How Can My thinking start to Change My Life?

Romans 12: 1-3 says, ‘Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.’

Renewing our minds means changing our mind set or changing our thought habits.  This concept is so powerful, that just thinking positive thoughts can change your life.  The way you view yourself and life affects how you live life.  I want to use the example of how God view us to show the thought process we must undergo so as to renew our mind.  

When we were born again, how does God sees us? Righteous (among many other things)

Why? Because Christ’s righteousness became ours.  Christ lives in us and we are now righteous.

Do we see ourselves that way?

What do we see instead? Our faults, our past, our weakness.

RENEW YOUR MIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As born again believers, we must embrace ALL of who God is at the very beginning of our walk with Him. (On another note, when we share Him, we must share all of who He is also).  This means that can't say we are Christians, and not embrace God's truth about us.  We MUST renew our minds so that God's truth becomes the truth we live by.

When I was young, my concept of God was this: He loves me, He died for me, He wants me to do right-obey Him. Obeying my parents is obeying God.  Bad or negative attitudes is bad behavior, and is disobedience to God.  Life for me was one of dos & don’ts. I never formed a deep relationship with God. 

A relationship, by the way, is where two or more persons share all or some of who they are with each other.  God desires relationships, He does not want distant obedience. As adults, we believe in God but, ….The list of 'buts' is long and varied.  If we don't see ourselves being born into new life and relationship with God, then we will not see ourselves as He does. 

So, how do we renew our minds (change our minds) to think as Christ does?  Our thinking needs to change so much that we come to the place where our 2^nd birth (being born again) and what we were born into is more natural than our 1^st birth (born as baby) and what we were born into.   Lets look at what we were born into at our first and second births.

2^nd Birth                                                                                                           1^st Birth

-We are righteousness                                                                                    -We are sinners

-We see ourselves as righteous                                                                       -We accept sinful state

-Keep truth in front of us                                                                                -We follow lies

-Our minds get renewed                                                                                 -Our minds stays the same

-Become more Christ like                                                                              -We remain what we believe

Now, when we were born again, there was a shift in the spiritual realm and in our spirits, and Christ righteousness becomes ours. Why then is it so hard to walk according to the truth? Because we are constantly reminded of our weaknesses and our pass.  As Christians we have two choices before us when we are faced with our pass; one is to give into the lies, or confront the lie with the truth.  I will preceed to go through a step by step though process that we more or less go through to do either one.  

The first choice goes more or less like this:

-We know that we are righteous. This is hard to do because the enemy, through our thoughts confronts us with our pass.

- We give into reminder of our past and listen to the lies we usually believe. The enemy does this every day, every moment.

-When we give into the lies, we allow old nature to prevail.  The more we believe or give into lies, the more our old nature prevails.

-This all leads to us becoming distant from God. Remember, if you believe the lie, you are rejecting the truth.

-With persistence in these choices, we will eventually lose access to 2^nd birth blessings. 

OR

We can choose differently as follows:

-We know we are righteous.

-We therefore confront lies and reminder of past with the truth

-This allows our new nature to prevail.

-We then become closer to God

-We enjoy an uninterrupted and stronger flow of 2^nd birth blessings.

WHICH WILL YOU CHOOSE?

This thought process should be used in embracing all truth.  Yes life knocks us off balance or knocks us down, but we must remember that God knows all and He is not surprised by nothing.

When we are faced with the choice of old nature versus new nature CHOOSE NEW NATURE!  It is way more peaceful!

