Serving God on the Outside and Inside

I was looking up quotes online the other day, and I saw a quote that kind of caught me off guard. It said, "You don't have to look Christian on the outside, just on the inside." It sounds all good and dandy, right? Christians being able to dress and appear how they want, as long as they are faithful to God on the inside? 

After thinking about this quote for a moment, it kind of hurt me that people actually do believe that statement. If we are living for God on the inside, our outside is ultimately going to match. We aren't going to want our appearance to look ungodly, because that is going to represent just that to the world; ungodliness. If we aren't dressing for God, we are dressing for the devil. This might sound extreme, but I have found this to be true in my own life. 

I have spoken about my troubles with dress before, and its something that is dealt with everyday. I find that if I choose to wear something modest, my relationship with God grows because that is what God tells us to do in the Bible. If I choose to wear something immodest, I feel embarrassed, and it brings about the wrong attention and it disrespects God. If I wouldn't wear it in front of the people at my church, I shouldn't be wearing it at all. I don't want the wrong attention from people. Instead, I want to represent God in my appearance, and I want others to be able to see my faith to Him; not for my own glory, but to glorify what He has done in my heart and life. 

Deuteronomy 22:5 - "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so [are] abomination unto the LORD thy God."

God states that no gender should dress as the opposite. God made us each a certain gender for His glory. Women are meant to dress appropriately in clothing meant for the woman, and men are meant to dress appropriately in clothing meant for the man. If a person is dressing in the opposite gender's clothing, they are going against who God made them to be, and it is a sin. 

Leviticus 19:28 - "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I [am] the LORD."

Marks. This is speaking about any marking that a person may make on themselves that they were not born with. This can include cuts a person has made on themselves, tattoos, etc. God states that these markings are of the devil, for the dead, which is the followers of the devil. God made each of us in His image. Would we go to a museum and draw on something painted by Van Gogh? Of course not, so why would we want to ruin God's art when He made us?

1 Corinthians 3:17 - "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are."

1 Corinthians 6: 19- "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

1 Corinthians 6: 20- "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

In each of these verses, God states that we are the making of Him, and we are to treat our bodies how He intended. When God made us, He intended to make us out of the image of Himself; perfect. Though, our sin takes over, and takes away from that image. When God saved the world from sin, giving us the opportunity to accept Jesus as our savior, He gave us guidelines on how to treat our body, and they should be followed. If we want to represent God and encourage others to see His greatness, we have to show others what He is all about. We can't dress like the devil, and expect to encourage others in Christ. We have to represent God from the inside and outside if we want others to see Christ who lives in us. 

No Room at the Inn; Is There Room in Your Heart?

Luke 2:4-7: "And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

These verses here speaks about the savior, Jesus, who was born to Mary, and didn't have a place to sleep. They had tried to get a room at the inn, but the inn keepers turned them down, so Mary had to place her baby in a manger, which is a trough for animals. Because there was no room at the inn, Jesus had to sleep in a place that was made for animals to eat out of. The savior of the world had to sleep in a place that we wouldn't think of putting our children in today. It sounds like a pretty awful way to treat our savior, doesn't it?

This situation got me thinking. Do we do the same thing to Jesus in our lives? Do we let him into our lives and hearts, or do we send him away? Many times in my life, I push God away, and put Him out in the cold. This is no way to treat the One who saved us from eternity in Hell, and gave us a spot in Heaven.

Not only for this Christmas season, but throughout your life, make sure there's room for Jesus in your life. Don't put Him out in the cold because that isn't what He did with us. He has given us the greatest gift in the world; salvation and a Heavenly home. Give God a place in your heart, and you will see the blessings from His presence.

Because Everyday is Thanksgiving

My dad preached a sermon similar to this on Sunday, and I wanted to share this with everyone in hopes that someone will receive a blessing from it. 

We hear all the time about how we should be thankful for the things that we have, and for what God has provided us with. But do we really consider the sacrifices that God and Jesus made for us so that we can have the things that are taken for granted everyday? Here are just a few of those great blessings that we could never be thankful enough for. 

God sent His Son: John 3:16- "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

I couldn't imagine how hard it was for God to give His own son to die. Thinking about it, it hurts to know that God had to watch Jesus die. It's hard to imagine the selflessness that God had when He did this, and that He still has. God loves Jesus more than we can imagine, though, He was willing to give the one He loves so dear for us to be able to have salvation. We could never fully understand this great sacrifice. 

Jesus freely gave His life: 1 John 3:16 - "Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren."

Although God gave Jesus to die on the cross, Jesus had to be willing, which He was. I don't know many people that would be willing to give up their own life for others. I know that it would be very hard for me to do so. Our flesh is so protective of our life that we hate the thought of dying, while Jesus did the ultimate selfless action, which was giving up His life so that others could live. The love that Jesus felt for us led Him to have no hesitation to die for us, and it could never be compared to anything else in the universe. 

