jesus makes it easier for us to exist in this world. 

September 10, 2024

Marks of a true Christian

Part 10

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also doye. And above all these things put on charity (love), which is the bond of perfectness. Colossians 3:12-14

We have found our Savior, who has forgiven us of so many sins. Our chains are gone, no longer binding us to our past sins. However, we live among those who haven't sought redemption through Jesus, so we must contend with their ignorance, sometimes making it difficult for us to be around them. Some of our characteristics include kindness, mercy, and long-suffering. We know about suffering with these people and live with the enumerable consequences of their actions. We must remember that unsaved people don't understand how ungodly their behavior is to themselves and others around them because they don't have God in their corner. We must, therefore, consider their lack of knowledge when contending with them. This lesson goes back to feeling sorry for them because they are dead until they are raised to life when they begin to believe in Jesus and have faith in him. Even though we suffer because of them, we must still show kindness and mercy. We don't know who God has chosen and must treat everyone as if they are part of His kingdom.

September 9, 2024

Marks of a true Christian

Part 9

My friend and brother in Christ shared with me three pivotal characteristics of a true Christian from First John, and I felt compelled to share his teaching with you because it is so good.

"I know you've been teaching lately on Marks of Christianity, and I thought I would mention to you that there are three patterns or characteristics of a born-again Christian taught by John in the letter of First John.

The first is faith in Jesus Christ as God's son who died and was raised for us. The second is that we love the father and love his children, and the third is obedience to the word of God. It is not perfect obedience, of course, but we want to obey and try our best.

John wrote the letter because there was a group of gnostics from his church who left his church and had tried to influence a lot of his believers so John wrote this letter to give them assurance of salvation through these three tests.

"But you have been anointed by the Holy One, (he's talking here about the Holy Spirit ) and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son." 1 John 2:20-22

He's talking about the person and works of Jesus Christ.

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:7-8.

"And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him," 1 John 2:3-4

He sums it up in chapter 5, verse 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." 1 John 5:13

You can also see all three tests are listed in the first three verses of chapter 5." Joe Miles

September 8, 2024

Marks of a true Christian

Part 8

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21

The Bible is very clear on recompensing evil for evil, so I’ve included the whole text. God wants to handle your issues himself. He can do far more than we can, and we won’t have to spend time in jail. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. God avenges his children! In fact, it’s one of our privileges. He is the sovereign King and a righteous judge. He can see all sides of the issue and fairly judge the case. When we leave it in His hands, we show him that we trust him to handle it, which helps us increase our faith. As the evil in this world increases, it is essential that we allowthis lesson to penetrate our hearts because it will become harder and harder not to seek revenge on those who’ve hurt us. Defend yourself if you must, but seek no revenge. And, by treating our enemies kindly, it’s like heaping hot coals on their heads; that does it for me every time. We cannot avenge ourselves better than God can so leave it in His hands.

September 7, 2024

Marks of a true Christian

Part 7

Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Romans 12:16

Isn’t it odd that God has to tell us how to act and treat people appropriately when it should come naturally to those who love Jesus? Maybe this list of characteristics is so we can double-check and continue working on ourselves if we lack in any specific area. However, this specific mark is the mark of genuine love which all of us should exhibit without question. I know that people nowadays seem to lack sense and act foolishly, making it harder for us to tolerate them. But, according to the above scripture, we are to condescend to them, not act like them, but not esteem ourselves so highly that we forget that God doesn’t care whether we are rich or poor, smart or dumb, and should treat one another fairly. Remember, you may not be as smart as you think, so don’t overestimate your intelligence. Even though this is a hard one because it seems that a lot of people have taken the wacky pill, this is a reason to feel sorry for the ignoramuses and remind ourselves that they need the sanctification that only Jesus can give. We may need more sanctification, too.

