ever caught off-guard no matter what, how or when we do or don't
do something. His will prevails. He also knew The Adversary would
cunningly and deceptively entice mankind's heart away from God's
Word. Henceforth, every person has inherited a sinful nature.
Henceforth, every person has a propensity to sin. No matter the size,
sin separates us from God. In the beginning, our glorious Creator put into
place, set forth and lovingly provided a Way for our sins to be
covered and forgiven so there wouldn't be anything permanently
separating us from Himself. God's His brilliant plan is progressing as written in scripture in His perfect
timing. His perfect plan for us can't be derailed by anyone or anything.
Image source-Google Images
3. God doesn't force or demand anyone to love or worship Him. He
gives each person freedom of choice to accept or reject Jesus,
His Son, who's given His life so anyone desiring His best could have
spiritual Life, the most precious gift from God to all Mankind.
Image source- Google Images
4. Every person's sin debt is settled when you choose to reject Jesus, meaning you choose to forever be spiritually separated from the goodness and love of
God because you want to pay the debt yourself for your sins against God.
Or your choose to accept by faith that Jesus is the Son of God and accept
Him as your Lord and Savior for his atonement of your sins when He
Why should a person be aware that God is serious about sin? Not nearly enough thought is given to what sin actually does to a person. 1. Sin separates us from God. 2. Sin keeps us from growing closer to God. 3. Sin keeps us from fellow-shipping with God; distrusting and/or not believing Him.
4. Sin makes our thoughts and hearts vulnerable to the Adversary.
Sin and the consequences we suffer from sin are real.
We ought to be aware of what we're choosing to do to ourselves by catering to sin. Knowing the truth can get the matter of sin settled once and for all.
The flesh is weak, causing a person to sin, but the Spirit is strong.
The flesh can be strengthened through the Holy Spirit.
Our heavenly Father already provided for us the Way, the Truth, and the Light to
get from under the dark, spiraling downward suction of enticing sin. Sure, sin may look and feel good for a moment, but the penalty of sin is more lasting.
God desires us to enjoy life and to be happy and safe. He knows there's danger about. He wants to protect us from what's harmful and dangerous as a loving Father protects those He loves from what's dangerous and harmful to us.
However, He won't make you do anything against your will.
It's your choice and decision to weigh the good vs the bad, the truth vs the lie, life vs death for yourself.
Then, the consequences are yours as well depending upon your decision.
Same-sex marriage is an open-ended, continual debate. The consensus on this debate leans heavily on personal interpretation of marriage. Some strongly believe a person should be free to marry a person of their same gender.
The condition of your heart is evident in your choices
This has also brought up debates on the subjects of marriage, who to love, family, and adoption issues because once the deception door was opened, any and everything becomes debatable, questionable and alterable rather than trusting the Creator who designed and created it. Once we alter the original design, the ramifications begin to take an altered cause and effect course. Things get messy, complicated and uneasy- which was not the intended design. Remember, what deceived Eve in the perfect Garden is still very much at work and we can see the ramifications of that deception are sill in play today.
The debate on marriage -
God created marriage for the purpose of a man and a woman uniting for the purpose of procreating within a loving relationship. Marriage is also meant to mimic the loving-for-life relationship God desires to have with each of us. And the command to go forth and multiply, which is to procreate.
It's not biologically possible for two men or two women to procreate.
The debate on who to love-
Yes, we are to love our neighbor, and even our enemy. Love is very multi-faceted and wide ranging. Perhaps getting the true grasp of the depth of genuine love is something we ought to try to understand more in depth. True, genuine love is grand between two people who want to share their lives together as one. The heart has the capacity for loving strongly and deeply but there are different kinds of loves we can have for different people in our lives. Certainly it's not feasible to marry every person we love and care for. The special bonding love between a husband and wife is just one kind of love. The sacred union of marriage is reserved for a one man and one woman, united as one unit in the sight of God.
The debate on the definition of family-
In a family, the father ( male) and the mother (female) unite to have children who are the created equally of the union of both. Together they share in raising their off-spring is the designed intention of a traditional family. When we alter the traditional family in any way, the children and the family are going to lack something vital and problems are definitely going to become more and more evident with each generation of children.
Do the professionals or politicians know what's better than the Creator of love, marriage, family, and children?
The debate on sin-
This debate is also altered with personal interpretation on the definition of sin.
Altering God's Word to fit a person's desire to continue sinning as he wishes is very personal.
The first couple believed a BIG lie and THAT LIE is still perpetuated because the lie satisfies the desire to satisfy the desires of the flesh which feel good and perpetrate evil rather than obey God.
Fulfilling the desires of the flesh make us feel good. And who doesn't want to feel good? But there is much more to us that we don't see which is more important.