Jesus provides salvation: Mark 16:16 - "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

Because Jesus died on the cross, we have the choice of salvation. Jesus allows us to choose whether to accept Him or not. Because of His sacrifice, the world has a new hope. If we only ask, Jesus will come into our hearts, make us new, and give us eternity in Heaven. 
While on Earth, God is with us: Joshua 1:9 - "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God [is] with thee whithersoever thou goest."

It is impossible to get away from God. Even if we wanted to get away from Him, we can't. He follows us everywhere we go, and keeps us safe. He sees us everywhere we go, and provides us with safety and a friendship above all others. Whether we are in a room with a hundred people or we are in a room with no one else, we are never alone. No matter how many people we are surrounded by, God will be the most important. 

God guides us: Psalms 32:8 - "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye."

We would all be so lost today without God's guidance. God knows all about our futures, therefore, He knows exactly what paths that we need to take. Alone, we would make awful mistakes concerning our presents and futures, but because God is all knowing, we have the opportunity to choose the right path. 

God provides: Philippians 4:19 - "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

While on this Earth, God said that He would provide for us. This means that He will provide us with our needs; food, water, shelter, and so on. God cares for us, and if we live by Him, we will never truly be poor. 

God gives hope: Psalms 39:7 - "And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope [is] in thee."

In the world, there is a lot of troubles and tragedies that occur. It's easy to get down about the things that are going on, but we have a hope for the future that is greater than anything that this world could give us. Because this world is full of sin, it will never be home for a truly saved person. Those that are saved has a home where God is number one, where there is no sickness, sin, death, or sadness. 

Jesus is coming back: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 - "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first."

What joy we should have as we anticipate the coming back of our Savior. Sin continues on Earth, but it's soon going to end. No longer will God's children have to endure the hardships of the world. Soon, we will see Jesus appearing in the sky, and He will take us to where there are no hardships. 

God gives us eternal life: John 17:3 - "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

Not only does God allow us to be saved from Hell, but He gives us a life in Heaven forever and ever. It's very hard for me think about something never ending. Everything that we have ever known has an end; football season, church service, seasons, vacations to Disney World, etc. Heaven is one thing that will never change, and it is the greatest place that could ever exist. 

Today, with Thanksgiving Day in the past, remember the entire reason that we have the opportunity to be thankful. Without God, our lives would be doomed, and we wouldn't have the hope of a better day. There would be no happiness with our families, or a meal on our table. Remember the real reason that we are on this Earth and who has given us the blessings that we have been graciously given. Remember that everyday is a day to give thanks, for God is good every day of every year.

In the Twinkling of an Eye

1 Corinthians 15:52-"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

Last night, I texted my best friend at maybe a quarter after nine. She responded around nine thirty, and said that she would be able to talk in about thirty minutes. So, I waited, and waited, and waited. I never got a response back, and I figured that she was busy, so around eleven, I went to bed.

This morning, I woke up with a text from eleven thirty last night, saying that she had been in a bad wreck the night before. My mind absolutely panicked. She said that the car flipped several times, and it could have easily been the end of her life. Though, she walked out of the wreck only having minor scratches and cuts. 

I told this story to show how quickly life can be taken away from us. I texted my friend, and in just a short time period between when she texted me next, her life was almost ended. We have no guarantee of the next second to come. Before we take our next breath, we can be in eternity. Let's really think about that. Let's ask ourselves where we would be if we died in the next few seconds.

My dad preached a funeral for a very Godly man that went to our church today. He was very blessed to live a total of ninety six years, which is obviously super uncommon. The majority of the man's family does not attend church, and doesn't profess to have Jesus in their hearts. As I looked around at all the faces of family members, it scared me. It scared me because any of them could die at any moment, and open their eyes to Hell. They aren't necessarily bad people, but being good won't do anything for them when they enter eternity. All that matters is if they have received Jesus as their savior, and I hate to see lives spent on this Earth for sixty, seventy years, to never realize this, and end up in Hell.

Ecclesiastes 12:7- “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”

We are all going to die one day; God says this. We will all return to the earth one day, our grave. It may be ten years, and it may be ten minutes away, but we will die. The most important question that we can ask ourselves right now is simply, "Am I saved?" Three simple words, but so much meaning. No matter what we have done on this Earth, the only thing that matters when it comes to death is if we're saved. If we are saved, we have everything, but if we're not, our life has been in vain.