September 6, 2024

Marks of a true Christian

Part 6

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Romans 12:15

There is a little boy in our church who was born with many medical issues. He has trouble hearing and seeing, among other things. He recently underwent surgery and had some unforeseen trouble, and infection set in. However, the doctors cleared it up. Our church has been praying for him and his parents for his entire life. He’s had many surgeries, but this one in particular was one I was looking forward to. He was being prepared to receive a cochlear implant type of device to help him hear. Yesterday, he was fitted with the device, and his mother uploaded a video showing his response when it was turned on. This relatively quiet little guy got a big smile on his face and began chattering in a language only God could interpret, but it was a language of pure joy, something we could all understand. I’m sure he has had happy moments in his precious life, but I have never witnessed them. He finally got to hear his momma’s voice. I felt his joy and was overwhelmed and brought to tears. I am grateful I was able to witness such delight. What a perfect example of rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep. This baby has had a rough life, but his church family has stood by him this entire time. God gave us this moment, and it did our hearts good.

September 5, 2024

Marks of a true Christian

Part 5

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Romans 12:14

This mark of a true Christian is a hard one but not impossible. We all have people who hate us, whether it’s because we unintentionally hurt them or because of their jealousy. I’m sure there are other reasons, but one of the main reasons is that we have peace with Jesus, and their lives are probably in turmoil. When they see us living our best lives worshipping our Lord, they allow evil to overtake them. I’ve found the best way to overcome your anger towards them is to feel sorry for them because they’ve allowed the enemy to control them and are likely heading to hell. Remember when Jesus was on the cross and he cried out, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” We must use his words as an example of what to do. These people are fighting against us and don’t realize the implications of what they are doing, especially when they come against the children of God. They will eventually pay the price for their ignorance. Ultimately, we want them to come to know Jesus because it will change their lives as well as ours; that’s where blessing them rather than cursing them comes into play. Pray for their salvation. 

I know of at least two people who hate me, and one of them has uttered the words, “How can she call herself a Christian.” I know because I overheard her. I’ve done nothing to either one of them. They don’t have the peace of Jesus. The enemy has tangled their minds. They know who Jesus is but haven’t fully embraced everything he has to offer. It’s unfortunate because I’ve done many things to try and help them, but sometimes, you have to leave your enemies in the hands of God and hope they come to their senses before it’s too late.

September 4, 2024

Marks of a true Christian

Part 4

Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Romans 12:13

Who is a saint? Those of us who are saved by the blood of Jesus. If there are people among us having a hard time with the extreme inflation, we are all experiencing, or at any time we see a fellow believer struggling, a true Christian’s heart wants to reach out and help. We should want to help, not only by praying for them but also by showing our love for them by giving them a hand-up in their time of need. If you pray for them without offering physical help, we might guess that you are a Christian in name only and will probably be shocked and surprised at your fate when Jesus returns. Don’t be that person. Let the true love of Jesus show through in your actions. If needed, feed them, open your door, and be hospitable. Jesus said, “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” Matthew 25:35-36. Then he goes on to say: “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40. 

September 3, 2024

Marks of a true Christian

Part 3

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Romans 12:12

Aren’t you grateful for the Holy Spirit? He helps us hold on to the hope of Jesus’s forgiveness and love, our belief in his return to take us with him, and so much more. Not only that, but we rejoice in it! Even when afflicted by trials and tribulations, we put our hope in Jesus. We find ourselves praying all the time because we know we can reach out to God at any time, and He will receive our requests; we are confident that He hears us and hopeful that He will answer them quickly. We know we can pray anytime and in every situation, especially when facing adversity. He calms our anxiety, helps us persevere, and conquers anything that challenges us. Now, especially with the turmoil that we are facing in a world that has gone mad, we can relax and know we can rely on Jesus to help us prevail. 

For those who question your salvation, isn’t it good to hear these simple things that mark us as true believers in Jesus Christ? Sometimes, we need the assurance of His presence in our lives, and the scriptures here in Romans 12 give us that hope. Hold on, brothers and sisters; as evil seems to prevail, we put our hope in Jesus and are secure in him.

September 2, 2024

Marks of a true Christian

Part 2

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Romans 12:11

Not slothful in business: As followers of Jesus, we are not to be lazy when it comes to business, especially when serving the Lord. Unbelievers will watch you to see how you handle yourself and make a judgment of all Christians based on how you deal in business. If they see that you are lazy, they will assume all believers are lazy, and your testimony will fall on deaf ears. We are not a lazy people! 