When we do what is in direct opposition to God's Word for us, there is a price we are going to ultimately suffer. God is very patiently waiting for us to get enough of suffering at our own expense and wake up and see our mistakes. We can read of those who went against His Word and the consequences they suffered from doing so. A child is warned to not play in the road so they won't get hurt. But if that child's heart is set on playing in the road, they place them self directly in line to be harmed.
Man is too proud to stay within the boundaries set for his safety and good.
because
he'd rather make his rules he thinks are better than God's protection and goodness,
and
he'd rather stubbornly continue sinning no matter the cost he's going to endure.
The remodeling of family and marriage by Man changes hearts and souls.
This agenda is not pleasing to God and it's dangerous for everyone.
The Enemy is pleased when we sin
Sin is hurting and damaging to the sinner, not God.
God knows best what's best for you. Disobedient against God sets into motion things not ideally best to you in the long run. God is loving and patient and won't violate your will, but His grace and mercy are at work, placing situations and people in your life for you to come around to His wonderful and perfect design for you.
Men and women may interpret that same-sex marriage is fine. However, same-sex marriage is not in accordance with the Word of God, no matter how many professionals deem it to be okay or how many judges grant legality to same-sex marriage.
Same sex marriage is yet another deception and diversion the Master
Deceiver is using to counterfeit God's design for marriage and family.
The Truth was given for our benefit but the Truth keeps being ignored and shanghaied for something counter to the Truth. Sin blinds the eyes & hardens the heart to a path destined to unpleasantness. Sin is disobedience against God.
A sinful lifestyle is willful defiance against God.
Because of His love, He allows each person their choice and power to choose their destination.
One must choose wisely because there is no way whatsoever anyone can debate God on His Word which prevails upon every matter of His creation.
I'm not certain if pot smoking is the whole criteria of their religious belief, but the article does read 'they' believe cannibus can heal the world and formed a church to claim pot smoking is part of their religious practice.
Here are four news articles on the science of the healing benefits of Cannabis, which is the medical term for marijuana.
A church is a building, a structure where people meet.
A place where they can gather together, but should church be a place to smoke pot?
In Christian terms, 'the' church refers to the collective followers of Christ.
What is religion?
Has the First Church of Cannabis based it's doctrine around a plant because it helps with many physical afflictions?
Have the parishioners of this church taken something intended to be utilized for the spreading of the gospel and turned it into a format or tool so they can legally and religiously partake in a substance for pleasure or benefits?
Facts state this plant gives good, healthful value, but elevating any substance to the status of being worthy of being worshiped is questionable.
When the condition of the state of Mankind in general keeps looking more dreadful
rather than positive and encouraging, it should be obvious--- STOP Make a change and turn
around before it's too late.
Sinning leads only to danger. But for some it's more important to have a religious right to legally 'light up' and feel good for a few hours.... and, so... with blinded-eyes, hardened hearts and total disregard for their very souls, some continue plunging downward towards the abyss of utter darkness.
P.S. I'm not judging any person. This is a discussion about how sinfulness has lead to the forming of a church being about marijuana and not about Jesus, the Son of God, who loved us so much he died to pay the penalty for our Sins.
Until next time, I shall keep moving upwards my glorious future on that small, less traveled path set before me.
Long ago, the most educated minds thought the Earth was flat and believed if you sailed too far out into the ocean, you'd fall off the edge of the world. It's understandable when looking out over the horizon that it looks like there's nothing else out there. I wonder what these people might have thought of ocean water running off the side of the Earth? On Earth, we look at things from our small perspective.
Well, that theory was all wrong and we know better since we've gained more insight and knowledge about the Earth, and still are.
Today, many educated people think their 'sinful status' has no significance to God..and some don't believe in God, or His Word, or much of anything related to the masterful plan God has to redeem and save every person from a horrible future set for those who reject him. (I ponder why people reject or accept a particular religion. I know a lot has to do with where a person is born, the family they're born into, having been exposed to the gospel or not and their upbringing. This is another topic to write later).
Sometimes it takes seeking and prodding to find the Truth. Sometimes it takes a knock up beside the head. Sometimes it takes a major life event to open one's eyes to the Truth.
With my little mind, I've thought of a few reasons of what a person chooses to have faith in boils down to 'choosing to believe or disbelieve'. And disbelief is due to human perspective of a holy, sovereign, spiritual, unseen deity. Until one can see from a 'spiritual perspective', this does looks flat, like there's nothing out there. So naturally the conclusion is 'disbelief' in all the good things which God promises. And the promises of the God of Abraham are better than any other god. And the Lord God stamps His promises with Himself, cause there is none higher or cross his heart to, nor can He lie. His promise is as good as a promise can be.
God's Holy Word is for us to gobble up and absorb all it's loaded with of characters showing what happens when a person obeys, and what happens when a person disobeys God.