Christian Life Essentials

I was thinking over the past few days that many of us Christians say we follow and love God, however, the basic or foundamental things that we know about God and our relationship with Him is very limited and sometimes not based on truth.  If you are still struggling with them, and do nothing about it, then you are walking the road of unbelief.  This road leads to death ultimately, and walking it means you are living a lifestyle that is anti-God/Christ.  You are either entertaining thoughts of it or embracing it whole heartedly.
The following list just highlights these fundamental truths.  some you might already know, but my prayer is that it challenges your thinking to find out what is really God's truth:
1. All mankind has sin and are  born sinners. Romans 3:23-‘for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.’
2. Christ, God’s Son/God the Son, came in our form to die for us and testify/show us the truth.-John 3:16 says that God loves us that he sent His Son. In John 18:37, Jesus told Pilate that he came to testify to the truth.
3. The devil and his angels are condemned to eternal death in hell.  Hell is what it will be like fully separated from God-eternal death, fire, fears, sadness, etc. Matthew 25:41b says that hell was prepared for the devil and his angels.
4. God did not condemned mankind to eternal death and hell. –Genesis 3 tells us that God said to Adam, “Curse is the ground because of you…”. Only the serpent was cursed.  When we allow ourselves to be deceived, and refuse to follow the truth, the end result is the same as the one who is condemned to hell.  This is why we need to pursue truth. Note this, saying ‘no’ or ‘wait’ to God is saying ‘yes’ or ‘maybe’ to all that is anti-God. John 3:9&10-‘No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.’ Anti-Christ spirit is rooted in the devil.  Making mistakes while being transformed as children of God is different from sinning.  If you know the truth and ignore it, it is sin.  If we sin, remember the prodigal son.
5. Confession and repentance of sin leads to immediate forgiveness from God and birth into a new life with God.  No longer are we walking dead with a bogus life, but we are alive in every way with God’s abundant life.  1John 1:9
6. Being born again=belonging to Christ=have all His  blessing and promises available to us. 
So, why do Christians suffer over and over needlessly in multiple areas?
1. They don’t know the truth about God, yourself and the world.  How to change this?  Educate yourself! Read the Bible! Read other books that is biblical. Talk to a biblical Christian. NOTE: God is not a quick fix God! Quick fixes do not develop character and God is in the business of molding us to be like Him.  We walk by faith, and there are works of faith. If, for example, you are believing God for financial increase or independence, then stop making foolish financial decisions.  Find out why what you are doing is not working.  If you want better grades, listen to the teacher, read your textbook, study, do your home work.  Along with all that you do, trust God, remembering that ultimately He is sovereign. Do not replace works of faith for faith in Christ.  They go together.
2. Unwillingness to change.  Some Christians are more committed to tradition that is centuries old than God’s truth, and what He is doing now.  God’s truth is applicable to all ages/times.  If an old tradition is not producing the results you want, do something else.  This is where we benefit as Christians, we seek God to guide us.  God knows the future, who better to trust and be guided by.  Example: whether we like it or not, computer, internet, and cell phones are here to stay.   Use it to be more efficient in what you do.  Teachers, Excel is more efficient in calculating grades. I see my husband Google information on fixing vehicles.  As you do this, keep acknowledging God.
3. Allowing shame, fear, low self-esteem, stress, and low self-confidence (to name a few), to keep you from finding out how to change, or how something works, or how to get the better job, or how to attract more sales or income, or how to get better grades, or how to have a better life.  Example: creating new income sources.  Did you know that getting a job or starting your own business is not the only way to make money, or making money work for you?  God created us in His image, we can create things!  Better yet, as Christians, we are redeemed, so it should be more successful for us than any other person.  Many times it is no,t right? Find out why! Ask the questions-ask God to bring what you need to accomplish it. Example: I have been praying for some time now that God increase our income source.  I make sure I tithe and give according to the Spirit’s leading.  I keep in my heart the truth that what I ask God He will grant me, and that I am blessed because I am His.  In the past few months, Krem started what they called money Mondays.  They had people who knows about finances come and share what they know about finances.  Then a few weeks ago, Mr. Lasel Arnold, owner of Belize Dry Cleaners, was on Plustv.  He share with listeners some books that will help with how we viewed money.   This is an answer to prayer.  My life is not one of coincidence.  God is in control, and He allows what happens in my life.  Now we are thinking differently when it comes to being financially stable and independent.  Example:  Tyler Perry-he asked God for him to make enough money so he could take care of his mom, God did so much more. Solomon asked for wisdom, and got so much more. Our works of faith and trust in God goes together.
4. If you don’t know then learn!  Ask people, listen to talk shows, read books, Google!  Have you ever wonder why most people who win the lottery become poor again?  The answer to that question will lead you to financial independence.  To create wealth you must educate yourself on money.  Money wants to work for you, but instead, you work for it.  You are driving money crazy!  Learn a skill.  Learn how to handle money.  Learn what is good to invest in.  Learn what invest means.  Learn what are good study habits.  Learn about yourself.  When you learn something new, share it with others.  Mentor others so they know too.
God bless us not just so we can enjoy it, but so we bless others.
So, my points:
1. Works of faith and trusting God go together
2. Stop complaining and/or  making excuses about where you are and do what you can about it.
3. Educate yourself!
4. Never forget who you are in Christ

So, can a Believer (you and I) loose eternal life if we sin?  What exactly does sin do to a believer?