I didn't write this blog to scare anyone, but to give them the warning that they need to hear. I don't want to see anyone die and go to Hell, but that is where the people that reject God is going to go, and once there, they have no chance of ever escaping. I plea with you to just simply take time out of your day to make sure that you are happy with the place that you would spend eternity if you were to die this very second. Don't go another second, without knowing that you would be satisfied with your end. Remember that God loves you, send His only son to die for you, and He wants to see you in Heaven one day. The things that you will have to give up on this Earth for God is nothing compared to what you will gain in Heaven, if you will accept Jesus into your heart. 

The Destruction of Acceptance

Hebrews 13:8 - "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

It seems that the world is becoming more and more accepting of sin everyday; abortion, homosexual relations, premarital sex, divorce, and so much more. The luxuries of sin urges us to want to accept more and more sin in the world. Society wants to live in their evil ways, therefore, they want to change what the Bible and God says, so that they can continue to live the way they want. The lack of acceptance that Christians have is being raised as a problem, when in reality, the issue is that society is accepting sin, and going against God. 

Revelation 22:18- "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.

Revelation 22:19 - "And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book."

God clearly states in the Bible that we are not to take away from the Bible, nor are we to add to the Bible. This means that whatever the Bible states is what stays. It's not a matter of acceptance or no acceptance, it's a matter of whether or not one chooses to follow what the Bible says or not. Christians are not being "mean" by not being accepting of others' sins, they are following God. God is also not being "old fashioned" for not being accepting, people are simply becoming accustomed to living against God. 

It is becoming seen as a good thing for people to be "accepting." People don't take the time to see that they are sinning by doing this. If we want to follow God, we can't accept everyone's sins. Instead of accepting peoples' sins, we need to tell these people about God, and the salvation that they can receive if they are willing to give up sin. Not accepting others' sins does not mean that we are to treat them badly, but it means that we care for them enough to tell them that they are sinning against God, and giving them the opportunity to see God for who He truly is. 

We as Christians need to stand up for what God has given us to live by. It doesn't matter how many years passes, the Bible will still hold true. We can't make God who we want Him to be. If we are to change the image of God to hold the characteristics that we want Him to possess, that is taking away from who God is. Just like He loves us, we need to love Him enough to abide by His word. We have to use what God has given us, not change it. 

Workout With God

Feeling weak in God? Try these simple workouts to get that relationship with God that you've always dreamed of! 

1) Run a Mile in God's shoes: 

1 Corinthians 11:1: "Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ."

Put yourself in God's shoes. Try and intimidate His kindness and love. His greatness can never be reached, but we can try our best to show the world the work God has done in our own lives. 

2) Lift Bible Dumbbells: 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - "All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

The Bible was given to us for a guide for our lives. Work out your mind and absorb the knowledge that God has given us. The Bible will give you strength to spread His word, and have hope for a better future.

3) Crunch Away Sin: 

1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Confess your sins to God, and rid them from your life. Without all that weight, you can become stronger in God, and go a longer distance for God. 

4) Prayer Planks: 

Philippians 4:6 - "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

Find a place where you can fully concentrate on God, and pray. Pray that God will help you be a light to the world. Pray that He will give you the strength to stand up for God, and show Him your gratitude for doing all He does. 

5) Partner Medicine Ball Throw: 

Galatians 6:2 - "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."

Grab a partner, and help carry their burden. We all need help in life, which is why God puts other Christians in our lives. Lend a helping hand to fellow Christians, and let's cross the finish line together.

Before You Go To Sleep, Make Sure You Are....

Before you go to sleep, make sure you are...

1) SAVED:

1 John- "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

Going to bed knowing that you are saved is the best feeling in the world. You don't have to worry about what will happen once you go to sleep. No matter what happens in your life, your final destination is Heaven.

2) THANKFUL:

2 Corinthians- "Thanks [be] unto God for his unspeakable gift."

God sacrificed everything for us, including His own son, the least we can do is thank Him for what He has done in our lives. He blesses us, and keeps us safe on a daily basis, and that is definitely something to be thankful for. God deserves praise.

3) FORGIVEN:

1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Asking God for forgiveness will prepare the heart to do the things of God. If we have sin in our heart, it is preventing us from being as Godly as we can be. With sin, we are weak, but with God, we are strong. 

4) BURDEN FREE:

Psalms 55:22 - "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

Galatians 6:2 - "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."

Giving all of your burdens to God before falling to sleep will help you be worry free, and release what is bearing down on your heart. Praying for those things and the prayers of others will give you hope that God will take care of those things, and give you the Godly end that you are hopefully looking for.

 
5) READ UP:

Romans 15:4 - "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."

Reading the Bible gives a peace that can't come from anything else. It contains promises and hope for what is to come, and you can rest easy knowing those hopes are in your heart. 