The Earth never was flat, no matter how many people thought it was. And same goes for God's Word. It does not matter what you think, God's Word, all of it, is for you and I to gain knowledge of what delights God and wisdom for living, and to be in His good graces to receive His abounding goodness.
Taking this notion a bit further, God does not need you or I to believe Him. We need to get on board with Him, not visa verse. His Way is 'The Way' regardless what any of us thinks or believes. We are alive in our fleshly bodies only for a brief moment in His vast creation timeline. His ways are far above our mortal ways. (Can a man create a sunset?) There is plenty 'unseen' we have to use eyes of faith to see, and sin against God is nothing to be blind to, for it is something so real to a real God.
In His wisdom, God made us with certain needs. In this posting I want to bring up just two needs we all beacon for, even thought we may not consciously say we need them, but in my most humble opinion, I believe we all do, just like we need air to breathe.
The first is love. Love is intangible, but love bonds us and helps get us through life. Life and love are inseparable in a way, but are the compliment that makes each better. Without love, life is miserable
We want love to last, especially after we share love with someone who reciprocates love back, and the love is pure and true. God loves each of us with an unconditional love. This may not be believed if you don't believe in God, but it's true nonetheless. If he didn't love you, He wouldn't have sent a part of Himself in the flesh to die for payment of your sins. He was the perfect acceptable sacrifice for all of mankind, but more fittingly, just for you so you'd be spared from dying that 'second death'. Right now you receive fresh blessing each day- waking up, breathing, air, food, sunlight, love. Separation from all blessings, is the 'second death' which will be like 'dying, not being able to die so you suffer continually without end or hope of it ever stopping-hence, death. I can only think that spiritual death is something I do not want to experience.
(What could be more wonderful than the creator devising a plan that ensures a future with Him and totally missing the hell and Lake of Fire? Would anyone prefer Hell and the Lake of Fire?)
God's plan of love could not be thwarted by the devil, even though he tried to throw a wrench in God's plan. Lucifer, the fallen angel, also known as 'the devil', has been allowed lots of freedom to deceive people, and many have been ensnared by his masterful cunning, devious deceptiveness. So much so that people believe him and disbelieve God. Satan's that good in making people turn to his counterfeit everything, and away from God's perfect design. He's nearly perfected getting people's focus, hearts and minds off what's really important and rather onto mundane things with no lasting, true value, such as wasting your time and energy and ultimately selling your soul for what the flesh wants and desires. And get this, satan is so good he's even got some thinking he doesn't exist, or he isn't that bad, or an even has some worshiping him in some form or other. He has you thinking you don't need God, you don't need to obey God, you don't need to worship God, and you're fine and happy with stuff and things, so why pursue anything that has to do with godliness? But, satan can't give you love. He does not love you.
But God loves you so much that he sent his Son, to die in your place so your sins could be forgiven so there would be nothing separating you from God so you are not banned from entering heaven and the place Jesus is working at designing for every soul who wants their sins forgiven and the Son of God as their Lord and Savior.
Noah's ark was navigated by God without the need of rudder or sails. The New Testament ark is in Jesus.
Forgiveness is another need. I don't even think Reverend Billy Graham would honestly
claim to have lived his life not making a single mistake. Compassion is a wonderful. But forgiveness is compassion amped up to the tenth degree. Because of love with compassion, forgiveness was made available to each of us through Jesus the Christ. When your sins are forgiven, you are indeed set free from spiritual death, the death that your sins, or disobedience to God, so rightly deserves.
God covered all bases for you so you could be in heaven. All it takes on your part is humbleness, admitting you need a Savior, and believe that Jesus was sent for you and he died for you, and invite Him into your heart and life. And bam, just like that, you're no longer a foe, but an heir to the kingdom of God in heaven instead of on your way to hell and the Lake of Fire.
There are some societies and religions which one must perform or do certain things to have their 'mistakes' dealt with to appease the gods to get back into good standings, like reciting something or doing something physical.
Some societies don't practice of extending of 'forgiveness', 'compassion' or 'love' when a person makes a mistake or 'sins'. If something is done which brings shames upon the family, they're promptly put to death as punishment. Jesus said about the woman who was caught in an adulterous situation, 'let the first one without sin be the first to cast a stone'. And then, he said to the woman, 'go and sin no more.' Now that was Jesus demonstrating grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion, which is the gift of love. Love. Love. Love. A God who loves you and I. What in the universe is better than that?
Forgiveness is granting someone amnesty, a get-out-of jail pass, a 'free ticket' that completely exonerates one of their wrongs, even when they're not deserving of the forgiveness. Wrongs done against God are called 'sins'. The Ten Commandments are the Old Testaments list of categories sins fall under. These 'wrongs' can't be hidden from the omnipotence of God. Back then, a person had to offer a perfect animal and have the priest offer it to pay for sins. That sufficed for a while until the perfect God-Man offered Himself once and for all. God accepted and all we have to do is acknowledge we need a savior, accept Jesus as our Savior, and invite him into our hearts and as thanks for all he's done, share this good news of our new life and hope with others searching for the same inner peace, redemption and salvation. Reciting 'hell maries' is like wanting vanilla ice cream, but settling looking at a picture of ice cream. Jesus is so much more as High Priest and friend. Go to him like a child and receive love and life. He is The Way. Accepting Jesus into your heart has permanent and lasting advantages. And he is patiently waiting right now to be invited into your life.
