How do you rate by God's standards?

Lately, reading one of my favorite Christian-based blogs, and a new book, "You Matter More Than You Think", along with studying in my Bible, conversing with God, and listening to my favorite Christian radio station every morning, all I'm learning is resonating godly truths which are settling peacefully within my soul. I've been thinking about God's standards. Since He is 'the Creator', it's His standards, not those of man that matter. God's ways are far above man's ways. God's ways are mysteries to man. But, to those with a ear that will listen, and a heart that will seek the Truth, the Holy Spirit decodes those mysteries. God is ever so clever, so righteous and sovereign. I'm learning God's standards are based upon two truths- Jesus and love. Sometimes, we don't right away understand God's standards. We want to add or subtract from them.  So, God uses teaching methods to stop us in our tracks and then get our attention. Two teaching methods He uses for getting results, happens to be......

 Through pain and suffering, God brings us unto Himself. 

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1. Pain. Yes, most people naturally avoid anything that causes pain at all costs. But, it's through pain where we learn very valuable lessons and receive blessings which mature us spiritually: suffering, afflictions, difficulties, set-backs, and hardships hone us, give us stronger backbones, build our character, and ultimately teach us some lessons in wisdom.  A person who's been sheltered or has experienced little or no pain most likely will be a person who's not able to look too far out of their own world and be immature in their feelings for others and not exhibit or be able to make the wisest choices  You'll probably never in your lifetime experience all the afflictions Paul suffered. He was beaten, shipwrecked, stoned, jailed, he had an eye condition, ,,,,, And it was Paul, by divine inspiration, who penned more New Testament books than anyone else. And to this day, we are still gaining insight, wisdom, and spiritual growth from the lessons learned from his afflictions.


You are so precious that God knows every hair on your head.

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Instead, allow lessons learned from pain, suffering and affliction mature your spirit, deepen your faith, widen your gratitude, and be instrumental in helping you mature into a more humble person. Since you are a precious jewel to God, and in His constant care, He will not abandon you nor forsake you, nor allow more than you can handle.  What He allows to happen is for molding and fashioning you into a more mature Christian. Remember, count it all joy- for it is a blessing and for your spiritual well-being.

Question- Why must it take 'pain' in order to learn valuable spiritual lessons?
Answer-  Because we are stubborn, hard-headed, selfish, greedy, and we're looking at life through fleshly eyes, we're living for the moment, and we're focusing on temporal things rather than eternal things which really matter.

2. And, tough love. You've heard the term, "tough love". Tough love is the courage to take action to love someone enough by stepping in and not allowing your loved one to continue on their path of harm and destruction. You love them to stop them from hurting themselves. Love wants what is best for a person. Love, is action and when demonstrated with the right motive and intention, never fails.  In all you do, do it in love. Stop thinking only of yourself and learn to love unselfishly.  Jesus showed His love by dying on the Cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins. Love extends even to your enemies and the unlovable.


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And, in the spirit of love, extending your heart to seeing to the needs of others, and taking attention off of yourself, you're showing to that person the love of God. In return, you'll receive God's love back, and so much more. God can never be out-given. It was 'Love' embodied in the body of Jesus who hung and died painfully on the Cross. Love prevails, and the 'good' attained is far greater than the pain. He arose, and is in heaven interceding between heaven and earth for the saints!

God is Spirit. It's more important to invest heavier on the growth of your 'inner man' rather than your 'outer earthen vessel' which will die.  Placing more emphasis on the growth and beauty of your 'inner spiritual man' will give eternal dividends and rewards. This is the 'true, and real, You', created to exist through all eternity, never to die. You chose where the real you is going to reside. If you made the choice to accept God's gift of Jesus into your heart, your spirit will be heaven-bound. 


