Tag Archives: scripture

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Your Labor is Not in Vain

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I Corinthians 15:58 (AMP), Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose].”

We who are born of Heaven are not working on our own. We are co-laborers with Christ. We have a myriad of angels working on our behalf, ministering in our lives according to God’s perfect will. There is so much going on “behind the scenes” that it would make our heads spin. In the spiritual realm there is no inactivity, no sleeping, it is always moving and things are being accomplished every second. Satan knows that his time is short, so the battle that is being wages is massive. Sometimes I wish that I could be like Elijah’s servant and see “those that are for us” who outnumber those who are against us. Remember only one third of the angels fell, which means there are twice as much for us as are against us. We are at war; we are soldiers of the Most High.

What are we fighting, laboring for?

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT), “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

God handcrafted us as a master artist, to do good works. Every gift and talent that He placed within us is to further His Kingdom, to bring Heaven to earth. He has so much love that He isn’t satisfied with a small family, He wants a huge family. Our job is to bring them in.
I recently read a book about the Andersonville prison camp for northern prisoners of war, in Georgia during the Civil War. The conditions there were horrible; you can google it if you want all the gory details. The general in charge had never stepped inside the walls. The townspeople ignored the smell and the rumors of the men who were rotting alive. Some of the guards who were called “Sentinels” were about the only ones who felt any compassion as they witnessed it firsthand. Those were so overwhelmed by the futility of trying to help over 13,000 prisoners, without the general’s approval that they did nothing. One particular part of this story really moved me… there was an older guard who began bringing a potato, or a lemon and dropping in from his guard tower for a particular soldier to eat. When a younger guard who had become so depressed by what he was seeing that he was losing all faith in God, asked him “what is the point?” This was his answer (paraphrased), “I may not be able to feed them all, but by God I can feed one.”

I got to thinking about that, after I cried for about ten minutes. That’s how I feel sometimes when I see how bad the world around me is, when I feel like there are so many who don’t know God. I have asked myself, “how can we ever reach so many”, or “what can I do, I am just one person?” But, if we all have that same attitude as the older guard, each one reach one, our churches would be full! I am not responsible to save the world. Jesus already did. I just have to take one person at a time and let them know that this war is already one. Tell them, and more importantly show them the love of God. His goodness turns hearts to repentance. Those angels I was talking about are working on them, the Holy Spirit is brooding over their hearts preparing them to receive, and Jesus is wooing them.

Yes, there is work for us to do. Spiritual and physical, we need to witness and clean the toilets. We need to feed the hungry and change diapers. All done for God, all as co-laborers with Him, and it will all glorify Him.

We are not spinning our wheels, if we are led by His Spirit, though it may seem that we aren’t accomplishing much in the natural, our labor is not wasted or futile!

So, keep working. Take one day at a time, but look at each one and each opportunity in the light of eternity. Always remember, there are more for us than against us!

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Are You Sure?

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II Peter 1:10a (KJB), “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure:”

God has called you, chosen you, elected you for a certain position. He has a plan and a purpose for your life and it isn’t just to make due and just get by until you get to Heaven. There is something (things) that He wants you to do here. He created you to do them. Peter knew how important this is so when God revealed to him that his life here on earth would soon come to an end, Peter took this opportunity to give a final warning to the Church.

II Peter 1:1-12 (NIV), “Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you.”

He needed them to be sure of their calling! If we aren’t completely convinced and sure of the fact that we have been chosen, handpicked, by God, we will never do what He called us to do. We will never fulfill our divine purpose. Peter warns about those who have turned their backs on God’s purpose for their lives and have made it their sole purpose to get us to walk away from God and His plans for us. (John warns us of the same thing in John 2:26)..

II Peter 2:14 (KJB), “Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:”

Look at some of the words used in the different versions of this scripture: They beguile (KJB), bait and lure (AMP), and they seduce (NASB) those who are unstable (all of these versions use the word unstable). The only way we can remain stable is to know God and be sure of our calling. In a healthy marriage no one can lure or seduce one of them away from their spouse. It just isn’t going to happen. Seduction happens when there is some type of instability. Just as in a marriage covenant, we have to remain vigilant in our relationship with Christ.

II Peter 3:17 (NIV), “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.”

Be sure! Be sure of who He is- that He is able to perfect and finish the work that He has started in you.
Be sure of who you are- you are His child and you are accepted in the beloved.
Be sure of His calling on your life- He has called you to liberty!

When we are totally convinced of these things, when we are sure, no person, no devil in Hell will be able to seduce us away. We will see right through the lies.

We are destined for Glory- Be sure of that!

Romans 8:5-6 (NASB) “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

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What is Binding You?

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Romans 8:15 (KJB), “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”

We are all slaves to something or someone. Once we were slaves to impurity, to sin. What we thought would bring us pleasure had only ended up ruling our lives. When we wanted to do good, we ended up doing bad and when we were determined not to sin again, we did. Paul had the same problem (Romans 7). Our human nature is weak.

Romans 6:19 (NLT), “Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.”

Thank God, He provided a way to be free. In fact He has called us to liberty.