Forgiveness of your sins covers all shapes and forms and manner of sin in your life. This is freely given as part of the package wrapped up and included in the love God has for you. In accepting Jesus into your heart and to be your Lord, your sin slate is wiped clean and you're fresh and new and you're an heir to the blessings of God, because you've invited His Son in your heart.
In this world, satan is on the loose, prowling about to destroy any way he can. He deceives and wants you destroyed, but he does this by making you think you do not need God, which will make you a foe of God. Deception is his mode of operation.
Which team are you on? There is only one ultimate winner.
Think from a heavenly perspective. Life in the flesh lasts but so many days, months, and years. In contrast, existence as a spiritual being will be forever.
What'cha gonna do about your sin condition? It's all up to you, with
your educated mind. It's all up to you to make the choice for your
spirit and soul. The choice you make will determine your forever future. Unforgiven sin, is sin which will be to your eternal detriment. Don't let that happen.
Because of the Son, the Earth is revolving and you can't fall off.
Christianity is a relationship with the one, living God, who offers love and forgiveness, totally free just for the asking. It begins with inviting Jesus into your heart and life and growing in faith day-by day with such an indescribable and wonderful God because Jesus opened the way.
God is indescribable and awesome in His splendor and love to us and in His creation which is so vast and wide and without end. (Light travels over 186,000 miles/second). Be amazed at our wondrous Creator. We will not know the end of God's span. He can hold the galaxies in his hand. God calls the stars by name. He has no equal. Watch this video to see the universe beyond any words can describe.
I can go on an on. So until next time,
Peace is so sweet when you're totally at peace with God.
Enjoying the walk down that peaceful, small path, leading closer and closer to my Lord.
You may be wondering and thinking, "What's promised to me? What good can I expect from God?"
Let me tell you, you can expect a lot of promises which are all good. And I mean good in terms of lasting worthiness for right now and on into eternity. God's promises are like a loving, caring Father being good and loving to his beloved children.
God keeps his promises- He's good for them ALL, like the rainbow
God tells you point blank, without question just what you get when you trust Him. And if you think it's a small list, be prepared to be surprised.
No other god can promise these things to you. No way. So why would anyone bother with other gods when they can be assured of the good things promised by the heavenly, holy, Father?
So if you want to be the recipient of the mighty-fine promises, which are each and collectively very worthy of being promised to have, take heed....the only thing required of you is a little trust and faith in God's free gift to you. Believe it and you can receive them all.
So, don't be left out. It's a matter of taking a small leap, actually a small step of faith, and go from there. The hard work has already been successfully completed. And when you make your choice toward God, the Holy Spirit will be doing his miraculous work on the inside of you within your heart.
All you have to do is invite Jesus into your heart. Your act of faith on believing Jesus to be the Son of God, who willingly came down from heaven to be born of a virgin female so he could be like us, flesh and bone, live without sin, then fulfill his ultimate goal and purpose to die. His being sacrificed on a cross made him the sacrificial lamb of mankind. He finished it and his death satisfied God. He was raised from the dead and seen by hundreds while he ate and drank with them. He conquered the power of death which sin brought onto mankind. We can be saved from spiritual death. Jesus ascended back up to heaven and is interceding for us to the Father until his return for his children, those who've invited Jesus into their hearts and lives.
Jesus, part of the Godhead, made him qualified as a pure, blemish-less sacrifice to acceptably be received of God as a sacrifice. His blood was unstained by sin. Jesus was human, to be the sacrifice for Mankind. Animals without blemish were given by a family or person to the Levite priests for the temporary atonement for ones sins. Jesus did away with all that.
Your sins and my sins have been paid for by Jesus once and for all.
Believing in the person of Jesus, and the fact that you can't pay the penalty for your sins yourself because you are not perfect, but Jesus is. So, by placing your trust and faith in Jesus and by faith accepting him as your Savior ,and inviting him into your heart, as an act of love for what he's done for you, you are spiritually made an heir to the promises of God. You spirit is no longer dead, but alive. Your redemption is complete and God, the Father sees you as his child and He has some very good things for his children. You are not longer under judgement because your sins have been forgiven, thanks to Jesus. Judgement Day is no longer in your future.
God is a good, loving, caring, wonderful, heavenly Father.
I've been reading on some key differences between the Christian and the Muslim religions.
