The Christian Test

REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/03/young-missionaries/551585/

We all know people who say they are a Christian, but something just isn’t right. We know Christians who adamantly proclaim someone who is famous as a Christian, but how do we know? We are not judges. We don’t know if someone prayed to accept Jesus Christ or wanted to get baptized but were delayed until it was too late. Some sheep look like Christians because they go to church, pay tithing and are even in leadership positions. But we need the help of the Holy Spirit to know who are really Christians so we know if we should accept their leadership, otherwise they could lead us from our walk with God. The scriptures say that even the elect will be deceived by the spirit of antichrist. God forbid that we would be deceived in these last days. God did not leave us helpless without wisdom or understanding. He sent his apostle Paul to the Gentiles giving them the words to know the fruits of a real Christian, so we will not be deceived.

Here is your guideline. This is your template for holding up to the results of people’s lives to know truth. In order to make wise decisions we have to know truth and worldly people do not know the truth. Follow this simple scripture in who you choose to follow in life and you will not be deceived by the anti-Christ. I am not saying you need to confront these people, nor the others who follow them, but just be aware yourself to make the correct decisions.

Romans 12: 9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.[e] 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;[f] do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God;[g] for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (NRSV)

Ok to clarify: a true Christian is filled with love. Jesus said clearly that is how we will know who His followers are. A true Christian is not proud thinking he is better than other people. Do you know people who pray faithfully, have joy, patience and hope? Seek out those people and thank God they are in your life. A Christian does not seek revenge nor attack their enemies, because the consuming love of God has filled their thoughts. God is warning us: do not be overcome by evil, but we in Jesus name will overcome ALL evil with the goodness of Jesus Christ. Even better stop right now and pray how does your Christian life line up with the word of God.

In Case You Missed Past Blogs

The Christian Test

We all know people who say they are a Christian, but something just isn’t right. We know Christians who adamantly proclaim someone who is famous as a Christian, but how do we know? We are not judges. We don’t know if someone prayed to accept Jesus Christ or wanted to get baptized but were delayedContinue reading “The Christian Test”

by Kingdom is at Hand

Spiritual Soaring

The eagle spreads its mighty wings             Soaring over the reaches of time His eye is keen upon the horizon             Turning his head from side to side Searching for the tender branch to take             Back to the mountain nest. There is power in each sweep of the             Mighty eagle wings gliding onContinue reading “Spiritual Soaring”

by Kingdom is at Hand

Begin to Experience Heaven by Knowing the King

“I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.”

Psalm 2:6 RSV

The most important step a person can take on their trek to the Kingdom of Heaven is to first seek to know the King Himself.  A person born into the kingdom has a new life with spiritual eyes and ears to respond to the leading of His Spirit.  We need to seek the place where the King lives.  The only way to please a king is to be an active citizen of His kingdom by obeying and submitting to His authority.  Only when you live under the Lordship of the King will you truly be living in the Kingdom.

Prayer builds our relationship with the King and strengthens us to bring our thoughts into line with His perfect will.  The Holy Spirit’s purpose on earth is to do this transforming work within our hearts.

The most valuable possession a person can have is a real relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit.  When we live in this relationship, we are rich, but not with earthly possessions.  True riches, in Christ Jesus, are to have a lasting relationship with Him.  Everlasting victory comes when we realize that our relationship with Jesus is the most valuable asset we will ever have.  Our relationship with God will continue to grow if we continue to obey Him.

Spiritual Soaring

https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/on-eagles-wings/

The eagle spreads its mighty wings

            Soaring over the reaches of time

His eye is keen upon the horizon

            Turning his head from side to side

Searching for the tender branch to take

            Back to the mountain nest.

There is power in each sweep of the

            Mighty eagle wings gliding on the wind

Allow this strength to rise from within

            And reveal to you the things of God

Look through the eye of an eagle

            Amazed at the scope of vision

For millenniums he searched the hillsides

            For the tender shoot perfect in every way.

You are flying high over the world

            Miles above the grasping reach of trees.