Answer to first question is no.  Did you hear the record scratch? Yes, you heard me right, NO.   When I came to full realization of this, my mind went back to what I was taught growing up-the opposite.  I was taught that if a believer sins, they loose eternal life until they repent and turn to Him.  This also means, that if that person sins, and they die before repentance, they will go to hell.  We cannot determine if they repent or not, only God can do that.  At least this is what I came to believe after years of going to church.   

Every believer struggles with sin.  As I mentioned last week, we are restored to having relationship with God, but it is definitely not ‘before the fall’ status.  Paul tells us in Romans 7:25, that we have deliverance from this struggle through Jesus Christ our Lord.  In Romans 8:1, he continues by saying that because we have this deliverance through Christ, we DO NOT stand condemned.  God does not condemn us, and therefore, NO ONE and NOTHING can. Paul later says in this chapter this; “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Versus 38-39. NOTHING can separate us from Christ.

Jesus also said in John 10: 27-28, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”  We, the sheep, know Christ voice.  This tells me that since I belong to Him, I know His voice.  It may need fine tuning, and sometimes it might be harder than other times to hear His voice, BUT, we DO know His voice. In verse 14 and part of 15, Jesus says that He knows His sheep and His sheep KNOWS Him.  No maybe or might, but a sure thing.

So, if sin does not unborn me again, then what happens when a believer  sins?  As far as our status as God's children and having eternal life, nothing.  A believer should repent and accept Christ's forgiveness, and move on.  Simple.  The bible reminds us many times that we must constantly be fighting our old nature, and that as fallen humans, we can stumble and sin. Paul says this in Romans 7 well.  As believers, our focus should be on the Spirit and what the Spirit is telling us.  We like to remind ourselves of the bad things around us, how incapable we are of accomplishing what God wants, but the truth is that we only need to accept God’s gift of salvation, and walk by the Spirit thereafter.  Galatians 5: 16 says ‘So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.’  Our focus need to shift.  We cannot do anything to earn God’s favour.  God view our hearts because our motives are hidden there.  He responds to a sincere heart.  We cannot TRY to be Christians.  We either do it, or don’t.  No middle ground.  We Belizeans (and other people in the world) love to play middle ground.  I will hold on to this, even though I want to change to this,-just in case! We like to let sleeping dogs lie; not realizing that is why the truck run them over.  RENEW YOUR MINDS! We have been hearing the truth for years, and where are we because of it?  Revelations 3:1," I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. ² Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. ³ Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you." Listen to what the Spirit is saying.  Those who like to ‘play it safe’ are the lukewarm people that God wants to spit our of His mouth.
I pray that as you have read the truth, being careful to review the scriptures for yourselves, that you will choose to life accordingly and therefore have the freedom that Christ offers.

What is Right? What is Wrong?

As I was typing this to share, what flooded my mind is the philosophies that are internationally believed concerning  right and wrong.  Sayings like 'If it makes you happy, then it is right for you' and common thinking that truth is illusive, is a blatant reflection of what the world's view on this subject. The world has aggressively sought to remove God from society, much to our demise.  What I am about to share is just touching the tip of the iceberg, but it is a start non-the-less.

1.       What God says is right is right, and what God says is wrong is wrong.  The Bible is God’s written word. This is so whether we like it or not; whether we believe it or not.

      John 14:6, "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." 

      Isaiah 44: 6-8 & 24:

⁶ “This is what the LORD says—
   Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
   apart from me there is no God.
Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.
   Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
   and what is yet to come—
   yes, let them foretell what will come.
Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
   Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me?
   No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.” 

      I like this verse, because God Himself speaks out a challenge to bring another who can be put in equal to or greater than Him.  God also says He does not know of any who is equal to or greater than Him.