The both claim to have God, either called God, the Heavenly Father, or Allah, and
they both claim to offer Heaven or Paradise to it's believers upon death.
But, I've come across major differences in how to reach Paradise and heaven, the goal for getting there, what you will do there, and the question of will there be any sex?
(The answer is at the bottom if you must see it right now)
Allah promises the reward of Paradise for men complete with virgins for his sexual delight. Lots of voluptuous, untouched, beautiful, virgins with appetizing vaginas and non-sagging breasts for his pleasure and permanent, eternal erection. So, the Muslim man has to do good things and he will be heavily rewarded so he may have his sexual desires fulfilled by enticing virgins. Now, for any healthy, red'blooded man, having strength to sexually pleasure virgins might very well thought to be 'Paradise'. However, if the goal for getting to Paradise, is for his sensual pleasure, that sounds pretty selfish and one-sided. Virgins are there. Is Paradise another place for the females to have to work? Is their Paradise having to use their bodies to pleasure a man? Is there any time females can have a Paradise of their own and not have to be about sexually pleasuring a man?
The Prophet Muhammad taught sin can be forgiven by doing good and sin is just an act not an inherent nature. I also read this teaching says even though a believer can do 'bad', they can also do 'good', and that would wipe out their sin. This raises some questions. For instance, who determines how much 'good' is enough to erase sin? What is the definition of 'good' and who can claim to wear the title of 'good'? How much prayer is enough to wipe out a person's sin? How will a person know they've prayed enough? And for a person to do bad, there has to be an inherent nature within them in order to do 'bad' or think 'bad' thoughts. So if there's any speck of 'bad', how can that person remove the nature that is within himself? He/she may not do 'bad' all the time, but it's still within himself/herself even though they don't necessarily do 'bad' things all the time.
God demands perfection. Even thought Muslims know of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his only beloved son to God. The rest of the story is God stepped in and provided a substitute for Abraham. This was an example showing that substitute later would be, Jesus, God's only Son, who was obedient and was sacrificed to have his blood shed to pay for the sin of mankind. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice because he was part of the godhead, part of the 'us' who created all things. He humbled himself to be born of a woman by the Holy Spirit. So, God, spiritually stepped down from heaven in human form to become The Sacrifice himself for us. That is of the Spirit, but also of the flesh so Man's spirit could live and not die and his sins be forgiven. No other way would have sufficed. If God provided of Himself to pay for our sins, then no imperfect man can do "good' if he is himself imperfect. When Adam and Even sinned, a sinful nature was passed on to every person born of human parents. What is a sin nature? A good explanation can be found here, and 'the misconceptions of sin nature' paragraph is especially good.
In the Bible, heaven, is promised to those who repent and who's sins have been forgiven through accepting by faith of His Son, Jesus, the Messiah- whose shed blood was the once and for all sacrifice paying the penalty of sin for that person's soul. Through His Son, your 'spirit man' can live forever in a glorified body in heaven, or be out of the presence (spiritual death) of the Lord, in hell and ultimately the Lake of Fire. Sin can't enter the home of the Holy Father, whom is Holy Spirit, and heaven is eternal. and the spirit of man is eternal. Being good can't pay the price to get into heaven. There's nothing that man, a sinful person can do- no amount of good works or living good or being a martyr will rid him of his sinful nature, so man can't be a perfect sacrifice to pay for his sin, thus he is incapable of saving himself.
Jesus, meaning 'The Anointed One' is more than a prophet. A prophet is a messenger with a word from God. Jesus is the Word, made flesh and came and dwelt among us. He is our Great High Priest, which is much more than a messenger.
Jesus was about His Father's business at an early age, and did not seek possessions, wives, concubines or have anyone killed or enslaved. He purpose on Earth was solely to spread the love of God, and be the final sacrifice so our spirits can enter heaven and thus escape the due penalty of death our sins demand, thus saving us from hell and the Lake of Fire.
Jesus is the immortal King of Kings, Lord of Lords of the everlasting Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is spiritual, as God is Spirit. The enemy is spirit. The battle is spiritual. Jesus has victory for us in this arena. Just have to wait for the right moment when Jesus returns and all the children of God will then see The Kingdom at hand with Jesus ruling on high. The spiritual victory has already been won.
-There is no intent on disrespecting anyone's belief or religion. This blog entry is only my brief understanding of the subject and is not intended to suggest that I know all there is to know about any religion-
Still on my journey along the narrow path set before me.
Does anyone measure up as pleasing to God? Yes. One person does, and that is Jesus. He alone measures up and is God's answer to a world of people needing help from the out-of-control, downward spiral of sin. It's Jesus alone who measures up to a world of people who don't know how to be at peace with God, so instead they shun God The only hope to a world of people searching for lasting peace, and lasting love, but don't know to go about getting it, is through Jesus. No other person, past, present or future measures up. God said, 'This is my Son, whom I love, and am well pleased.' God's most precious Son, willingly left the heavens, in order to be born of the Holy Spirit to a young virgin woman, thus fulfilling numerous prophesies written of the coming Messiah. He became as one of us, meaning human, for the sole purpose of becoming the perfect sacrificial Lamb to die for the sins of every man, woman, and child. Yes, He measured up and He clearly and conclusively won the spiritual battle over sin and death for us!