Uplifted by the updrafts of the Holy Spirit

            Moving in the peaceful will of God

Roll back and dive through the mountains

            The cascading streams freshen the air.

Once you rested in the downy nest of God

            Waiting daily in the presence of the Lord

Under the wings of the Almighty

            A place of refuge, a tall fortress.

A tender branch taken back to the nest

            Centuries ago, has grown to a mighty tree.

The roots have reached solidly into the crags

            And drink of cool glacial streams.

From this mighty position you are able to fly!

            You must learn to trust and leap.

He will lift you up on the wings of eagles

            And you will soar into revelations.

The winds of the Holy Spirit carry you on

            To lands of victory with rivers of life.

Look at the sparkle in the eagle’s eye

            At the glory of heaven’s throne reflecting

This eagle is strong from feasting on rich fruit

            And drinking of rivers in high places.

On your royal table sits a golden chalice

            Full of blood red wine for sustenance

Engraved with eagle’s jeweled eyes

            The one who carried the tender shoot

To the highest place at the right hand of God

            This plant grew to a mighty vine

Abundant fruit, riches, and blessings

            The joy of the Lord is overflowing

The hills and trees clap their hands

            The table is set for the festival.

by John H Nye

Don’t Underestimate the Value of Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer (Le Pater Noster), by James Tissot. Brooklyn Museum

…and have put on the new nature,

which is being renewed in knowledge

after the image of its creator. 

Colossians 3:10 RSV

Through prayer in the Holy Spirit we need to focus our thoughts upon the Father asking for a fuller understanding of His love.  But prayer is so hard in our age of multimedia to take the time to be quiet before the Lord and listen to His spiritual promptings.  The value of prayer cannot be underestimated because the intimate knowledge of God as our loving Father is essential for a successful walk through this life in preparation for eternity.  We cannot thank Jesus enough for opening a way into this relationship with God as our Father.  We are so thankful that He sent the Comforter the Holy Spirit to give us spiritual eyes to see our new relationship with your Father.  Prayer refreshes our spirit and changes our heart so we can let our guard down to finally trust God.  Through continued prayer we will recognize that we are the apple of His eye seeing His plan for our life.

Dangerous Resentments

https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2018/04/12/what-is-a-copyright-troll/

…pursue that consecration and holiness

without which no one will [ever] see the Lord

Exercise foresight and be on the watch

to look [after one another],

to see that no one falls back from

and fails to secure God’s grace

(His unmerited favor and spiritual blessing),

in order that no root of resentment

(rancor, bitterness or hatred) shoot forth

and cause trouble and bitter torment,

and the many become contaminated and defiled by it;

Hebrews 12:14-15 AMP

God’s plan is for us to recognize that we are consecrated in His presence through prayer.  Remember daily who you are in Christ never forgetting and falling back to the old way of thinking.  Each day ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any resentment you may be keeping.  This is serious because the side effects of bitterness and hatred will ruin your relationship with God.  Expose old sniveling resentments from our twisted past residing deep within your soul.  Take note of past hurts and bitterness that will damage all your relationships even with God.  Resentment is a cancer of the soul that ruins a person’s outlook on life.  Unforgiveness has a price that will be paid on the judgement day but also causes problems in your everyday life.  Selfishness tricks our brains into thinking that God is not in control, so we try to live life on our own.

Ascending Mount Zion

Took this photo hiking at Rocky Mountain National Park

Ascend Mount Zion in the Spirit through prayer because it is an actual place.  Climbing the mount is the only way to comprehend the Kingdom of Heaven, while living in this world.  Even though we live in the world, we are not of the world, because our citizenship is in heaven.  The Lord is calling His citizens to come and dwell at the top of Mt. Zion, where we can enter His holy place and learn about Him.  The time is short, so now is the time for saints to ascend the mount.  The scripture is the map that leads us into the realm of the heavenlies.  The Holy Spirit is a light for this map, so we can find the paths of righteousness.  God is calling the church to partake in His Kingdom to develop a close relationship with Him.