      Here are some facts about right and wrong, that is based on what God says in His word (the Bible):

1.  What is right is the truth.  God’s word is truth. John 17:17 says: Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.  Here Jesus was praying concerning His disciples just before He died, and He says that God's word is truth.
2. What is wrong is lies. The Father of lies is the Devil/Satan.  John 8:44 says: "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." Jesus was addressing the Pharisees in this scripture, and clearly states that lies, which comes from the devil, means that there is no truth present in the devil.
3.   Lies distort and go against truth. Romans 1:25- "They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen." and  John 8:44.
4.  Doing what is wrong is sinful/old nature. Colossians 3:5-10- "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.^{[a] 7} You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ⁸ But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. ⁹ Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator" 
5.   Doing what is wrong is disobedience to God.  1 Samuel 15: 22&23- "But Samuel replied:    “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
      as much as in obeying the LORD?
   To obey is better than sacrifice,
      and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
   ²³ For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
      and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
   Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
      he has rejected you as king.”
   
6. Doing what is right is righteous living and obedience. Deut. 11:22- "If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him and to hold fast to him." and 6:25- "And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”
7.  The truth is reality.  Isaiah 44:19- "No one stops to think,
      no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,
   “Half of it I used for fuel;
      I even baked bread over its coals,
      I roasted meat and I ate.
   Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left?
      Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”                                                                           Colossians 2:17-"These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."  Believing lies leads to insanity and stupidity and death.

 Society preaches the opposite.  They say ‘there is no absolute truth’ ‘there is no God’ ‘as long as you are happy’  Mankind cannot be the one to determine what is right and wrong, truth or lie, because we are born sinners, and have lost contact with the source of truth which is God.  Isaiah 44: 9-20 continues to say that mankind has become insane and deluded because he makes images with his own hands and bows down to it asking it to save him.  Mankind has come up with some outrageous lies, why? Because they don’t want to face the truth, and they want to do as they please.  They don’t want to answer to God. 

There are some actions of mankind that are neither right nor wrong.  Like the colour dress you buy.  God looks at our heart, so it is the motives and desires He sees in our heart that leads Him to correct us, and act how He acts towards us. 

We have to stop excusing people and ourselves from their standard of living.  We all can choose how we want to live, yes, but there is a right way and wrong way to live. We are either living one way or the other.  If you think even a little bit otherwise, then you be the one that God dares to bring evidence before Him that He is lying or not who He declares to be.  God is not afraid to stand beside what you think of Him, or you trying to size Him up.  Trust me, you will fail, and He will bring you to your knees if you still refuse to acknowledge Him.

God’s truth and declaration about Himself, and His truth about mankind does not change depending on which denomination or religion you are with.  He is who He is.  His truth remains the same.

The truth does not change depending on whether we agree with God or believe Him or not.

So, is your idea of how to determine right from wrong same as what God is saying?  I challenge you to ask God to search your heart and show you what is there.  Remember, we can be deceived by our own hearts; for a heart that is hurting, that is broken from wrong done against you, cannot rightly decide if what you believe is right or wrong.  God must come and reveal this to you.  He is doing that right now, so open your heart.

Reasons Christ Came

There are different reasons in the Bible as to why Jesus came and why He died.  They are linked closely together.  In my reading of the Bible, the main ones are:

1.       The love of God. John 3:16

2.       To testify to the truth. John 18:37

3.       Give abundant life. John 10:10

4.       To die instead of us. John 10:17 & 18

When I was small, and hearing about God and Jesus, before I knew that God the Father and God the Son are one, I use to think that God did not like us and that only Jesus loved us because He died.  Funny!

John 3: 16 says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, love the world (us).  We can receive the full blessings of God because God love us a lot. Jesus Christ, God the Son, left heaven, and came to earth because God loves us.

John 18: 37 says ““You are a king, then!” said Pilate.  Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”  Jesus was answering Pilate here.  The fact that Jesus came to testify to the truth, means the truth was (still is) under attack, and lies were (still is) being promoted as the truth.  The Jews were not living according to the truth about who they are and what God expected of them.  In fact they were so lied to, they could not even recognize the truth in Christ.  All of mankind did not know who man is or who God is and what He desires to accomplish, although we all are without excuse as 'the heavens declare the wonders of God'- Psalms 19:1.  The devil does not want us to know the truth.  Real truth is reality and comes from God.  The truth about God, mankind, the devil, is empowering to know and the devil will fight to stop us from embracing that truth.