God is infinite - His power, wisdom and love is without end
Think about God for a minute. God is without limitations, unlike us.
He can be with you, hear prayers of the saints, know when a bird falls from the sky, and be in the heavens all at the same moment. Our human minds can't phantom His power, intellect, wisdom, holiness, omnipotence and total sovereignty. No matter how much we think or try, we can't come close by placing our human values and calculations on His infinite greatness. We are incapable of comprehending an infinite God with our non-infinite minds. God is Spirit. We have no earthly way of measuring or defining His Holiness. God is without form-He can't be seen or measured. Mistakes and/or lies are not of His Nature. He is totally just and without fault. Nothing occurs or has occurred without His knowledge because He is all knowing. Time and space are His to command. He always was, always has been, and always will be.
The Plan- The Sacrificial Lamb - Jesus would die for all our sins-Victory!
Now, think about Jesus for a minute. The very essence of God, was sent from heaven on a mission to complete and settle a spiritual war that affects every person, every soul. Jesus, came on the scene in the most humblest, lowly manner. He then grew up and began His ministry of teaching, healing, and, as foretold, He was rejected, and ultimately hung on a tree before the world, and before God. The Sacrificial Lamb had the sins of the world placed upon Him, and died for our sins so we wouldn't have to. On the third day, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He arose, and In doing so, he won the spiritual victory over sin and death. He defeated the enemy, Satan who wants every person to reject Jesus, die in their sins and not inherit what God has for them. But Jesus' cruxifiction satisfied all requirements God demands for the payment for all mankind's sins. Any person who believes on Jesus, and accepts Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord, will have their sins totally forgiven, and be freed from the penalty of sin. You are no longer an enemy of God, but become one of His children with rights of inheritance. You won't be condemned for your sins on Judgement Day. and to top it off, your future home will be in heaven, where you will enjoy spiritual life. All of this is because of Jesus, His obedience, His act of love for each of us and His victory, He holds the keys to death and sin- not Satan. Thank God.
The Sacrificial Lamb- died so we'd be spared the penalty of our sins.
Now, think about your position for a minute. Will God see your sins covered by the atoning, redeeming blood of His Son on Judgment Day? If upon taking your last breath you've rejected Jesus as your Savior, your sins will have been paid by you. The big problem will be you can't pay the penalty because you can't provide an acceptable sacrifice. The only acceptable sacrifice is Jesus. Only God could come up with such a plan so we'd have hope and assurance of enjoying spiritual life with Him forever.
God desires all to accept His free gift of Jesus to inherit spiritual life
So, the very essence of God, in human fleshly form, named Jesus, made himself the once-and-for-all sacrifice, sealing-the-deal, and defeating the power of sin and spiritual death. It's finished, the penalty's been paid-in-full and it's a done deal for us. Jesus stands high and mightily the winner and victor. He holds the keys and is seated in the heavens as proof. Now, on our part, all anyone needs to do are admit we're a sinner and we can't save ourselves. Then, exercise faith in God and acknowledge Jesus is His Son, and accept His sacrifice He willingly paid for each soul ransoming each soul that believes from 'spiritual death'. Upon doing this act of faith, a spiritual transformation takes place within the heavens and your name is entered into the Book of Life, granting you an eternal home in heaven. This is known as 'spiritual life'. If you sincerely meant it within your heart, from that moment on you need not worry or wonder if God will condemn you come Judgement Day. You don't have to wonder if you've performed enough good deeds, or if you lived your life pleasing enough to God. Even if you devoted every waking moment your entire lifetime doing good deed after good deed, your efforts would fall short. All of us are born with a sin nature, meaning we all have within us potential for sin, and, no one can claim to be without sin. Good deeds, and living by the Golden Rule, are all fine and dandy, but sorry, none of that satisfy asGod requires for sins to be forgiven. Sinners can't offer an acceptable, perfect, pure, sinless sacrifice to God. But thank God, in His love and mercy upon us, He provided the perfect sacrifice for us, in Jesus. Hook up with Him, ask Jesus to be your Savior. Your choosing Him will change your destiny forever. Jesus measures up. He's God's gift to you. Your sins are forgiven ONLY through Him.
Stories of mans' sins, acceptable sacrifices, then Jesus are told the Bible
Summerizing it all- God is Spirit and He will forgive sin by only one way.
Sin require an offering and death of a pure sacrifice to God
as a payment for sins, & it must be acceptable to God.