“It shall come to pass in the latter days

that the mountain of the house of the Lord

shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

and shall be raised above the hills;

and all nations shall flow to it,

and many peoples shall come, and say:

`Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways

and that we may walk in his paths.’

For out of Zion shall go forth the law,

and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

Isaiah 2:2‑3 RSV

The Kingdom of Heaven

The Kingdom of Heaven is a place that Jesus has prepared for the saints.  His kingdom is more real than any physical place on this earth because it is eternal.  Saints who walk by faith have access to the kingdom and can move there forever.  Many Christians think that heavenly things are only for the future, but God wants to provide blessings for us while we live on this earth.

“Father, I desire that they also,

whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am,

to behold my glory which thou hast given me

in thy love for me before the foundation of the world.”

John 17:24 RSV

Jesus wants us to be citizens of His Kingdom.  He has prepared a place for each of us individually and it is His personal prayer that we enter the kingdom to share His joy.  By the anointing of the Holy Spirit we can partake of these rich things of God.

How Great is Our God

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icN_wNkjr60

I wrote this little poem awhile back to reveal how great our God it, but because we are trapped in time and space we cannot fully comprehend how great He is.

God

I can reach across the heavens

            my hands sweep up the stars

                        in the cup of my hands.

I turn and the universe spins with me

            leap and the galaxies rise

                        in sweet harmony.

My foundation is broader than you

            can begin to comprehend

                        stretch your mind.

Bend your mind to think that

            I never began or ended

                        I have always been.

My throne is higher than any eye

            could possibly see in

                        a million light years.

I am totally in control

            nothing leaves my watchful eye

                        nothing is hidden.

Nothing in all of creation

            can compare with me

                        I am above all!

3 steps to follow when talking about God (to avoid offending people) – Acts 17, Part 3

This is one of the most well-written blogs I have read on how to share this good news of Jesus with others without offending people.

Let's Talk About Sunday

Photo by Anna Kurmaeva on Unsplash

It can be difficult and scary to talk about God. And maybe for some of us, it always will be, as talking about God can feel very personal, or very easily offensive. But in this post, as we continue to follow Paul’s journey as told in Acts 17, Paul will demonstrate how to talk about God with graciousness. In the first post, Paul was in Thessalonica, and the in second post we learned about his visit to Berea. After his ministry was so well-received in Berea, trouble flared up, so Paul traveled to Athens.

In Paul’s day Athens was, as it is now, a historically famous city, featuring the famous Parthenon, depicted above.  A couple hundred years before Paul’s time, Athens was home to some of history’s greatest philosophical minds: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.  Things had changed since those days when Athens was…

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Justice Will Be Served

As a child of God do not be concerned with fairness because only God knows the motives of each saint to reward as He sees fit.  There is no injustice in the Kingdom of Heaven.  A sanctified Christian will rejoice in other people’s victories and spiritual rewards.  This world is full of injustice and you will see it every day you live on this earth.  The most unjust acts are against Christians because the world does not recognize who they are in Christ.  Satan confuses the world, so they cannot comprehend God, therefore, hating Christians who live in the light. But do not think for one minute that your cries resulting from injustice are going unheard by you Father?  In fact, God is gathering up a greater reward for those misjudged by the world and persecuted.  This is best exemplified by Jesus who was a pure lamb, but the world judged Him and unjustly crucified Him, so now He is rewarded with the throne of God.  Rest assured every one of your prayers offered with a pure motive will be answered.  Since we live in a world limited by time and space, we do not understand the eternal reward system.  God’s judgment is perfect and will prevail ultimately protecting His lambs.  Jesus our Lord has risen from the altar of the cross to the throne of Heaven where He is preparing to return with fire to make all things right.  Rest assured that the enemies who have persecuted the saints will face God’s precise destruction.  We need to trust patiently in the face of injustice believing our Father will reclaim our justice with bountiful rewards. In fact, we can be thankful that we will not receive what we deserve for our sin at the Judgement Seat of God.