John 10:10 says “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus was referring to His sheep.  He came so we have life abundantly.  The life that we get from Christ is never ending, and over flowing.  Is your life like that?

John 10:17 & 18 says “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

We were born sinners.  Sin/evil entered into this world through Adam and Eve’s sin.  We were condemned to death.  We were separated from God.  We hide from God, because we were/are guilty.  We came to the place of finding ways to get God out of the picture so we don’t have to face Him.  Those who believed in Christ got life, redemption. 

This Easter season, let us consider even deeper what Jesus came on this earth to accomplish for us.  Allow the truth of His life on earth to move us to gaze on the face of God, and allow Him to change us. Amen!

How to wait for God's Blessings

It is always so amazing to hear someone share what God has been speaking to them, and it is the same thing God is saying to me, and we were in two different places and situations.  When God is saying something, He will do so clearly, and He will also re-enforce it. It is also an encouragement to me because it shows me that I am on target.
I have been learning how to wait for God's blessing.  I was a reading the third section of a book name 'Living Abundantly Through God's Blessing', by Jim Cymbala. I was honestly skeptical of finding anything that would be of encouragement to me.  I figured all the stories would be of people who could not remotely relate to the life that I live.  I read on in obedience to the gently nudging of the Holy Spirit, and got hit with what God wanted me to hear.  The way to wait on his blessing is to pray and give.
Pray because it is our connection to God.  It is the way we know what He wants us to do, and speak out our decision to obey and trust Him.  Give because God tells us in His word that He bless those who give, many times over.  Giving of what we have as God leads us, takes our minds of trying to work things out for ourselves, and put it instead on obedience to God.  Oh, and the giving is NOT limited to finances.
Truly waiting for God to bless us in His way and in his time means we must trust Him completely.  When we waver from moment to moment, we remind ourselves of his words to us.  The same faith we had when we trusted God to forgive us of our sins and give us new life, is the same faith we need to continue exercising moment by moment, day by day, to see His blessings flow in all areas of our lives and for us to grow stronger in our faith in God.
Martin Luther said it well, 'God will take care of us in good and bad times.  We shouldn't become over confident in times of plenty, but we also need to patiently endure in times of adversity.  God will never leave us.  He will be near us in our troubles.  Unbelievers don't have this confidence in God because they put their trust in earthly things.' (Taken from Jim Cymbala's quotation of Martin Luther in his book 'Living Abundantly Through God's Blessing').
I am reminded of King David and how he never went to battle or did anything to get himself on the throne, without consulting God first.  What God says, he does.  He was always successful in battle, and he sat on the throne years after he was anointed by God to be King.  God said of him that he was a man after His own heart.
If we are truly to live how God wants us to live-abundantly blessed, then we must submit to His way and His time.  God eagerly desires to change our hearts and bless us.  All He needs, and looks for, is a heart that believes in Him, is steadfast towards him, and an ear that will listen.

Believing In God's Sovereignty

Q: do you know God is sovereign?
Q: do you believe God is sovereign?
Q: do you believe in God's sovereignty?
Question two and three are different. The first is general and the second personal.
To be the spiritual person God has called us to be, we must believe in God's sovereignty. We must do this every moment and every day. Anything less is short change for you, and not meeting God's desires for us.

Let us look at Rebekah's (Genesis 25:23,27-34, 27:1-28:5 and Rahab's(Joshua 2, 6:22-25) life.
Rebekah knew God's word to her.  God told her that the two babies inside her were two nations, and that the younger would rule the older.  From her actions, it seems that this information she had was the reason for Jacob being her favorite son.  He happens to be the youngest of the twins.  When time came for Isaac, Rebekah's husband, to bless his oldest son Esau, Rebekah overheard and took matters into her hand.  why not? God did say that 'the elder shall serve the younger' right?  Isaac was messing things up and getting it wrong.  We will never know how God was going to fulfill His word to Rebekah, but Rebekah did not trust God enough to wait on Him.
How many times we find ourselves in this same spot? 
We are conditioned and trained to make things happen for ourselves. I am not talking work or no work, I am talking that drive in us to watch out for ME. It is selfish at its roots. God is saying something else to us.
Rebekah's action had the usual ripple effect. All action does. Her sons' relationship went bad-Esau wanted to kill Jacob. Also, she had to take more things into her hands to divert the consequences of her actions-Jacob was sent away. She died without ever seeing her son again. Esau's wives were also a source of aggravation for her-since she only knows to take matters into her own hands, she lived with that until she died.