God sent his Son to be the Sacrificial Lamb offering and
payment for man's sins.
Jesus measured up by saving us from a penalty of
spiritual death, that we rightly deserve because of our sins.
Jesus has already paid the death penalty for you.
To receive this free gift, all you have to
to do is accept Jesus by faith. It's a spiritual thing.
Action steps- Admit that you are a sinner & can't do anything to save yourself. Believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Ask Jesus into your heart to be your Lord and Savior. Thank Him for what He did, giving you victory over spiritual death Share Jesus to those needing a Savior.
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Enjoy three performances of a favorite song.
Neil Diamond singing 'The Little Drummer Boy"
'Little Drummer Boy'-Snare Drumline Encore Performance
"Little Drummer Boy" - Celtic Women
It's all Jesus, nothing more and nothing less. Period.
Jesus -More than a teacher! More than a prophet! More than a wise man!
Jesus gives life, hope, and a future by redeeming you to God. He is seated at God's right hand interceding for the saints. Jesus- Our Spiritual victor! Our Lord and Savior!
Questions- Why can't God allow sin to go unpunished?
Will God allow anyone with unforgiven sin to enter heaven?
Why is God concerned about sin?
Can you enter heaven without Jesus being your Lord and Savior?
Scripture references: Hebrews 9:11-28; 10:1-14
2 Corinthians 5:1-21
John 3:1-21; 15:12-13
Romans 5:6-21
Ephesians 2:1-18
Mark 1:11; 7:21-23
Jeremiah 3:7; 17:9
Matthew 17:5
Luke 3:12
2 Peter 1:17
1Thessalonians 5:9-11
Acts 2:22-39; 5:30-32
First chapter in the Book of Revelation, and Ephesians 1:3-23
Forever praising and honoring what our King and Lord Jesus did for every soul.
That's right. Man was 'pegged' in the Garden of Eden. Yeah, the old tempter, Satan, cunningly brought up an idea to Eve, which tempted her in her weakness, which was her flesh, to desire something she hadn't wanted before, and Adam fell for it, too.. Satan's appeal was directed at their flesh, taking their attention away from the spirit. Adam and Eve disobeyed God because their flesh couldn't refuse the temptation, they disobeyed the Spirit, and so sin was born, and God expelled the first couple from paradise. Yeah, they were 'pegged'. Satan discovered if he presented something to man or woman in such a way that it looked enticing, attractive, desirable, juicy, or pleasurable to have, Man couldn't walk away, even if God had given them an entire Garden to live and have sweet fellowship with Him. Man wasn't satisfied, man's flesh wanted more and what was forbidden. Satan's plan worked and it's still working beautifully for him today. Sadly, we were 'pegged' and nothing has changed over the centuries. Man is still falling into the same snares set by Satan, and the trap is not only getting larger, but hotter as well.
Lust of the flesh is our weakness causing us to sin against God.
Our carnal mind controls our fleshly desires, and is VERY STRONG! Satan doesn't have to work very hard to get Man to do anything if he can dangle it in our faces while making it sound and look so tantalizing, irresistible and appealing, that we begin craving it and believing we can't live without it. Our flesh is very selfish, and ever so hungry for more. Our flesh does not enjoy being denied. Our flesh wants to be satisfied again and again because it never stays satisfied. Our flesh wants what it wants, and it wants it now. It's the flesh that causes us to sin. Now, there's nothing at all wrong with feeling good and wanting nice things. However, when that is the driving force, you are not being spiritually minded. Satan is very pleased when we're not spiritually minded. He wants our attention to be far from the things of God or the Spirit. The adversary and our flesh are at odds with things of God, because God is Spirit. And our spirits, when not saved, are at odds with our carnal, fleshly bodies. But when you ask Jesus into your heart, by taking and trusting Jesus as you Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit quickens your spirit to become alive and connected with the Spirit of God. You've become spiritually born, which is called being born again. Your spirit nature is now alive inside you which was dormant before. But not until we leave this fleshly body will we be free from the constant pull of our fleshly desires of our old nature. It does take effort and prayer to knock the old nature back down from time to time, but before being 'saved' you obeyed your carnal self without any regard to things of the Spirit at all. Satan places appealing things in front of our 'weak flesh' to get our eyes off God on a constant basis. Satan prefers Man to desire anything and everything contrary to God. Satan's sin has gotten himself a special place designed for him and his gang, and I don't think it's designed for pleasure or relaxation for any demon or human spirit. Satan is the master of covertness in leading many people away from the things of God. Man would rather accept Satan's deception and lies rather than believe God's truth and love. Satan has lead many blindly into the frying pan by appealing fleshly lusts and desires. Sadly, many continue to ignore the fire under the frying pan which is slowly getting hotter and hotter. Over time, when your flesh is continually gratified, you become accustomed to sin and you're not wanting to leave your residence in the frying pan. Some even want the heat turned up to be hotter. Ouch!