Receiving Jesus VS. Professing Jesus

There is a huge difference in actually accepting Jesus as your personal savior, and solely professing to know Jesus. By receiving Jesus into your heart, I mean, asking Him for forgiveness and dedicating your life to Him. By professing Jesus, I mean, a person is simply saying that they know God, when they truly don't. Or in other words, putting on a fake to the world. I have personal experience in both of these.

When I was around twelve, I got under conviction. God was drawing me to Him one night at Bible School, and the teacher prayed with me, and after the prayer, I thought that I was saved, simply because I went through the process of praying to God. I professed to everyone that I accepted Jesus into my heart, but in reality, I hadn't at all. At the time, I didn't really understand what it was to get saved. I knew that I needed salvation, but I didn't fully understand the severity of the sacrifice Jesus made for us. So, needless to say, nothing changed in my life. I continued living in my sin, and God was clearly not present in my life. For a long time, I told the world I was saved because I didn't want them to think badly of me, and I wanted to believe that I was saved. Though, this was only taking away chance after chance of me getting truly right with God. Thankfully, God kept giving me opportunities to get saved, and thank God, I accepted Jesus on March 31st, 2011. After I did get saved, and I committed my life to God, which wasn't instant, I saw everything in such a new light.

I think that a huge problem in Christianity is that people are fooled by the world and the devil into believing that they are saved when they really aren't. I was fooled for about 3 years, believing that I was saved, and it was completely my fault. I let my emotions and the devil convince me that I was okay with God, but me saying that I was saved didn't do anything. When I accepted Jesus, and gave my life to Him, that is when I got saved. 

There's so many beliefs on how a person gets saved, but there's only one way. A person must accept Jesus into their heart if they want God to be in their life. There's not going to be any change until this happens.

Romans 10:9-10 - "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

I personally was so amazed by the change that I experienced. After I professed to getting saved, I was so confused why nothing changed, and why God wasn't working in my life. When I committed myself to God, I saw drastic changes to obstacles that I never thought I would overcome. A major obstacle being, saying 'I love you.' I've never been the most loving, but because Jesus showed me love, I am now doing the same.  

Before becoming truly saved, I was lost in the world of sin. I had no joy for God, no desire to read my bible or pray, and I certainly wasn't thankful towards God. The desire didn't come until the salvation was real. With salvation comes a love for God and a want to live for Him. Until Jesus is accepted into a person's heart, the real effects of a Christian relationship with God will not happen. 

The Errors of Predestination

Predestination is simply the belief that before we are even born, it has already been foretold if we will be saved or not. Predestination guides those that are destined to be saved unto the Lord, while those that are not destined to be saved, has a lessened chance of coming to repentance.  

Revelation 3:20 - "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." 

In this verse, God does not say those that are predestined to be saved can call unto God, and He will answer. God says that ANY man that would call upon him will be saved. 

2 Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Once again, God doesn't say that some should come to repentance, but ALL. 

God does not point out any specific people to be saved. Salvation is not some kind of exclusive club; it is for anyone that is willing to repent and live for Him. 

Romans 10:9-10 - "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." 

In this verse, God says that we are saved by faith, a personal belief in our heart, which we have the opportunity to believe, because Jesus died on the cross for our sins. 

If we were predestined to a specific eternity, did Jesus die on the cross with only a certain amount of people on his mind? Did God tell Jesus to go save this and that person, but leave the others alone to a life of sin? No, of course not. Jesus loves all, and doesn't want anyone to die lost. He died on the cross, knowing that anyone who was willing could come to salvation, and live in Heaven with Him one day. 

The Bible does not support the belief of predestination. It speaks of a savior that died so that anyone could be saved if willing to repent. In the Bible, God speaks about people that commit their life to Him, not because they were chosen to, but because they believed. God supports a life that is devoted to Him, and trusts in Him for a joyous eternity. God doesn't choose who is saved, we do, and I hope that everyone will be willing to choose God. 

Mary, the Chosen Servant of God

Mary and Joseph were engaged to be married when an angel came unto Mary, telling her that she was to become pregnant with the Son of God, Jesus. Mary questioned the angel, seeing that she hadn't been with a man. Though, Mary had faith saying, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38). 

The term, handmaid, ultimately means servant. According to Google, a servant is someone who is "a devoted and helpful follower or supporter," which is exactly what Mary was. Mary was telling the angel that she was willing to give her entire life for God and abide by His word, even when it seemed completely crazy to her. Today, if a woman was to tell us that God had given her a baby, without being with a man, we would think she had lost her mind. Same goes for Mary, who was shocked by the angel's words, but still stood by God.