Looking at Rahab, did she trust God? Yes! She showed she trusted God (works of faith) by hiding the spies even though they were coming to take over her country. She was initially afraid of God because she knew of His power. God promised protection with specific guidelines, and she trusted God to save her. What must have gone through her head when the walls were crumbling down, or hearing the Israelites marching around them? She risked being laughed at when she told her family to come and stay in her house. What if she thought to go somewhere else that seemed more safe? After all, when a city get conquered, the walls are usually broken down. Why should she wait in her house-don't make sense right? She However, choose to trust God's sovereignty even though it seems foolish. She is known even now for her faith.

So, can we trust God like that, even when our minds  and hearts are screaming 'NO!'? I trick you not, IT IS HARD! We all know that.
That trust is what Jesus meant when He said "if you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will and it will be done for you." John 15:17. It is also what He meant when He asked us to take His yoke on us and learn from Him- Matthew 11:29
.God is able to be sovereign and yet allow us to make our decisions.  He is able to work around or through our choices to still make His plan for us come to pass.  We only need to submit to Him.
Will You?

Life After New Creation

When we were born again, it was the beginning of new life with God. We first believe in Him unto salvation, and we must continue to do so for the rest of our lives.  Knowing God's truth about Himself and ourselves is the key to successful Christian living.  Take some time right now and say so you can hear yourself: "I am born again again! I am a child of God!"  Say it like you mean it.  Oh, only say it if it is the truth.  You cannot hide your life from God. John 1:12 says, 'But to all who receive Him, who believe on His name, He gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of  the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
As children of God, we have access to our heavenly Father through Jesus. WE have available to us all that God the Father offers His Son- Jesus. In John 6: 36, Jesus said, 'all the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out.' and John 8: 31 He says, 'If you continue in my word, you are truely my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.'
We are to 'be imitators of God and walk in love', Ephesians 5: 1&2. 

We need to walk in the fear of God, knowing that He is all powerful, and in control, and that He knows our heart, and that we will have to answer to Him.  In Galatians 5: 16-24, Paul tells us to 'live the way the Spirit leads you. Then you will not do the evil things your sinful self wants. The sinful self wants what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against the sinful self. They are always fighting against each other, so that you don’t do what you really want to do. But if you let the Spirit lead you, you are not under law. The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: committing sexual sin, being morally bad, doing all kinds of shameful things, worshiping false gods, taking part in witchcraft, hating people, causing trouble, being jealous, angry or selfish, causing people to argue and divide into separate groups, being filled with envy, getting drunk, having wild parties, and doing other things like this. I warn you now as I warned you before: The people who do these things will not have a part in God’s kingdom.  But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their sinful self. They have given up their old selfish feelings and the evil things they wanted to do. 

 What fleshly/sinful/selfish desire you are currently trying to avoid?  Right now my challenge is to always speak God's truth, instead of the lie that nags me or the dougt that I feel.  Live by the Spirit.

I read a story, and in it this woman, who is a Christian, was having a hard time controlling the cutting remarks she usually allowed to role of her tongue, because of having to work with this man who is a irritating character to say the least.  She had to decide if she would to allow her flesh/sinful self to keep manifesting itself and just say the cutting remarks, (after all, the dude was being deliberate in his irritating ways) or proclaim God's truth and walk according to the Spirit.  Every time we are faced with the situation of walking according to our sinful self, we need to immediately take a step back, put things in perspective, tell ourselves the truth, change our thinking to the truth, and live accordingly.  The more we choose to live by the Spirit, the easier it will be to crucify/kill our sinful self.

Let us then walk by the Spirit.