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This very moment your spirit can become awakened, renewed, strengthened and more fashioned into the image of Christ. The transformation is set into being the very moment you accept the Lord as your Savior. You may not feel any differently, but you are spiritually transformed into a new creation, one with a spirit that is alive, not dead.  Your spirit becomes awakened and sensitive to the proddings of the Holy Spirit. But, we remain trapped in our earthly bodies, and most times a constant conflict is going on between what the flesh desires against what our spirit desires. This is when those painful experiences are needed to get the flesh to back down, so we can stop, listen, and obey what the Holy Spirit is communicating to our spirit- this is sanctification, which is spiritual maturing and growth. Remember, tidal waves of temptations in this world pull strong and hard at getting your eyes, your attention, and your focus off godly things to prevent you from being still and listening to that small, still voice of the Holy Spirit.  If you trust God through the afflictions and the pain, spiritual lessons learned will be invaluable in your spiritual growth, which is what God is most concerned about.

But, if you're not willing to listen, nor are your desires for the things of God, you're allowed to continue down the path of your choice. God never forces anyone to go against their will. If you're against the things of God, God allows you that choice. But the destination you will meet will be your spiritual death. Nor will God stop the from sun shining upon you, nor your food supply, nor shelter, or air, etc. while you're still breathing. God will love you until your last breath, then you will not be able to change the destination you've chosen for yourself. Turning you back against God, means you can look forward to your spirit existing in a dark and unloving place, never to leave it. You'll be eternally wishing that you'd made a different choice.

In eternity, it will not matter how beautiful your face or hair was, or if you were born in the lowest cast or an influential, wealthy family.  It won't matter if you were short or tall.  It won't matter if you were a handsome prince, or a homely plumber, or if you'd been on the 'A' list, or not on any list at all.  For eternity, you will exist as a spirit-being designed to live eternally. The only thing that will matter is did you ask Jesus into your heart, effectively called your 'second birth', making your spirit alive and qualifying you to receive the promises to all heirs in the family of God.  And, the second thing that will matter is what you did to further the kingdom of God.  This will determine the number of crowns you will have to present to Jesus. So, greater importance should to be placed on the 'healthy status' of your spirit, rather than on your exterior looks or social status.

That is the measure by which you will be rated- What you did using your talents and gifts to further the kingdom of God which God equips you to do that by passing you through trials and afflictions to mold and hone you making you effective for kingdom work.


His standards are measured in 1) Have you invited His Son, Jesus, into your heart, and 2) have you extended the love of Christ outward from your heart to others and point lost souls to Jesus, the Savior, who wants to be your Savior, because through Him is the ONLY WAY your sins can be forgiven.
 




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God is Spirit, and He is due our spiritual worship which is
       two things- worship Him in spirit and in truth.
     Your spirit must be quickened by the Holy Spirit by
inviting God's Son, Jesus, the Christ, into your heart. Then,
 a supernatural, spiritual transformation occurs within you.
                                It's a God thing.
 
What does it mean to be saved? 

Wanna stop being an enemy of God and become at peace with God?  (Romans 5:10 )

This video shows how you can pray to get saved today.





God's standards are love. And that 'love' was extended to 
every man, woman and child through Jesus.

So, how do you rate according to God's standards?

             Get Jesus for an excellent rating!


Scripture references- Matthew 10:30
                                   Luke 12:7
                                   Ephesians 3:4; 6:9:  Romans 5:10; 8:17-18; 8:29; 16:25
                                   1 Corinthians 2:7; 12:2; 13:2; 14:2
                                   Colossians 1:24
                                   Job 11:7; 37:5
                                   entire books of Daniel, 1Peter, and 2 Timothy

REVIEW  God's standards are ---------------------------Jesus, and love.

                God sometimes teaches us through-------Pain and 'tough' love

             What's important in eternity?------------------Accepting Jesus as your Savior, which ia the way to spiritual re-birth, and then showing the Love that lives within your heart to others, pointing them to Jesus, so they can personally know and choose Jesus as their Savior.

               How do you worship God--------------------In your heart,with your spirit, and in truth.
                                       Remember, GOD IS SPIRIT

                                                           
Until next time,  I remain on the narrow, but brightly lit path, enduring day by day, until I
I'm in the presence of my loving Savior's glorious face.

Mansions and crowns for saints

I was just thinking about mansions in heaven. Right now, Jesus is preparing a place for saints in His Father's house and will be back one day to take us to our heavenly mansion. (John 14:1-3)

I've don't think I've ever stepped foot inside of a mansion. I wonder what my mansion which is being prepared by Jesus himself will look like? All I know is it's gonna be just right and perfect just for me, as all mansions in heaven are going to be. Even if it's just a room, by faith I know that room is going to be spectacular beyond imagination if Jesus has anything to do with it.