The old frying pan is getting hotter- are you in it?
You see, with everyone wanting to gratify their own flesh, the world has changed for the worst. Yes, there are more people in the world than there were centuries ago, but it's more prevalent with each generation the alteration from the traditional father/mother design of raising family and it's resulting effects; addictions caused by weaknesses to refrain from harmful substances and practices; children being exposed to grown up things long before they're adult or mature; marriages failing and ending for selfish reasons after vowing and promising to honor and cherish for better or worse; illegal drug use is rampant and has become the ruin of so many lives and families, but the flesh overlooks that fact but because the flesh wants what that drug provides, never mind the damage it's gonna do to your brain and body; and the list goes on and on with all types of crime, gluttony, and seemingly no conscious thought that the action is harming or detrimental to themselves and others.
That pretty trap is to snare you prevent you from escaping- you're dead
Our flesh is 'selfish','self-seeking', and often 'self-centered'. When our flesh wants something, it's gotta have it and will walk over anything and anyone in it's way in order to satisfy itself. No wonder prisons are busting full; no wonder we're so mixed up about what's morally right and wrong; no wonder man wants laws changed to make his immoral actions be legal; no wonder Man wants to take God out of everything so he won't have to be reminded of God at all; no wonder the pursuit of more and more money is the driving determination for getting ahead in life; no wonder adults have turned to satisfy their lusts using children, and 'sex sells' everything. Man has literally given God the boot. To the flesh, satisfying itself IS right. To the flesh, what it wants IS right. And Satan has helped man devise and come up with every excuse to make sure Man is continually thinking and believing what feels good to the flesh is RIGHT. Satan is smiling because his deceptions are still working well at keeping Man focused on his flesh (carnal) and not the things of God (spiritual).
Your carnal flesh is usually at odds with your spirit and the things of God
God's plan involves nothing which will hurt us. Following Satan leads us down the road to destruction and devastation. Because Satan fell from grace, he wants to take as many of God's precious creation (mankind) way down with him.
It's up to you. God gives you and I every chance to decide which road you want to travel. Satan's road is a super highway, and continued traveling on it with the masses will take you to a dark destination. Is your flesh so weak that you don't care at all where your soul will be forever? The way that God has for you is not bad at all. It's full of joy and contentment to the flesh and very satisfying beyond description, but, without hurting yourself and within safe protected boundaries God has laid down for his creation. Like a parent protecting their child by warning them to not play in the street. Don't you know God is loving enough to know and meet your every need? But most of all, when you stay on the narrow road now, this destination leads to the best that's ahead in heaven for your soul. So, it's your choice. Continue being 'pegged' and follow Satan's way to satisfy yourself and contend with all the dangers doing it the selfish, fleshly way, or follow God's way of having your needs met without the perils, but within his hedge of protection, and then look forward to your soul residing in splendor beyond description in heaven?
Question I've pondered-Is my flesh causing me to sin against God? To really know the answer, I went to the source to see what God's Word reads to know what He has to say about this. The Bible is not the easiest to read, but everything's there to find with some effort. And I'm not taking anyone else's word about it unless I know for darn sure they know God's Word better than I do. I'd rather find out for myself and I think everyone should do likewise as well.
Video about how to walk in the spirit
Ponder and act on this-If you chose to not be reborn, you can't be any way but carnal minded. You're spiritually dead, so there's no way you can see things of God? God is Spirit. Not until you accept Jesus as you Lord and Savior, are you spiritually alive. In an instant, you're made alive spiritually, your sins are forgiven, and you're made an heir to the promises of God. Those are all spiritual gifts you receive from God. Accept Jesus and receive life. If you die( this is the first death) without having accepted Jesus, your spirit cannot reside in heaven, but rather Hell, then later the Lake of Fire to always be exiled from the presence of God, which is the second death. Born again Christians will not experience that hot, hellish second death, because they are promised by God a mansion in heaven for their glorified bodies.
We're spiritual beings created in the likeness of God, residing right now living in fleshly bodies, and we have a soul-three parts making us whole. Satan focuses on the flesh.
Video on the origin of Satan, the author of sin, and what he's about,
BONUS- God made a way and the way is recorded, written by Spirit inspired men, kept and passed down so even today anyone can read about the great story of God's love for all mankind in the Holy Bible, starting with Adam and Eve, and on down to Abraham, Issiac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Israel, Esther, and so on.
What's important in eternity is our spirit. Now that you know this, resolve to stop allowing satan to have you "pegged".
Check out these scripture references for yourself: 1 Cor 5:44; 1 Cor :17; Titus 3:3; 1 Peter 1:13-16; 2Peter 1:4; 1John:2:16-17; Romans 5:12,19-21; 8:1,3,9,13;13:14; Gal 5:16, Matthew 6:13