Doubting God when He tells us that something is going to happen, even when it may seem impossible, is preventing us from furthering our faith in God. If we want God to use us in his ministry, we must be like Mary, and have strong faith in Him, no matter what the request is. God works in mysterious and amazing ways. God's will isn't always going to be obvious, and we have to be prepared to face the worst or strangest sometimes. 

Mary's life turned out incredibly well, and it was all because she kept her faith in God. She could have turned away from God, and brushed the ridiculous words off her shoulder, but instead, she chose to embrace the words of God, and accept any ridicule that may have came her way for the way that her becoming pregnant looked to the world. Because of her faith, she became one of the greatest roles in the history of the world; Jesus' mother. 

In life, there are going to be plenty of challenges that comes our way. God will test our faith with requests that may seem ridiculous, and might bring a lot of ridicule from others into our life, but if we choose God, He will carry us through. Mary trusted in God, and He brought her through, and she received blessings beyond belief. God will do the same for us if we stand for Him. God has the ability to use us in great ways in the world, and we have to be willing to  abide by His word to do so. He wants the most faithful and trusting servants to represent Him, and if we do so, God will shine our light out into the world. 

Fall To Your Knees; Jesus Is Coming

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 - "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:" 

There are many prophesies found in the Bible about the coming of Jesus that is coming true today. God is preparing for the coming of the Lord, and it could come at any moment. Jesus will bring those that are saved out of the world to Heaven, and for those that are not saved, they will be left behind on Earth to endure the tragedies of the tribulation, a seven year period of horror. Fortunately, God gave us these prophesies in the Bible in order to be knowledgeable of the events leading up to Jesus' coming, and here are a few:

1) War: (Matthew 24:6-7) "And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:" 

We are surely seeing a lot of terror and strife between nations in this period of time. There are thousands of terrorists acts and rumors of them. ISIS is a very unfortunate example of this, seeing that they kill thousands of innocent people, and continue to grow. 

2) Earthly Disturbances: (Matthew 24:7) "And there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows."

There are a lot of weather disasters that are occurring, and predicted to occur. In California, droughts has caused a huge outbreak in fires, and a horrific mudslide is predicted to occur once rain does come. Earthquakes are also prevalent there, and they are beginning to happen in places that have never happened before. 

3) False Followers: (Matthew 24:4-5) "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."

We see people that are falsely living for God everyday. There are thousands of people that will say they are saved, but they are living a very sinful life. Many today think they are alright with God because they have lived a "good" life, but this couldn't be further from the truth. None is "good," which is why we have Jesus who will take our sins away. 

5) Deceivers in High Places: (Matthew 24:11) "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many."

Politicians, actors, singers, and even preachers, are deceiving many people today. People that have a lot of authority are saying they are of God, when in reality, they are of the devil. Politicians are telling us one thing, then doing something totally different, after we elect them. Some preachers are telling us that we can make it to Heaven by living a good life, but we can't. Actors and singers are saying that they are for God, but then they sing about sin, or act sinful on TV. These people are gaining such an influence in the world that they are having a bigger influence than God in peoples' minds. 

6) Strong Delusion:(2 Thessalonians 2:11) "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:"

Today, people believe everything is okay; abortion, gay marriage, premarital sex, using God's name in vain, porn, etc. They are being so deceived by worldly people that are being influenced by the devil. The devil has people in the world that he is using to deceive people into believing the lie that sin is okay. I've heard people say that premarital sex is okay, because God knows that they intend to get married. This is a lie because God does not condone sex before marriage at all. He says that sex is to be left for after marriage, no exceptions. More and more of this will come into the world as we get closer to the end of the world. God is allowing this because it is His prophecy that this would happen near the time of Jesus' coming. 

For those that are saved, these prophesies are just another step to being with our God in Heaven, a land without deceit and terror. The world will continue to grow worse and worse, but with Jesus in our hearts and the hope for a better land, we as Christians can make the journey until the end. So, fall to your knees; possess the peace of God, and pray for those that are deceived. The world is coming to an end soon; be prepared to see Jesus.

Honoring God's Forgiveness

Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God."

God's forgiveness is unbelievably incredible. The Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. God sent His only son to die for us, people that sin against God daily. What could be more selfless than that? He looks past all of our failures, and has mercy on us. Once saved, God takes away all of the sins from our past, and sets aside a place for us in Heaven. 

God makes receiving forgiveness from Him very simple. All that has to be done is a person asking God to forgive them, and He will. The bad thing about forgiveness being so simple is the fact that people take advantage of God's great mercy.

God's forgiveness is something that should be treasured, but so many people use it to their own advantage. Some will ask God to forgive them, and once He does, they will go back to their sinful ways. I have to point the finger at me first on this. Like in the book of Hosea, Gomer was a prostitute, and God ordered Hosea to take her as a wife. God gave Gomer a great opportunity to live for God, but instead, she went back to her sinful ways. God saves us, in hopes that we will live for Him. It shouldn't be a question if we live for Him or not, especially after thinking about what He has done for us.  