Fervent in spirit: The best way to put this is we are on fire for Jesus. We are not lukewarm but blazing hot!

Serving the Lord: You will find that the true Christian is busy doing the Lord’s work, which can be readily seen in our daily interactions. 

These three characteristics tie together nicely. We should be on fire when we are about the business of serving the Lord! 

September 1, 2024

Marks of a true Christian

Part 1

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Bekindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Romans 12:9-10

You cannot call yourself a true Christian if you hate others. Our hearts are to be so immersed in Jesus that we take on his characteristics. No one has loved us more sincerely than Jesus, who carried our sins to the grave when he was crucified on the cross for our sins. We must love our enemies and give them food and water if needed. If they continue to hate us, it will be to them like hot burning coals on their head. To other Christians, we should love them deeply with the kindness only found in those who love Jesus; it is so sincere that we prefer to be around them more than any others. This world is getting harder and harder to live in, so show kindness and love others with all your heart. Doing so will help us traverse this world a little easier as we await Jesus’s return. 

August 31, 2024

Praying is very important and simple for us to do, especially when we feel helpless in our troubles and the troubles of others. Today, I thought it would be good to share how I pray. I pray these words every day and sometimes multiple times a day. Not only do I pray these words, but I also petition God for my own requests as well as the requests of others. I don’t limit myself to these words only, but they are easy, especially when you have a hard time praying. 

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. For you are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory, honor, and power. For you created all things, and by your will, they exist and were created. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, and wealth, and wisdom, and strength, and honor and, glory and praise. To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever.

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Lord, I ask that you watch over my family and friends; surround them with your fortress, cover them with your shield, and place your mighty warrior angels around them to keep them safe and free from the fiery darts of Satan. 

The first portion comes from Revelation 4 and 5; the next is the Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6, and the last is one I came up with for spiritual warfare. If you are dealing with difficulties, pray Psalms 91. If you’re struggling with what to pray, remember you can’t go wrong praying scripture. I hope this helps you shore up your prayer life. 

August 30, 2024

I’ve been a little obsessed with what’s going on lately in the world we live in: the governmental changes, rumors of wars, earthquakes, and environmental anomalies. They all seem to point to the season of the end and the return of Jesus. Jesus said we wouldn’t know the exact day of his return, but we would know the season. We can’t just sit around waiting for the inevitable; we must stay ready. We can see from the parables of Matthew 24 and 25 that the fig tree is budding, and time is at hand. Because you know he is coming soon, you must continue to maintain his house; don’t let him find you being lazy or mistreating God’s other servants because he’s been gone too long. Keep oil in your lamp because he is near; the Holy Spirit is your oil. Jesus has given each of us a portion of faith; some of us have more than others, but no matter how much you have, he expects you to invest it and bring more into the kingdom while you wait for him to return. Stay strong and hold on; He’s coming soon, and we will all be grateful!

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: Matthew 25:34

August 29, 2024

How do we move our belief from our head to our heart? Love God. How do we love God, whom we’ve never seen? There are some steps you can take to increase your love for God:

1. Think about Him. When you get a break in the monotony of life, stop for a moment and meditate on Him. One of my favorite verses gives a picture of the throne room. Sometimes, when I’m having trouble sleeping, I picture myself like a child getting cozy in one of the folds of God’s robe that fills the temple.

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Isaiah 6:1

Another of my favorite verses tells us that God rejoices over us with singing. Can you imagine the God of all creation loving you so much that He sings over you? Think about this verse to help you draw closer to Him:

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 

2. Get to know God. When you love someone, you try to get to know them. There is a book by Arthur Pink called The Attributes of God. If you want to love God intentionally, get this book and use it to dig deep into understanding who God is. 

3. Put in the time. How do you get to know someone without spending time with them? Take a walk in nature and notice the details of God’s creation. Talk to Him, and He will show you his excellence. 

4. Love others. If we don’t have love for others, do we actually love God? No. It’s impossible. 

We love him because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 1 John 4:19-20