Galatians 5:13 (KJB), “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

When we finally accept the finished work of the cross and Jesus’ shed blood, we have been set free from sin and death. The law doesn’t rule us anymore. We now have the law of liberty, the law of grace and love. The more we know the truth, the freer we get. Sin has no rule in heaven, so it now has no rule for us. It is bound in heaven, so it is bound in our lives. We are now citizens of heaven. “But I still mess up!” I hear you say. Of course, we aren’t perfect…yet. It will not enslave us again if we are quick to repent and move on. We don’t want to return to that yoke of bondage by refusing to repent. We have to let God deal with our hearts.

Matthew 18:18 (NIV), “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Bind sin and loose liberty. Bind the lies of Satan and loose the truth of God’s word.

Galatians 5:1 (KJB), “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

You are not a sinner anymore, no matter what you do. You aren’t what you do; you are a child of God because of what He has done. Don’t hang your head, look up! Stand fast in your faith. Don’t let anything hold you in chains. You have been set free!

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Book Review for “The King’s Scrolls”- Christian Fantasy

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I was given a copy of “The King’s Scrolls” in exchange for an honest review. when I agreed to read this book I didn’t realize that it was a sequel. So I purchased book number one “Resistance” and fell in love with it. I couldn’t wait to read this one and it did not disappoint. This series is a wonderful fantasy that also happens to be Christian. The story is full of your usual fantasy aspects as well as the good versus evil theme. This story has included some dragons and dragon fights and we meet some new characters. The characters are very fleshed out and feel like someone you’ve known forever. I hated to see this one end and am looking forward to book three. There is no sexual content or swearing, there is fighting. I give it five stars. I loved it! I can recommend for teens and up. (on a side note, though it is Christian fiction it is not “preachy”)

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Are You Ready?

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I Thessalonians 5:1-11 (NLT), “Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”

I don’t know about you, but I happen to think we are living in the last days. So much of Biblical prophecy has come to pass and all you need to do is read the headlines to see that things are going from bad to worse. Sometimes I get sickened by the evil that runs rampant in our fallen world. I stopped watching the news years ago, same with reading the newspapers. First off they are very biased and secondly, I just don’t want my mind filled with bad news. I do peruse some of the headlines and of course I hear about all of the stuff going on, just not the details. I prefer to think of all the good news! To me, the best news is that if we are in the last days, Jesus is returning soon! Can I get a Hallelujah?

I understand that I won’t ever know the exact hour that He is coming, but I do understand that I am a child of the light, a child of Almighty God, so I will know the season. So I decided a long time ago that I was going to be ready. I am reminded of the Jews during WWII. They eventually figured out that those trains weren’t going anywhere that had been promised and for some fortunate ones, they had people to help smuggle them out or hide them away. They had to have their bags packed and be ready to go. They had to leave behind everything and only take a few necessities or maybe a very small trinket of sentimental value. That’s the way I want to live. Not in fear of being found, or killed, but ready to go, mind made up bags packed. My senior pastor, Dr. William Hohman said it something like this: “I am going to live like He is coming today, and work like He is going to tarry awhile.” That says it all. We don’t sit down and look to the sky as if we don’t have anything else to do. The Father has a job for us, and the closeness of Jesus’ return should be prompting us to do that job well. We are building His Kingdom, leading others to Christ, encouraging and building up His Church. Jesus said in Luke 18:8, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Yes, we may be caught unaware by His return, but I am determined to be caught doing good, full of faith when He does.

We need to be mindful of the time. Use it wisely. Seek the things above, stop worrying, and start working. We can only do this if we have completely surrendered to Him. We will mess up, but we get back up. He is quick to forgive and as we wash our minds in the word of God, we will be changing into His image and those sins that once so easily beset us won’t be a temptation anymore. He is coming for a spotless Bride. I am going to prepare for The Bridegroom.

How about you? Are you ready?

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About Midnight

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Acts 16:25-26 (NIV), “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.”

Midnight is generally the darkest part of the day, just like noon is the brightest. Paul and Silas had not had a good day. They were about the Lord’s business of preaching and teaching, evangelizing the gentiles in Philippi. Unfortunately, when they cast the spirit of divination out of a young slave woman, all hell broke loose, literally. Her owners were not pleased.

Acts 16: 20-24 (N IV), “They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.”

There they were, beaten, surrounded by soldiers, feet in stocks (metal manacles chained to the wall or floor or wooden beams with holes for your feet), and what were they doing “about midnight?” Yep, they were praying and singing hymns to God. Now, I think I have been a little distracted by the pain, or maybe in the throes of the biggest pity party ever, but not these men of God. They kept their focus and the other prisoners were listening. They weren’t mocking them, or cursing them, they liked what they were hearing, it gave them hope! So about midnight, at the darkest hour, God came through for them, and not just for them, there were glorious salvations from that act of praise.

Acts 16:27-34 (NIV), “The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.”

That isn’t even my favorite part of the story, the next morning those same government officials sent word to let Paul and Silas go free. This wasn’t acceptable to Paul.

Acts 16:37-40 (NIV), “But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.”

There darkest night turned into a morning of honor as the magistrates came and escorted them out of the prison!
Never lose hope, never give up or give in. If God is for you, who can be successfully against you?