We as Christians should never take God for granted. He has done more for us than we could ever imagine. We wouldn't treat a person bad if they were to save us from getting hit by a car, so why would we treat God bad when He saved us from an eternity in Hell? God's forgiveness is great, and is something that should be praised. It is what will lead us to Heaven one day, and it shouldn't be taken lightly. 

Finding Peace In The Sight Of Death

The fear of death is something that I believe we all experience, I know that I fear the day that I die. I'm terrified of how I will die mostly, instead of the afterlife. There are some absolutely terrible ways that people can die; murder, cancer, heart attack, car wreck, etc. Just yesterday, a reporter and cameraman were shot to death while on air during the morning news. They had no idea that it was the morning that they would die. There was no warnings, and it was a horrific way to spend their last minutes. Though, the person dying is not the major issue, it's what their plans are for the afterlife. 

For those that are not saved, they will have a horrific afterlife, but for those that are saved by God's grace, they are promised a land of joy and peace. Revelation 21:4 - "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." God has given us a way to escape all the pain and heartache that we may feel while on the Earth. We don't have to fear what is to come after our bodies have passed away. It can be certain that we can reach a much happier destination after death. 

Romans 14:8 - "For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's."

Once God saves us, we are His forever. Living or dead, we are His, and nothing can change that. By taking the opportunity to get right with God, God will write your name in the Book of Life. All that has to be done is ask God for forgiveness of your sins. That's all. God made getting saved so easy, though, Jesus paying the price for our sins weren't so easy, seeing that he died on the cross for us. Death doesn't have to be feared, it can be rejoiced about, because we are able to spend our eternity with Jesus, who saves us from our sins. 

Cast A Hook, God Will Provide: Peter Finds Silver In The Fish' Mouth

In Matthew 17:24-27, the tax collector came unto Peter, asking him if Jesus had paid His portion of the temple tax. The temple tax was a tax that had been created to help with the upkeep of the temples in Jerusalem. The tax collectors wanted to know if Jesus had personally paid the tax, testing to see if He endorsed it for Himself, seeing that it was the law that all Jews paid their portion. Peter assured the tax collector that Jesus had indeed paid, but he wasn't sure, so he went unto Jesus to ask Him. Meanwhile, the tax collectors waited outside. When Peter came unto Jesus, Jesus spoke saying, "What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?" (25). Jesus was saying that because He was the son of God, He was exempt from paying the tax, for He is above that of the king, who was the owner of the temple. Although, Jesus did not owe the tax, He didn't want to offend the collectors, so He sent Peter on a mission. Peter was to go to the sea to fish, and take the first fish that bit his hook, and he would find a piece of money inside of its mouth, which would go towards the debt of the tax. What happens afterward is not written in the Bible, but we can infer that Peter did what Jesus told him to, and paid the tax with the coin that was found in the fish' mouth. 

Something that I find really interesting that I read on a synopsis of this story is the thought of how the fish got the coin. If God had created the coin that was in the fish' mouth, He would be a counterfeiter. God is not a cheat, so he would have used a coin that was already on the Earth. God knew where a coin had been lost in the sea, and He most likely had the fish to find it, and take it in its mouth. This is one example of the great power that God has. God didn't have to place a coin inside of its mouth, but instead, He used a being that had no power of obedience, and He led it to find a coin.

There are two lessons that we can get from this story:

1) God will provide. Jesus could have simply not paid the tax, and left Peter to look as if he had been lying about Jesus paying the tax, but instead, Jesus felt for him. Jesus told Peter to go to one of the most unlikely places to find a coin, and Jesus provided him with what he needed. Because it is inferred that Peter did what Jesus had told him too, the coin was provided to pay the taxes, and they were both debt-free. 

2) On a very different note, it can be concluded that Jesus is testing Peter's priorities. Peter loved to fish, and he could have fished all afternoon, but Jesus told him to take the first fish that bit. Not the second, not the third, but the first. Jesus was seeing if Peter would follow his sayings by taking the first fish, or if Peter would've continued fishing. It can be inferred that Peter only took of the first fish, which showed Jesus that his priority was set upon Him. 

How great it is to know that we have a God above that will always provide for us. If we show God that He is our number one priority, He will bless us with both spiritual happiness and the things needed to survive here on Earth. It is great to have hobbies, like fishing, but we have to set those things under God. God should always be our prime concern. Peter knew when to set the fishing pole down because he was following what Jesus had commanded of him. No matter how much we love something, we must know when to set it down. God will bless us and provide for us by putting aside our loved possessions/ hobbies for Him. 