I found this site- a rather amusing take on various mansions for various saints. Christians are rewarded now and in heaven for their faithfulness and for what they have done and do for the Kingdom of God. (Revelation 3:21)

https://www.raptureready.com/mansions-in-heaven/



Saints, keep at the work placed before you for winning souls to be saved so they also can be heirs of the Kingdom.  There are special heavenly rewards and crowns for those who were over-comers and persevered and suffered for His name sake.   Heaven is gonna be so indescribably wonderful beyond what we could ever imagine it will be. (Mark 10:29-30; 1Cor 3:8; 1 Pet 1:6-8; Rev 22:12)

Will you be rewarded with any crowns?

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Going faithfully forward on the road set before me in the direction of Jesus.

The choice gift

Oh, what a gift. The other day I was driving and had to stop when I saw this church sign.

This message- Jesus, our choicest gift from God

 Let me explain what the message of this sign means to me. God, in His infinite wisdom and love, sent a special gift to us, Jesus. Mankind needed Jesus in order to save us from the penalty of sin, which is death. Let me qualify 'death'. There are two deaths- physical and spiritual.  God created man with a spirit which will live forever.  Spiritual death is the forever separation from the goodness of God in the horrible Lake of Fire, where your spirit will forever reside. Let me qualify 'spirit'. Your spirit existing outside the presence of God will experience death forever since your spirit will exist forever.  This spiritual death will be nothing like physical death, for it will be an ongoing death.  For only God is good, God is love. There is non other. God created man for us to commune with Him.  So if you're banished from God's presence, this will be eternal spiritual death. Spiritual death is something we can't compare right now for we are still existing in our fleshly bodies and Jesus hasn't returned. Your spirit will live forever with God in heaven, or without God in the Lake of Fire.  God has given you the freedom to make your choice.

God has provided the most important thing we need for our eternal future, and that's Jesus. With Jesus you have God's very best goodness now and forever. God, in His love and mercy has spared us from what we deserve because He wants no one to perish to hell and ultimately the Lake of Fire.  Accepting Jesus is God's way to spare you from sin's dark penalty. When you ask Jesus into your heart and accept Him as your Lord and Savior, you're spirit is instantly reborn anew, refreshed, redeemed and you're an heir to God's promises of goodness. God so loves every soul. But, you have to choice to accept God's free gift-He won't force anyone to accept it. Willingly wanting and accepting it is up to you. You see, this world our eternal home- heaven is. For Christians, the best is yet to come.

Everyone has sin in their life and sin has power over you. God sent His Son, Jesus to save you from the penalty of sin and help you conquer that sin.  And, no sin can enter heaven. Asking and accepting what Jesus did on the Cross for you, paying for all your sin(s) is the only way into heaven. When you ask Jesus into your heart, you are exercising faith and trusting God, and God is faithful and true to His Word. Your spirit is born, this is called the second birth or born-again. Inside, the old you is passed away-you're a brand new creation on the inside. God sees the purity of Jesus when He looks at you after you've asked Jesus into your heart. This is a spiritual transformation and one with eternal perks and benefits.  Your sins are forgiven and you're adopted into God's family. You still won't be perfect, but by accepting Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, not only are you redeemed unto God, you now have heaven to look forward to. The rest of your life, serve God for the wonderful gift of life He has done for you, so one day when you're face to face with your Lord, you have many crowns to present to Him in heaven. You know, it's like being invited to a long awaited, special occasion and not anything to present to the person of honor. You don't want to be empty handed. Knowing you're future is solidly secure because you have Jesus in your heart, you're sins are forgiven, you're in right standing with God, you're heaven bound, you can confidently serve others and point them to Jesus as well so they can have the same.  Each person and soul you lead or point to Jesus is another crown you'll have to present to Jesus.   



Bible scripture - Book of John, entire Chapter 6
                         John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.
                         Romans 8:2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
                         1John 5:11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
                         Revelation 21:6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
                         Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
                       
 

Get off that broad highway leading downward and onto the narrow path leading upward. Keep the faith and keep journeying forward to your high calling.