Truely a Free and Divine Gift

In Romans 8: 10 & 14 it says “But if Christ is in you, although your bodies are dead because of sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness….for all who are lead by the Spirit of God  are sons of God” 
If Christ dwells in us, then His Spirit dwells in us.  If His Spirit dwells in us, then we are spiritually alive and not dead.  When we ask Jesus to forgive us and to come live in our hearts, we become born again.  It is a supernatural act of God where we become His children, we are given a new divine nature, and we have victory over sin and the enticement of this world.
These are truths that are not dependent on how we feel, or our actions for the day.  We receive God's divine gift not based on our deeds, so therefore we will not loose it based on our deeds.  We are His forever.
However, while these are true, we must at the same time allow God to keep renewing us to become who He  proclaims us to be.  The enemy will fight to keep what he once controlled.  We must remember that we can be who God wants us to be- His children- in His strength. Living in God's house means we should be enjoying all He has to offer in His house.  If we choose not to take them, we will not benefit from the blessing that comes with it.  Let us act according to God's truth about us, and not according to the lies we always believed about ourselves.
Jesus bless you.

Resolutions For 2012

Some years back I had always felt pressured to make New Year's resolutions.  After a few attempts, I realize that it just does not work. I have come to realize more recently why keeping those resolutions have been so hard.  I wonder, how many of us made new year’s resolutions for 2012? 

New year’s resolution accomplishes nothing much because it is made with the intention of accomplishing it in your own strength.  There are many things we can do in our own strength, however, if we lack health, we would accomplish less, or if we lack life, we would accomplish nothing. God gives us life, and for this reason we must acknowledge that we cannot do anything without God.  Even when we are really gifted in things that earns us a lot of money, or we know how to talk to people…we cannot be completely satisfied or fulfilled without living according to how God leads

How many of us have given our hearts to God, having ask for forgiveness of all our pass sins, asking Him to be Lord forever more of our lives?  How many of us are walking in all the blessings He has given to us?  Do we have peace, joy, hope, love?  How many of us are really allowing Jesus to show us how to live?  It does not matter what life threw at you, living life according to your own rules/standards/traditions  IS  going against God’s principles/standards for your life.  It may not always look like it, but at the heart level, that is what it is, and God looks at the heart. You cannot do your own thing and God’s at the same time.  Matthew 6: 24: ‘No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other…’ This was addressing money and stewardship, but the truth can be applied to all areas of life.  There are those of us, however, who try to play both sides. .   God calls those ones lukewarm.  I remember in primary school, my classmates around me would pop a joke.  I would listen, put my head down on the table, and laugh to my heart’s content; all this without shaking much or making noise.  When I lifted up my head, not a sign of laughter was on my face.  The teachers don’t see me laughing, so I don’t get into trouble, and I remain cool with my classmates because I enjoyed the joke.  I played both sides.  Who I was really loyal to was myself.  Playing both sides might seem safe, but it is not.  Remember God sees the heart.  He wants completed surrender.

Let us start this new year living how God wants us to live.  The attitude we need to change, the bad habit we need to stop, the pretense we always put up, the way we relate to those around us, keeping our priorities straight…whatever we know needs changing. 

Remember, to live how God wants us to live, we must consult Him constantly.  Ask Him what to do, ask Him what to say, in every situation.  Pray, pray and more prayer.  Living in obedience is not limited to character and heart change.  Although the most important thing is changing our heart, we must be obedient to God in all areas of our lives...in business, school, home, work, social life.

We must believe He can and will do for us what we ask.  Matthew 7: 7 says ‘Ask and it will be given you…’  Most times when Jesus is called upon to heal, he ask the person what do they want him to do for them, or if they believe He can.

We must seek after God to receive direction in life.  If not, we will do what we know how to do, or what someone else said is good to do, and most often it is contrary to what God wants for you.  ‘Seek and you will find…’

We cannot avoid taking risk.  God took the biggest risk creating us to be beings that need to have relationship with Him to live fulfilled lives, know full well that we can choose to fill it with something else. 

Remember God will not wait until you think you are schooled enough, mature enough, have enough money, have less responsibilities… before He leads you to do His will.  He will do so when He knows you are ready.

When God’s blessings begin to flow, do not forget where you were.  Help others.  We are to love God above all else and our neighbours as ourselves.

May 2012 be all that God desires for it to be.  Be obedient and stand firm.