Take Joy in Being a "Bible-Thumper"

"Jesus Freak!" "Bible-Thumper!" If you have been a Christian very long, you are probably very familiar with these words. God said in 2 Timothy 3:12: "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Some people in the world cannot understand why, we as Christians, live for God, so they act out harshly toward us. A term that is commonly used to describe Christians is "old-fashioned." The majority thinks that people need to live in the modern times, and believe everything that has recently came about, but the thing is, God is not modern. God has always been here, and He has been here for us. He laid the foundation to live by, being the Bible, and this should be followed up until the point He comes back to take His children to Heaven, no matter what the world begins to believe. God is not modern, He is timeless.

God knows what it is like to be hated. He has been hated by the world from the beginning times. God said, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you" (John 15:18). The world doesn't necessarily hate us, they hate God and the power that He has. People do not like the fact that God overpowers them. They want to be their own god, and do what they want. It is usually the concept of authority that they hate. Many hates the thought of someone telling them what to do, and being a Christian takes a lot of sacrifice. A person can't be number one in their own lives, and live for God the way that they should. It's impossible.

Although it may seem that the world is against you, God says to love those that hate us. "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Matthew 5:44). If we are to love those that hate us, and treat them right, our testimony will grow in the Lord. God will bless us for showing His kindness and mercy even in times where we are being persecuted for believing in Him. By showing the world that we have the love of God within us, and we are joyful, this might influence the world to find God as well.

No matter what a person calls you, no matter what they do to you, or say about you, God is on our side. God says, "Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10). God will bless us with the joys of Heaven someday for living righteously. Unfortunately, those that act out in evil ways toward God will not receive the blessings of Heaven. "For [it is] better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing" (1Peter 3:17). God says that it is better to do good, so that we will have our names written in the Book of Life, rather than do evil and be happy on the Earth, and have to suffer in Hell for denying God and our sins.

God knows how hard persecution can be. He goes through it everyday, just like us. He understands how it feels to be put down for believing in Him, and how hard it is to show the world your beliefs in fear of being mistreated. For this reason, He gives the most blessings to those that serve Him. Christians sacrifice a lot in their life to serve Him, which they should, and God rewards effort.

"The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?" (Psalm 118:6). People in this world only has so much power, but God has all power, and He won't let harm come upon you.  

Sermon on the Mount

As Jesus traveled from town to town in the area of Galilee, he would preach God's word and heal the sick. He became very popular and gained a crowd of followers. One day, Jesus went up on a mountainside to speak unto his disciples and his followers. He spoke of those people that will be blessed of God. These teaches became known as the "Sermon on the Mount." (Matthew 5)

Jesus began his teaching with saying "Blessed are the poor in spirit:for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." These are the people that may not have a lot of worldly possessions or wealth, but they have their wealth in their relationship with God and their hope for a better land after they have passed away from the Earth. They are blessed with comfort and peace of Heaven. 

He then spoke of those that are mourning. Jesus said that they will be comforted, and blessed with the peace that only God can give. God can heal any broken heart, and replace that sorrow with joy. 

Jesus said that the meek will be blessed upon the Earth for their patience and forgiving nature. Patience and forgiveness are very difficult concepts, but with righteousness in our hearts, we can overcome our flesh and have a nature of God toward others.

Jesus spoke of those that desire to live a life of righteousness, saying that they will be given understanding and shall be filled with the love of God. When God sees that we are really trying to live a righteous life for His sake, He will bless us for our efforts. 

Those that are merciful, compassionate, and generous to others shall find mercy for themselves. It pays to be a selfless person. God wants us to live our life in His image, and that includes having a selfless attitude. Not once has God been selfish and thought about himself, He has always given to others, and this is what God desires for our life as well. If we give others mercy, God will return the favor by showing us mercy for our sins and failures.

The pure in heart shall find God always. Being sincere with God will find many blessings. God knows if we are being sincere with Him or if we are just going through the routines and putting on a show for others. God blesses for a wholehearted attitude toward the work of God. He wants to see that we are genuinely living for Him and have Godly intentions, instead of living for the pleasures of the world. 

The peacemakers that will work to prevent strife and anguish will be blessed for their efforts to keep God's people together. Strife in the world can have devastating outcomes for the people of God. If we let hate inside of our hearts, this is only going to pull us further from God. Those that will devote their lives to prevent this will be blessed. 

Finally, the last blessed people that Jesus described are those that are persecuted for following God. These are the people that are mocked upon the Earth for trying to live for God. They may be called "old-fashioned," "Bible thumper," and "Jesus freak" on the Earth, but in Heaven, they shall be called "Blessed," "Holy," and "Righteous." 

