Monday, August 30, 2010

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.”


And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.(John 6:35-40)

Jesus had just worked a mighty miracle of feeding over 5000 people (John 6: 10-14) as a setting for a plain talk on His true mission in the world. While He had spent much time ministering to men's bodily needs, the real purpose of His coming into the world was to save men's Souls. In the synagogue at Capernaum (John 6:59) Jesus takes the bread as His starting-point for a deeper lesson. And this lesson was that He came to provide "bread" that will satisfy more than physical hunger. Jesus is the bread God gives, the one who comes to give life to the world (John 6:33). Those who believe in Him will never hunger (John 6:35). When Jesus told them that, they all began to lose interest.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Contend Earnestly For The Faith!


Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 3)

Jude's primary focus was the ethical dangers posed by false teachers who denied Christ's lordship by using Christian freedom and God's grace as a "license for immorality" (Jude 4). These false teachers were "grumblers and faultfinders" (Jude 16), scoffers who followed their own ungodly desires and natural instincts (Jude 18-19).

Jude's letter emphasizes the lordship of Christ (Jude 4,9,14-15,25). Christian freedom is not a hall pass to do whatever one wishes. Christians are to build themselves up in the foundational teachings of the faith, pray, remain faithful to God and be merciful to others.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

God's Love for You is Everlasting



But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7)

In becoming a Christian, the believer acknowledges Christ as Lord and recognizes Christ's saving work. We gain eternal life with all its treasures. We have renewal by the Holy Spirit, and He continually renews our hearts. None of this occurs because we earned or deserved it, it is all God's gift. Renewing of the Holy Spirit is the continual process of Christian living and is enabled by the Holy Spirit, resulting in growth in character and good works.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Flee Sexual Immorality!




Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Cor. 6:18-20)

Christians are free to be all they can be for God, but they are not free from God. God created sex to be a beautiful and essential ingredient of marriage, but sexual sin - sex outside the marriage relationship - always hurts someone. It hurts God because it shows that we prefer following our own desires instead of the leading of the Holy Spirit. It hurts others because it violates the commitment so necessary to a relationship. It often brings disease to our bodies. And it deeply affects our personalities, which respond in anguish when we harm ourselves physically and spiritually.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Green Light to Same-Sex 'Marriage'


By Peter J. Smith

Updated 5:09pm EST

SAN FRANCISCO, August 12, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A federal judge says he will lift the stay he imposed on his ruling striking down Proposition 8, California’s constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn Walker in San Francisco issued his decision Thursday, just five minutes past his self-imposed deadline of 12 P.M. PST, rejecting arguments by attorneys defending Prop.8 that the stay should remain in place until a final decision was issued in the appeals process.

The judge’s order will allow same-sex couples to acquire marriage licenses beginning August 18 at 5 p.m.  Click here to read full story.
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Well folks.....What can I say, except that we need to continue to pray for our government and the people that are elected or appointed to the positions that can make an everlasting change in the way we live here in the good old U.S.A. God's blessings and mercy too each and every one of you.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Are You Anxious? Start Praying!


Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Paul exhorts the Philippians to pray about their circumstances instead of worrying over them. Be anxious for nothing: Although the same word in Philippians 2:20 describes Timothy’s concern for the Philippians, here Paul uses the word to refer to worry. He prohibits the Philippians from worrying about their own problems. Instead they are to commit their problems to God in prayer, trusting that He will provide deliverance.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Do You Have Itching Ears?


I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (2 Tim. 4:1-4)

I charge: Paul underscores the importance of his command to Timothy by calling on God and Jesus to be witnesses to it. He reminds Timothy that Jesus will return in judgment (2 Tim. 4:1). Paul’s charge to Timothy is to preach the word. The foundation of any ministry is God’s Word. Preaching God’s truth is a sacred and demanding task, requiring perseverance and courage. Be ready means to take a stand. Timothy was to be alert at all times to his responsibilities, even when it was inconvenient. This type of ministry is not for a novice ( James 3:1).