God gave this message to Jesus so that we might find His blessings. God gives us a clear outline of how He wants us to live. He finds joy in being able to bless us for the work that we do for Him. When we put in an effort to find God's blessings, we will be blessed beyond belief with the peace and joy of God. One day when we reach Heaven, and we are given our crown of life, we will be glad that we devoted our lives to the work of our Almighty God, instead of the world. Have a heart of God, and blessings will flood your life. It's not about our image on the Earth, it's about our image in God's eyes. 

How I Came to Christ

Before I started in on the actual blogging, I wanted to share my story of how I became a Christian and began my journey with God. My whole life, I have been in church. I have always been taught the ways of God and what it means to be a Christian. When I was about eleven or twelve, I started feeling a tugging at my heart when my pastor would preach about being saved. I would feel that God was wanting me to come to Him to ask forgiveness. I believe that it was in middle school that I felt the tugging, or conviction, very strongly at a Bible School at my church. I'm not going to lie, it is a very scary feeling of coming to realization that you must be saved if you don't want to go to Hell, but it is completely worth it in the end. I went to my teacher and told him that I wanted to be saved, and he prayed with me. I confessed to becoming saved, but God hadn't really come into my heart yet. I had asked God to save me without having offering a complete understanding that I was a sinner. I went along thinking that I was saved until I was a sophomore in high school. The December within my sophomore year, I started to feel the conviction again, and I tried my best to ignore it, but there was no hiding from God. When January came, the conviction became worse and worse. Then February, then March, and the conviction was completely awful. I was constantly worried that I was going to die and go to Hell. I couldn't drive without being scared, I couldn't sleep without worrying about what was going to happen once I fell asleep, and just being alive scared me because I knew that at any moment, it could be my time to die. I'm not complaining though because this was God's way of opening my mind and heart to the idea that I was in great need of accepting Jesus into my heart. So on March thirty-first, my pastor at the time preached a sermon on Hell and the importance of accepting Jesus. That night, I accepted Jesus into my heart. It was the best decision that I have ever made in my life.

What is a Christian?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of a Christian is "a person who believes in Jesus Christ and follows his teachings."  I'm going to try to be brief with this because there is so much to explain, but if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Becoming a Christian begins with learning about God, Jesus Christ, and His Word, or the Bible. The Bible teaches us that we have all sinned and come short before God. Sin began when Adam and Eve took of the fruit of the tree of knowledge after God clearly told them not to. When the devil came in the form of a serpent, Adam and Eve chose to listen to the devil's words when he told them that it was okay to eat of the tree. Once Adam and Eve ate of the fruit, they came to realization that they had sinned. From then on, people have had knowledge of sin and they have sinned anyways, which is exactly what makes it wrong before God. In the beginning, people had to sacrifice animals to redeem themselves of sin because Jesus hadn't yet came to be able to take away their sins. Later on, when Jesus was born to a virgin, Mary, and grew up, he became a teacher to the world. He told the world that he was the Messiah, and that he would be able to save them from eternity in Hell once they died so that they could live with Him in Heaven one day. Some followed Him, but others did not, which led to the crucifying of Him. Pilate, who had power at the time, didn't like Jesus and His teachings, because he wanted to rule instead. Pilate made Jesus out to be a fake and liar. He got a lot of people on his side, and he sentenced Jesus to be crucified. Jesus was placed on a cross, nailed onto it by his hands and feet, with a crown of thorns in his head, he was spit on, cursed at, and mocked. There was two people on each side of Him, and one of them happened to ask forgiveness, or get saved, before dying, but unfortunately, the other did not. When Jesus died, he died to save the world of their sins; present and future. He took on the fire of Hell for us, so that we could live forever in Heaven.

So, what does that mean for us? How exactly do we ask for forgiveness? Well first, like Adam and Eve, we have to come to realization that we have sinned. We have to acknowledge before God that we have sinned and that we are sorry for it. All that we have to do is genuinely tell God that we are sorry for our sins and ask him to come into our hearts. If we really mean what we say and we acknowledge that we are sinners, then God will save us from our sins. I realize that this sounds like it is too good to be true because it sounds so easy. I was even surprised as I typed how easy it sounded, and it is. God isn't asking for a lot, especially compared to how much He has done for us. All He wants us to do is ask forgiveness, and live for Him in our daily life. He wants to be our friend, and for us to live by His Word and set of commandments and laws that He has set before us. He wants us to live forever with Him in Heaven one day, which sounds pretty great to me.

I hope that I did God justice with what I wrote. I hope that it is clear and understandable for those that might not know about God. But like I said before, if you have any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them for you. Please remember that God loves you no matter what you have done. He is full of mercy and will save you if you come to Him.